The Alpha squad is escorting supplies to the outpost on Rhen Var. Things went wrong and they hyperspace to the Unknown Region and crash land on an strange alien planet. Unknown to them, an old enemy awaits on the planet waiting for the time to come.
Escorting supplies and reinforcements to the outpost on Rhen Var in the Outer Rim, things go awry for the Alpha Squad. A mysterious attack forces the team to randomly hyperspace into Wild Space. Crashing on a planet, the ARC troopers awake to find this planet full of strange, multi-colored humanoid creatures. With no way of returning to the Republic, they must adapt to their new environment pass obstacles, face fears and struggle with the past of war.
What they didn't know is an old mutual enemy thought long dead has also taken refuge on the planet and is growing strong waiting for the moment...TO STRIKE. The Troopers with the aid of their equine companions will soon unveil the threat and face it together. The decision they choose, the action they make, will change the course of the Galaxy.
(P.S That's not me up there that's my brother Alpha-59.)
No matter where you go, war will always follows behind you.
Location: Outer Rim Current Location: Rhen Var, Galidaarn system Day:560 ABG(After Battle of Geonosis) Galactic Military Time: 15:30
A Republic starcraft appeared out of hyperspace in the Rhen Var system. The Acclamator-class assault ship was on its way to Rhen Var to bring supplies and reinforcements for the defenses in the Outer Rim. Onboard the ship, the crew were feeling quite bored. Supply runs ranked as the most boring duty in the Grand Army of the Republic. Nothing exciting happened around regular supply shipments. Nothing. In the Republic ship, the only things there were to do were to inspect the supplies, perform the daily patrol, check the maps and repair the starfighters.
In the barracks were four ARC troopers. One was typing on his datapad while two more were arm wrestling, with the last one as their only spectator.
“Come on! Come on!” said Flare, one of the wrestlers and the group’s weapons specialist, using all the strength he had to try and beat his opponent.
“Have a nice trip,” the other one, a sniper named Ven’vul, said with a smile. With one quick motion, he sent Flare sprawling to the floor. “Make that a flip,” he chuckled.
”No fair, I demand a rematch!” shouted Flare.
“Oye, will you guys cut out,” said Razor, lifting his nose from his datapad. “I’m working here.”
”What are you doing anyway?” Flare asked as he got up from the cold hard floor.
”I’m checking on the security on the ship” Razor stated. “I’m the tech specialist, remember?”
"Oh come on. Lighten up here, hardly anything happened,” Flare said.
“I have to make sure the security systems are fully operational,” Razor said strictly.
“Razor is right," Jai, the group’s commanding officer, said. "This is war. We have to be alert.”
"Could you tell me why, of all the possible tasks, we have to babysit a bunch of crates?” Ven’vul grumbled.
"Because,” Jai sighed," we have to keep them safe and bring them to Rhen Var so they can be ship out along with reinforcements.”
"What happened?" Flare wondered. "From what I heard from one trooper, they seem desperate.”
"There have been raids on three of the outposts in the Raxus system,” Razor stated flatly. "Two destroyed, one badly damaged. There were only for six survivors, each grievously wounded and in need of recovery in their bacta tank for some months.”
"How come they didn’t send the reinforcements before?” Ven’vul demanded.
"If you were listening to the report, there were two republic cruisers that carry supplies for the outpost entering orbit. Before they realized what happened, they too had been attacked.” Razor said.
"And the kadales?" asked Jai in Mando’a.
"One was nearly destroyed, and the other they stole to who knows where. As for the crew, all died in the cruiser. The state of the final one is unknown. He paused and continued. Get this, a Jetii general was in the damaged one. He’s dead too.”
Surprise quickly mounted. "Dead? How?” the others asked.
"Gutted,” Razor answered grimly.
Jai felt sorry for the Jetii. "The raiders? Where are they?” he asked.
“No one knows. By the time reinforcements arrived, they seemed to vanish into thin air. Only a few droids remained, but they self-destructed.”
“Self-destructed?” Jai asked.
“Yeah, but they were identifiable as B1s, B2s, and B-Xs. The odd thing is that there are no more than twenty of them.”
"Only twenty? They would send at least fifty or a hundred clankers,” Flare mused.
“How would twenty do that much damage?” Ven’vul pondered.
"Don’t know, but once we get to the planet we will in-”
*BOOM*
A large explosion shook the ship and knocking clones to the floor. “Haar’chak!” shouted Ven’vul. Alarms wailed across the corridor: “HANGAR BAY 4 UNDER ATTACK ALL UNITS TO THE HANGAR BAY 4!"
“Come on Alpha squad! lock and load!” Jai ordered, quickly rising.
The others got up and rushed to their weapons. Jai garbed his WESTAR-M5 blaster rifle, his pistol, and attachments to his blaster. Razor got his blaster rifle and a probe droid. Flare grabbed his grenade launcher and his Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Ven’vul selected his sidearm, a vibro knife, and his favorite weapon: the verpine sniper rifle. This done, the squad rushed to the turbolift at the hangar level.
Running through the hallway, they heard blaster fire. When they reached the hangar bay, they witnessed hell. The wreckage lay strewn everywhere, crates crushed and jumbled, loose wires sparking. A Consular-class cruiser sat in the middle of the hanger, surrounded by clones taking cover by the crates and exchanging fire with the attackers.
“Clankers!” Jai shouted as he and his squad took cover by the wreckage of a starfighter.
"Where they come from!?” Razor shouted while taking down two advancing B1s with his blaster.
"Does that cruiser have something to do with this?” Fare wondered as he blasted three of droids into scrap metal.
Six more droids moved in, Ven’vul started to blow off their heads with his sniper rifle one by one. "Who cares where they came from,” he said happily as he shot down the fifth droid. "All I care is that I can finally have something to shoot at,” he finished blasting the last droid's head to pieces.
The headless droid loosed a barrage of red plasma from its blaster in every direction. A bolt flew and hit Jai in the chest. Fortunately, his armor was strong enough to block the bolt, thanks to Razor's specially prepared energy shield reinforcement. Razor, you have done it again, Jai thought to himself at that moment. Any delay on that shield and I’d have been a dead man.
A nearby clone trooper had not been so lucky; a bolt had penetrated his helmet and he had fallen dead. Jai fired his WESTAR-M5 at the headless droid to finish it off. He then looked at the dead clone and sighed.
It never gets any easier, watching my brothers die.
“Look out!” a trooper shouted. Jai turned toward the trooper that gave warning, only to watch the trooper’s head roll to his feet. He looked up to find a commando droid with a vibrosword standing on the headless body. Enraged, Jai took out his vibroblade from his gauntlet, charging at the droid. He ducked as the vibrosword swung toward his head. Jai shot the commando droid’s left arm off with his blaster rifle. With his vibroblade in his left arm, he blocked the sword and pushed it away. Swing his vibroblade, Jai cut the droid's neck, then blasted it in the head as it dropped down with a clunk.
“We got big baddies!” Flare shouted.
Jai turned around to see two super battle droids “Take them out!” he ordered. He threw an EMP grenade between the super battle droids to stun them. He followed up with a grenade attachment to his blaster, firing it at the droid, and blowing it to pieces. Flare shredded the other’s armor. Ven aimed at its chest head and fired. Sparks jumped out as it unleashed a metallic scream and fell with a thud.
"That’s half the points Ven,” Flare said as he reloaded his Z-6.
"But I got the kill,” Ven’vul protested.
"Will you two cut it out?” Razor grumbled. "Let’s just mop the rest of-”
From the corner of his eye, Razor saw a tremendous fireball. Turning, he found a swarm of droids in the hall.
"What the-!” Razor exclaimed before being cut off by a bolt.
“Duck!” Ven shouted as he pulled Razor down. Before them stood an array of B1s and B2s along with another new droid type.
“What are they, and where are they from?!” Flare shouted taking cover by the crates.
“I think those are the infiltrator droids from the reports,” Razor said joining him. The droids flooding in.
"We’re being outflanked!” Jai shouted taking cover while returning fire.
"You don’t say?” Ven replied sarcastically as he shot down one of the infiltrator droids.
“Razor! Get the defense systems going!" Jai ordered.
Razor quickly extracted the mini-computer on his gauntlet and started typing. “They're offline!” he shouted.
“What!?” Jai queried.
"The defense systems are offline!”
"Shut the doors then!" Jai ordered.
"I can’t shut the doors, all of the ship’s systems are down!” Razor responded.
We’re sitting ducks. Jai thought to himself. He heard a click of munition loading, and quickly turned around. A super battle droid launched a rocket at the pile of crates where the Alpha squad and others were taking cover. “Incoming!” Jai shouted. He and the others scrambled out of its way. Some weren't so lucky. The rocket hit its mark and exploded. Screams of agony mingled with the noise of the explosion.
Cadence awoke with a gasp, sweat running down her face. She looked around relieved to find herself still in her bedroom in the Castle of Canterlot. "It’s only a dream," Cadence thought to herself.
The door opened with a slam and Shining Armor rushed in. “Cadence, are you OK!” he asked, concern in his voice.
“I’m OK Shiny, just a bad dream” Cadence replied.
“Are you sure?” he asked, calmer this time.
“Yes, I am sure” Cadence answered. She expected for Shining Armor to be stressed, especially since they were engaged. It had been a few weeks since the proposal, and Shining Armor had been busy since then. Planning out the wedding, setting up position for the guards, trying to make sure everything was perfect for his mare.
The Captain of the Royal Guard walked over to Cadence. “Sorry if I was being stormy. I'm stressed out and tired.”
“It’s fine Shiny,” Cadence replied, nuzzling with Shining Armor. “How’re the wedding plans going?”
“It’s going good, all the guests are invited and arrangements in order, although…” He paused.
“What?” Cadence asked.
Shining Armor let out a sigh, “I've so many duties that I'm not able to meet with Twilight.”
Cadence furrowed her brow. “I think Twilight will understand,” she said.
“I doubt it,” Shining Armor replied, dropping his head. She put her hand under his chin and leveled it to her eyes.
“Nonsense, you're her brother, she will always love you no matter what, but let’s worry about that later,” said Cadence. “For now, you should get some sleep.”
“Yeah, I guess I should.” Shining Armor went toward the door. “Good night Cadence,” he called as he left.
“Good night,” she replied. Shining Armor closed the door and walked down the hall.
Cadence went to a nightstand to have a drink of water and clear her mind of the dream.
But the dream seems very real, with the strange and yet familiar beings. Oh, but the screams, the screams of pain still rang in her head. Who are they? Those...those poor creatures she thought. Seeking fresh air, she put on her night robe went onto the balcony and looked up at the stars, still wondering what the dream was about.
Alpha squad ran through the damaged halls of the ship. “This is insane! Where'd the haran those droids come from!?” Fare growled. The halls shook and a boarding craft came crashing through the wall.
"There's your answer.” Ven nodded toward the craft. A squad of B-1s led by an infiltrator emerged from the craft. In response, the ARC troopers flanked both sides of the hall- Jai and Razor to the right, Fare and Ven opposite them.
“We have to get the ship’s system online!” Jai shouted, taking down two droids with his blaster rifle. Razor claimed two another while Ven relived three droids of their heads. Fare concluded the encounter, firing his Z-6, and then moving past their molten scrap metal.
“We'll get to the computer center, and- uh-oh.” Razor hesitated.
Jai looked at him quizzically. “What?”
Razor motioned toward two infiltrator droids at the end of the hallway. They shaped shifted into a box, with a timer on it.
“They turn into bombs!?” Flare barked at the others.
“Apparently so,” Razor replied.
Flare rushed to the droids turned bomb, seeking to disable them.
"Where is the deactivation button when you need one!” Flare said shakily. Pulling out his Z-6, he took aim at the bomb.
“Wait!” Razor grabbed the Z-6, disarming Flare. “If you blast it, it’ll blow us up!”
“What else should I do?!”
Sighing, Razor gently approached the bomb. A couple of skillful wire clips and the bomb was undone.
“Oh,” Flare said weakly. “ You remembered your bomb squad training?” Razor asked.
“Is that what we did on Kamino?” Flare wondered. Razor facepalmed.
“What’s the plan, Jai?” Razor asked.
"We split up. Razor, you go to the computer center. Flare, you go with Razor to deactivate the bomb droids. Ven and I will advance to the bridge to see what we can do from there,”
"Affirmative"
"Copy that"
“OK boss,” Flare joked.
Jai sighed. He hated when they called him that.
“All right, set your comlinks on,” he ordered. He switched him on as the others did the same. “OK, let’s go,"
"Oh, you might need this fella,” Razor said, giving Jai his probe droid.
"Thanks,” Jai replied, and he meant it. He knew the value of the droid; Razor had increased the range of its scanners and had added both laser turrets and powerful hacking equipment to it. It might very well come in handy.
“Now you know what to do,” he said. “Good luck.” With that, they went their ways.
Jai paused to look at a dead commando droid with a vibrosword. He went over to retrieve it. “This could be handy,” he observed. He put the sword on his back and caught up with Ven.
They approached turbolift, only to find it blocked by a squad of battle droids headed by a pair of commando droids. The droids opened fire on the ARC troopers.
“Ven! Snipe the commandos!” Jai shouted. Ven nodded his head in acknowledgment and took position by a wall. He aimed his verpine rifle at the head of the first commando and fired.
The droid dropped with a clank. Jai took down four of the B-1s, while Ven dodged a bolt from the commando droid. Returning fire, his shot penetrated two battle droids at once, leaving a hole in their chests and hitting the commando straight to the head. Jai shot down the rest.
“Six points there,” Ven said as they arrived at the doors of the turbolift. Jai pressed the button. A clank was followed by a car dropping from above and crashing below the feet.
“So much for our ride” Ven said grimly.
“Looks like we have to do this the old fashion way,” Jai commented as he gazed up the shaft. “Get your grappling hooks ready.”
He aimed his hook and fired. His hook and Van's reach the top at the same time. “Let’s see what's up there,” Jai said. He took out the probe and let it fly up. Jai and Ven began their climb. “This could take some time” Jai added.
Flare and Razor rushed to the computer center, meeting a few droids that they quickly disposed of. At the computer center doors, they observed at least twenty battle droids. “I got this,” Flare smirked. He aimed his Z-6 cannon at the droids. It started to rotate and fire, shooting them down.
“There we go,” Flare said and went to the door. He tried to open the door by pressing the button but to no avail. Flare pulled the door and that didn’t work. “It’s locked!” He kicked at the door in frustration.
“That can be solved,” Razor said walking by him.
“How!? Only a droid can-” Flare stopped as Razor pointed his right arm gauntlet minicomputer and a plug shot out and connected to the computer key on the door, quickly reprogramming the door lock.
Flare stared at the plug and at Razor. “Where did you get all that tech?”
“Leftovers I put to good use on,” Razor replied as the door opened. At once, they were met by a storm of blaster fire. Taking cover by each side of the entrance, they returned fire. Razor threw an EMP grenade at the droid. It sent a disabling pulse to the group of droids. They collapsed in a heap. Flare and Razor rushed in to finish off the rest. Razor shot at two of droids by the data core, and Flare shredded another four. As if that weren't enough, a super battle droid marched in and initiated fire. Razor lifted his left arm gauntlet sending a taser toward the super droid. The taser hit the droid head on. Smoking and with one final groan it fell with a thud.
“I could use one of those,” Flare commented.
Razor turned around in time to see a pair infiltrator droid walking away. “They're heading to the engines!” Razor shouted. Flare turned around in their direction. “That’s the worse place they could go!” Flare shouted.
“Ok, you go and eliminate them. I will try to get the systems on.”
“Got it,” Flare replied, running to the hallway.
“Flare, be careful, and try not to blow something up” Razor joked.
“I won’t,” Flare replied, a sarcastic tone in his voice. He went to the ship’s engines, while Razor went to the computer. “I hope Flare takes care,” Razor said as he began typing.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Flare demanded, firing at the infiltrator droids as they entered the engine room. The first one went down as did the other. “Ha! You think you coul-” Flare stopped. He saw the room is full of infiltrator droids and bombs.
“Oh blast.”
Jai and Ven were halfway up when Jai’s helmet started blinking.
“It seems our little fella has something,” Jai said. He set down his periscope and turned on the camera on the droid. “Ok, there are eight battle droids at the turbolift entrance and two commandos with them, two droidekas and super battle droids, and-”
Suddenly, the screen went static.
“What the!?”
“Jai, what’s wrong?” Ven asked.
“I lost signal from the probe droid,” Jai said.
“Well, this is going to be interesting,” Ven replied. They reached the level of the bridge.
“You ready?” Jai asked as he get his blaster charged.
“Always ready sir,” Ven replied as he cocked his verpine rifle.
Jai place a detonator on the doors and with one press of a big red button, blew them open. Two droids by the doors were destroyed by the blast. Jai and Ven opened fire on the others in the room; some of them returned fire before they were shot.
Jai and Ven swung into the hall and engaged the commandos. One commando took a vibrosword. So did Jai, blocking the droid’s attack with his, before striking out at his opponent with a series of attacks that pushed it back towards the wall. With one final stroke he sliced the droid in half.
Meanwhile, Ven had just finished disposing of the other commando droid when he heard a sound. Turning, he saw two droidekas rolling in. “Rollies incoming!” he cried, whipping out his verpine rifle and aiming it at the first of the new enemies. As it began to unfold, Ven blew it apart. “That’s one down” he said. He turned to see that the other droideka had already unfolded and was encased in its shield. Before Ven could react, a shot punched through the droideka’s shield and blasted it to pieces. Ven turn to see Jai, the still smoking blaster in his hands.
“A verpine sniper attachment,” Ven observed. “Noticed it earlier. Clever.”
“Kal’s idea,” Jai replied.
“And the shield piercing ammo?”
“Same.”
They went down the hall when Jai found something.
“It's the probe,” Jai said, pointing at the shattered remnants of Razor’s droid. It seemed that someone or something had stabbed the probe and smashed the camera.
“Well, Razor is not going to be happy,” Ven observed. Jai nodded in an agreement as he packed away the broken pieces- just in case it could be repaired later.
They continued down the hall until, in the distance, they saw a small group of clones fighting a squad of B-1s. “I’m going to help them and cover you. You go to the bridge” Ven said.
“Be careful.”
“Since when am I not?”
Jai rolled his eyes and hurried to the bridge. He opened the doors, only to pause at the scene in front of him.
There are bodies everywhere troopers and officers alike, and some of them are gutted. Some of them were missing legs while others lacked arms. One clone looked as though he had been stabbed and left to bleed to death. There were scorch marks across the walls and consoles. Blood stains were everywhere. What happened here?
Jai went to the controls and switched on the comlink, tuning in to Razor’s frequency. “I’m on the bridge; how’s the slicing going, Razor?” he asked.
“I was able to turn on the ship’s systems, but the communications are mostly down still, and there are infiltrator droids heading to the engine room. Flare’s gone there to-”
Suddenly the whole ship shook. “What was that!” Jai shouted.
“Uh…” Flare’s voice cut into the comm channel. “I got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the prime engines are destroyed. The good news is that I was able to save the secondary engines and the hyperdrive. But the controls are, uh…smashed.” Flare chuckled nervously.
“Could this get any worse?” Jai said aloud, mostly to himself.
A Luctehulk-class battleship appeared in front of the view port.
“Apparently so.”
“They just keep coming and I think they got a dispenser!” Ven shouted over the sound of blaster fire. This is not good, the troopers are getting overrun, they can’t get reinforcements, even the Alpha squad can’t fight against so many, and the engines-
The engines… A thought occurred to Jai.
“Razor, you think you can get us to hyperspace?”
There was silence.
“Well, I could turn the hyperdrive on, but the nav computer’s down,” Razor said.
“I don’t think it really matters”, Jai replied.
“I turned it on but you have to start it at your position,” Razor said.
“Ok, tell the others get ready for a-” Jai was cut off by an explosion. He turned around to see eight battle droids and a super one, all of them painted black and having unusual symbols. He pointed his blaster at the droids and fired, destroying them all.
He then pressed a button and the stars outside the window began to blur. He then leaned down and examined the shattered droid’s symbols. He recognized the rigid reptile-bird with a bite mark on its lower wing.
“What the-”
Suddenly, Jai’s right HUD began flashing red. He turned around, but it was too late; the mini rocket slammed into his body, blasting him across the bridge and slamming him into a console, where he lost consciousness at once.
A simple action can change the course of the galaxy
Location: Unknown Date:560 ABG Galactic Military Time: 00:00
As Cadence looked at the stars, her hair flowed in the breeze like the thoughts in her mind. Her train of thoughts traveled through her past. First, when Celestia adopted her as her niece, then, she thinks of her time at the Canterlot Academy. Next, the time when she was Foalsitting Twilight. She smiled at the memory, of Twilight called her once the very best foal sitter in Equestria. Then meeting Shining Armor and dating with him all those years and then the proposal that happened a month ago. Now, just in three months, they are going to be married.
The Princess smiled at this thought. Then she recalled that dream she had, the dream with strange creatures. The creatures that are screaming in agony. She just knew what they are, she knew, only she can’t place her finger on it.
Cadence continued watching the stars when out of the corner of her eye she sees a shooting star. It soared across the night sky, shine very bright among the stars. She looks at the shooting star, wounding of what she could wish for, “I wish…..I wish..”
But as she looks at it, it starts to grow bigger and brighter. Then it becomes a great ball of fire, hurling toward the earth. It gave out a fiery roar as it passed through the atmosphere. Her eyes went wide as plates, as she looks at the asteroid coming closer. As the asteroid flew, little pieces seem to break off from the bigger one. They hurled down as the asteroid past Cadence’s balcony, two kilometers above her. But as it got closer she got a glimpse of it, intend of a ball of fire it seems to be more...triangle?
“What in Equestria’s name?!” She exclaimed as she stares at the asteroid soaring across the night and head to the Foal Mountain.
Then it disappeared in the distance. There was a boom in the distance that rumbled the skies, making birds flying away. The pink alicorn look where the strange asteroid just went, deciding on what to do. Curiosity got the best of her and spreading her wings she took off. She could've teleported to the spot, but there are two reasons: One, she didn’t want to wake up anyone and start a panic. Two, she wants to get a better view of the asteroid.
It took an hour when she found a large trail from the object at the foot of Foal Mountain. It leaves quite a mess; the trail is dug very deep, trees in the path are uprooted or smashed to splinters. Rocks are bashed and grounded to gravel. For a couple of minutes of flying, she found the end of the trail of the asteroid, then abruptly stopped.
For this is not an asteroid, but a ship! A great ship, bigger than any airship Cadence has ever seen. It was a shape of a triangle and a narrow one in the back that seem to be like a rudder. There was what seems to be a tower on top of the ship that is tall in hight. Cadence hovered at the spot for a moment, she can’t believe what is in front of her! An alien ship that falls from the sky and landed here.
The princess didn’t know what to do, except for one thing. Gathering all her courage and wits, she flew forward to the ship. As she got closer, she noticed more detail on the alien ship. The halls of the ship seemed to be made of metal, a metal that she has never seen. She noticed that there are no sails on the ship, in fact, there are no propellers or balloons or anything of the sort, then again, it did fell out from the stars.
“How does this even ship fly? she thought to herself as she flies along the right side of the vessel.
Cadence started to grow exhausted from flying, so she decided to land on a small mound a few meters away. Her feet touches the cool earth, and she rested her wings while she looked for a way in. As she examined the ship she found a rectangular opening on the side. Still with her wings tried out she decided to teleport there. Cadence close her eyes and concentrated on the spot, using her magic. With a flash of light, she disappeared from the mound.
Then appeared in the opening inside the ship, when she opened her eyes to find herself in darkness. The alicorn use her magic and lit her horn to see better. When her horn is bright enough and her eyes adjust in the dark, she froze on the spot, her face went pale. The outside of the ship is rigged and have a few scratches from the crash, but the inside tells a different story. It is a ruin. There is wreckage and destroyed objects all over the place. Smokes from once flames are still rising among the debris. Sparks from strings of metal fly out like dying stars and lights eerily blink in the distance. There are burn marks cover across from walls to floors and ceilings. But that’s not what frightened Cadence, what frightened her are the bodies. Bodies scatter across the ship, crippled, lifeless as stones. She saw a body that loss its head.
“What happened here?” she asks herself, dread in her voice as she walked through the carnage.
The bodies, Cadence noticed, are bipeds with what seems to be white skin, but as she got closer, it turn out not to be skin but armor. Some of the armor have black scorches on them. They have what seem to be a helmet with a black visor that shape to a T with an upside down V at the lower part of the helmet. Some of the bodies have something in their hand what looks like a black metal stick, some of them are short and some of them are long.
Those are not the only aliens, there was also a different one. These are the same size but they are skinnier than the other ones. They look like they are completely made out of metal with skinny arms and legs with a very narrow head.
As the princess continued walking, she came upon a group of bodies among destroyed crates. Deciding to check if there are any survivors, she went to the crates.
However, as she approached the crates and the bodies, there is something in the back of her mind that kept nagging, like there something she should’ve noticed earlier, something she should know from the beginning.
When she got closer, she accidentally kicked over a corpse with her foot. It rolled over upside, Cadence looked down and forced all the will she have to try not to scream. For the body in front of her was nothing more than a brunt remain of a being. The armor at the chest is in pieces only to expose a very black, coal hard chest. The helmet is destroyed leaving the face revealed, at least what’s left of it, the face is nothing more than a coal skull. As if something burns the life out of it.
Suddenly there was a click in Cadence’s mind; those are the same creatures she seen in her dream. Then she looked down at the burned face, then quickly looked away from it, remembering of the screams in her dream. She tried to fight back the tears that are forming in her eyes, whatever these creatures are she felt so sorry for them. But there is nothing she can do; she turned around to leave.
When suddenly, she sensed a flicker of emotion in the ship, not much but enough to track it. She looked down the hallway, and without thinking she through the corridor to find the flicker.
The hallway is in the same condition as the chamber she once in, wreckage everywhere, burn marks on the walls, loose wires sparking, more bodies down the hall. As Cadence walked down the corridor she heard a cracking sound than a snap. Then a big thud behind her that made her jumped in fright, quickly turned around to find a large piece metal a foot closer to her. She stood there for a second catching her breath, very close to getting flat and Shining doesn't want that. When she recovered, she continues until she stops to a big drop.
The flicker she sensed is a couple of levels up, she looked around for stairs which there aren’t any. Then she looked down as far her light shows down the fall, kicking a piece of metal over the edge. Its fall into the shadow and a few minutes later the clank can be heard echoing. “That’s a long drop” Cadence shivered, then she looks up where the flicker is. Since there no way to get up she will simply fly up. Spreading her wings she jumped off the edge and with a mighty flap she pushed herself upward. With a few more flaps she reaches the top before she almost got tangle by a pair of metal ropes. She wondered why the ropes are there. She then flew through the opening she found.
Cadence landed gently on the cold metal floor litter with pieces of metal and bodies of metal. As she look around her surrounding, she noticed that the opening she went through seem to be broke open with the same burn marks as others and there seem to be mostly the metal bodies around here. At the end of the hall there large metal double door. The princess walked to the end of the hall and to the double door. With one more step, the doors creak and the slowly opened without any magic. This startled her a bit, then the door stopped a few inches apart. Decided to open the doors she concentrated on using her magic on the door. Her horn started to glow a very pale raspberry color, then the doors are cover in the same aura color. With a few creaks and cranks, the doors fully opened up to a chamber what looks like the quarterdeck.
Cadence froze like a statue and same for her heart for a moment. Her face went white, her breathing stops as her wide eyes laid upon the horror.
For in the chamber is full of bodies not burned, but gutted. Gutted and chopped, there are some that lost their arms and some lost their legs, there are some that lost both. Cadence saw one that seems to be stabbed and left there to die. She also spots another one that lost a head. The black-red stain of dry blood covers the deck in pools. To make it worse, among the white bipeds there are some that might be the crewmen, no armor and unarmed.
“What kind of a monster would do this!?” She thought horrified as she walked in the chamber that is more like a tomb.
Cadence is a complete stranger in war, she doesn't know anything about battles or warfare. Expect for few stories of them though there are rarely in Equestria. Her (adoptive) aunt Luna might have some experience of it, although Cadence never asked about it.
She walked to the middle where her eye lay upon a biped creature that similar but different from the others. Laying face down next to a metal box with buttons, wearing the same armor as the others but seem to be blue. She moves closer and turns it over with her magic. Now she is able to see more details, it’s helmet have blue painted along the fin and around the T and the lower down. The armor chest has a pair of blue stripes down the middle and blue covering the shoulders and the arms and some down the legs. It also has what seem to be a shoulder pad with light blue, what’s not blue is a black garment with white stripes along the edge wear around the waist what look like a… skirt?
She puzzled this for a moment before she senses the flicker again, this time closer...very close. She looked at the alien again, and there is no doubt in her mind that it comes from it. It’s obviously alive but barely, how it survived she don’t know.
She noticed that its helmet is loose, revealing the neck. Curious to what is beneath the helmet, she lifted the helmet with her hands gently. She abruptly dropped the helmet, and couldn’t stop herself to let out a loud gasp, her heart thudding like a drum. For beneath the helmet laid a face, not the one that ’s burned nor like a green alien face but a tan face with a nose, ears, eyes and a scar on the left cheek. Its short hair is black and has a firm jaw.
At the time she didn’t know what they really are, so familiar but she couldn’t remember, but now, now she knows where she has seen and what they are. A creature she seen in books or heard from tales, a creature she never thought they could exist.
A human.
She could not believe it! A real live (barely) human here in Equestria! Before she thinks of what to do with him (from the looks of the face, she concluded that it’s a he) she heard something.
“You heard that?” a high pitch voice said and there are footsteps coming toward her.
She frantically turned her head around trying to find a place to hide, her eye laid on a pit. Deciding to use that she jumped into it with the unconscious human and his stuff including the helmet. She stays low, stopped using her magic for her horn and tries not to breathe loudly as the footsteps are getting closer.
“I didn’t hear anything. Are you sure your sensor isn't malfunctioning?”, another high pitch voice said. Cadence slowly lifted her head up to see what it was, when her eyes are above the edge and adjust in the dark, she can see two of the metal bipeds walking in the chamber.
“Something is fishy,” said one metal creature.
“How can you smell?” ask the other one. “No, you buckethead! I mean the doors!” shouted the first one.
The other look at the door, “it looks fine to me” it replied.
“No! The doors are open” the other said.
“So? That what are doors are for” the other one said.
The first one facepalmed itself “No, someone is here!” it shouted.
“You are here, I’m here, the other droids that remain are here.” the other said as it pointed to the other and itself and moved its arm around.
“No I mean- never mind just search the bridge! The commander wants to make sure there are no survivors,”
Cadence ducked down quickly, trying not to gasp,”are they responsible for this!?”.
The metal beings walked further in.“What a mess” one commented as it looks around at the scraps.
“Hey look,” the other said as it picked up the head of one of their own but black. “It’s B1-2351 in his new paint he just got. Why does he even wear it?” the other asked.
“Beats me, it's the Overlord’s idea, it supposes to bring fear into the enemy,” the one said.
“Well, it doesn’t seem to work enough and I think he should have his “warrior program” installed before going into combat, same for the others,” the other said as it looked around the scrap pile.
As they continue to search, Cadence is trying to think up a plan to get out. If she just ran then they will chase her and Celesta knows what they might do if they caught her. Maybe if she could wait for them to move further and at that right moment- “hey, where the body?” her heart froze,”oh no” she thought panicky.
“What body?” the first one asked.
“The clone body” the other replied.
“What clone?” the first one asked.
“The clone over there” the other pointed to console where it use to be with a few bodies.
“Which one?” the first said.
“The blue one!” the other shouted.
“What blue one? And how do even know?” the droid asked.
“Because I remember clearly in my memory bank that we went in here to the commander. Before he ordered us to prepare for impact, I have seen the entire bridge and I remember there is a blue clone there” the other one pointed to the spot where it used to be.
“Well, it’s not like it just walks away,” the other said as it searched around the left side of the room.
As the metal beings are searching for the body, Cadence sneaked quietly to the other side of the pit where it's closer to the exit and her escape. Getting ready, she lifted the human with her magic and put it on her back. She almost drops it by the weight, it seems the human is heavier than he looks. She climbs out of the pit while carrying the human and turn to the doorway. But as she about to move, her foot got caught around an arm which on it a metal head fell with a clank.
She turned around in time to see the two metal aliens, “What the!?” one shouted. Cadence made a mad dash out the doorway, running down the hall. The two metal beings chased after her in their jogging mode, so the alicorn is ahead of them. She turned around the corner to where she has entered this level but stopped.
For what in front of the exit are more metal aliens! Six of them two are the same color as the others she encountered but two are red-black with red eyes and scary looking marks, one of which look like a skull. The other two different from the other, they are little taller, look buffer, have white eyes, black body with blood red on their limbs. One of them looks like other two with a bird-like reptile mark on the chest.
They spotted her before she could do something. Angered or surprised she can’t tell from their faces and she can’t sense them, in fact, that what frightened her. Not because of they’re aliens nor they look scary, but of their face, the emotionless faces with no expression and no feelings at all and there’s noting sense like, they’re just empty shells.
She might not tell of the feelings but she can tell that she’s not welcome. She turned to go the other way but find it blocked by the two metal aliens. The aliens on both side advance on her their weapons pointing at her. Nowhere to go, her have one option. In a flash of light and a pop, she disappeared on the spot.
The droids stand there looking where the intruder was and the black commando droid marched to the two battle droids “what just happened” the commando demanded with a deep voice.
“Uuhh...we are searching around the bridge, then suddenly there was a noise and we turn around. Then there was a humanoid with a clone body, then it ran and we chased it down the hall. Then we trapped it, then-”
“A what?” the commando asked, ignoring his explaining.
“A clone body” the other replied. “And you sure it’s dead?” the droid asked.
“Uuuuuhhhhh” the battle droid voiced.
“Never mind” the commando dismissed it “even if it’s alive, it’s going to die anyway. The commander wants all of us to regroup at the hanger. The speeders are to pick us up and take us to headquarters. Take all supplies in this ship and bring it to the hanger.” the commando ordered. “Roger Roger” the others replied.
“Question,” the droid said. “uh, what hanger are we going to?”
Doctor Medicine went through the halls of the Canterlot hospital. It has been a long boring day. There have been any emergency from the patients nor any news out. He is tired out by the boredness of the day, but soon it will be time for him to go home. He looked down at his watch then satisfied continued down the hall.
Then suddenly there’s a flash and a frantic princess appeared panting like a dog. With an almost dead creature in her arms.
The doctors have been working on the creature for days. Unrest hours past by as they try to keep him alive. The creature is not severely damage but bad enough, whatever that hit him cause damage to his cells. The armor has taken most of the hit but unknown energy seems to seep through the armor and to his skin. His lung was poison with some type of chemical that whatever that hit him. He also has damage from impact, the left shoulder blade has cracked and the half limbs are snapped and the others are dislocated. His musical have been ripped in the legs and the back, and a few bruised in some spots.
Some of the doctors use all their magic they could mastered to keep him stable, while some of them are trying to pump out the toxic chemical. After a few more hours, they put him into a tube. The tube is made out of clear crystals, of which Cadence supplied, it has great healing properties and keeps the body sustain. Although the process will be slow and he will be in a coma, but it will help him to fully heal. They kept him in a room at the left wing of the hospital, where nopony goes there.
They will have somepony to watch over him until he is awake. As for his equipment, armor, and weapons, they are in a chest in a research lab a few streets across. The doctors did all they could, now all they and Cadence have to do now is to wait for him to wake up.
6 months later
“I can’t believe of what I been doing,” the white unicorn guard said as walked down the streets. Today is the day of the wedding, everypony is rushing around to get ready, the guards are everywhere in their post to face what threat it is, and here he was going to the hospital to watch over an alien!
To make matters worse is his cousin, Captain Shining Armor doesn’t even know nor the other guards except him and Hoofstrong.
He had to find an excuse to go and not make the others suspicious for the past six months. He wondered why he even agreed with Cadence to do this.
Previously
It was a peaceful night in Canterlot, Sharp was sleeping in his bed. *Knock knock* the sound came from the door. He groaned as Sharp pull his blanket over his head. *knock knock knock knock* someone bang on the door at a high pace.
“I’m coming I’m coming”groaned Shiny Blade as he got up from his bed and went to the front door. A blue sky auna cover the door as he used his magic. To his surprise as he reached to the door there stood Princess Cadence.
“Your Highness? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”Cadence waved off the ‘highness’ with her hand, they have been friends since ever since Canterlot High Academy.
“Please, just call me Cadence. I need you to do me a favor,” she said. “How may I be of service?”He asked.
“There a human in the hospital unconscious” she started before cut off. “A WHAT!?” he nearly screamed. Cadence put her hand his mouth, ”Shh, not so loud, you’re going to wake up the whole city”
”Sorry” Blade said weakly, blushing of embarrassment.
“Anyway, I need you to watch over him and make sure that nothing happened to him,” she finished.“I guess Shining Armor assign me to do this?” he asked. She hesitated, “Umm...”Cadence paused scratching the back of her head.
Sharp’s eyes went wide in realization.”Oh no!Oohhh no no no, I’m not going on Shining Armor’s back!” “Please Sharp Blade, nopony is supposed to know it until a right time,” she said.
“Why me, of all of the guards, of all of the ponies for that matter, why choose me! Do you know what Shining Armor is going to do with me when he finds out!?” Sharp Blade panicked. Cadence calmed him down, “Relax Sharp Blade, I assure you he will not find out. At least until we are married. As for your answer, because you’re are Shining Armor’s cousin and a friend I trust. You don’t have to do this alone, you are going to do with Hoofstrong,” she explained.
Sharp Blade was thinking hard, “well…” “Pleaseeee” Cadence pleaded with puppy eyes. He sighed, “fine, but-” he said before cut off.
“Great! I will see you tomorrow,” with that and a poof she left. Sharp stand there thinking of what he just has done.
Present
Sharp Blade continue walking down the streets where some ponies are decorating while others are doing their own business. Ponies selling fruits at a fruit stand, talking with friends at their tables in a restaurant, guards patrolling the streets and nobles going shopping.
After a couple of blocks later, he saw an earth pony guard coming up to him, He is about medium sized, muscular, and have broad shoulders. He has blue ocean eyes and a dirty brown coat with a dirty blond mane. His cutie mark is an arm holding a stone while flexing its muscles.
Sharp recognized him as his friend, Stone Hoofstrong, he wondered why he out here. Sharp Blade went to him.
“What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at your post.” Stone shrugged.“I just got broad there's nothing to do. Besides, I need to stretch my legs,” he replied.
“But what about the alien?”Sharp demand. Stone just wave his hand, “Ah, the alien will be fine, it's not like it’s going to walk away.”
They are now strolling down the street, back to the hospital. While they walked, they talked about the alien.“Did you get to see the alien?”Sharp Blade asked.
“Not really, I was outside of the room and it's hard to see through the crystal. It’s not so crystal clear,” Stone jokes. Sharp gave him a deadpan look, “really? You have to do that pun?”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” he chuckled.
“Well, I like to know where did Cadence found it,” said Sharp.“Duh, a ship from outer space. Where else?” Stone said who read comic books in his spare time. Sharp Blade rolled his eyes at his friend's statement.
“I remember that Cadence said that the alien is called a ‘human’,” said Sharp. Stone looked at Sharp Blade, “That’s ridiculous, an alien is one thing, but a creature out of a myth is just nuts” Stone Hoofstrong stated.
They made to the hospital and enter in. They went to a nurse behind the desk. “How can I help you?” the nurse asked. “We just came back to visit my uncle,” Hoofstrong replied. The nurse nodded in understanding.
“Just go down to the left hall of the wing and I’m sure you know the way.”
“Thank you,” he said.
They went through the hall, “Is your uncle really here?” Sharp asked.
“Nah, when it comes to hospitals, Uncle Heartstone is stubborn as a stump. Besides, it will take more than a broken leg to stop him” Stone replied. Sharp Blade agreed, for his entire family the Hoofstrong, is well known for their strength and toughness. They may not be the richest or a noble family, but they have a great history of being part of the Royal Guard from the coldest winter to the darkest night. They feared nothing that ever walks on Equestria. Their will is hard as iron and their strength could match a minotaur. There was the time where Stone has lifted a 20 pound stone when he’s just a filly! That’s where he got his cutie mark and earned the name Stone from his parents. They went to the end of the hall to the double door. With Sharp Blade’s magic, the doors opened to a room with just a bed, and the tube the keep the alien.
“I’m glad we have at least something interesting to do instead of waiting for Twil-” he stopped short, his eyes went wide.
“Umm...Stone? Where’s the alien?” Sharp asked edgily.
”What do you mean ‘where’s the alien’ it's right-” his eyes went wide also while he had his finger pointing. It pointed to the case the human was in only to find it open...and empty.
They stood there for a long time, then Sharp started to walked around frantically. “Oh no oh no oh no! This is bad, this is really bad, bad bad bad!”
Stone Hoofstrong grabbed on Sharp Blade, “Blade, calm down, we just have to report to Cap-” Sharp pulled from Hoofstrong’s grasp, “Are you crazy! Do you have any idea of how my cousin will react! If he finds out-” he stopped at the thought of Shining angry and what he would do.
“Relax, we then just tell Princess Cadence, maybe she might know what to do,” Hoofstrong encouraged. Sharp Blade take a deep breath, ”OK” he sighed. They went out of the room quickly back where they came from.
30 minutes earlier
Fancy Pants and Fleur dis lee were doing shopping for some clothes, very expensive clothes, for the Royal Wedding. They have quite a high taste when it comes to shopping, eating, and everything else. Everpony in Canterlot is invited to the wedding. Since this is a royal wedding they must have the best clothes.
Fleur is excited about the wedding for her personal reason. She knows Cadence from the Canterlot Magical Academy, in fact, their classmates and very good friends. As for Shining Armor…well, that’s her secret. They went to the next block they passed the Canterlot Hospital. Then suddenly her horn started to glow a light heliotropeish gray. This made Fleur stopped in surprise, for she didn’t use her magic yet. Fancy Pants turned around to her,
“Fleur, darling? Do you drop something?” He asked politely.“But I didn’t drop anything, in fact, I didn’t use my magic, it just happened.” she replied, quite confused about it.
Fancy raised his eyebrow, “Really? How very odd. I believe we have to figure that out later.” Fleur agreed and they continue of what they’re doing. Although in the back of her mind, she has an unpleasant feeling.
Meanwhile in the hospital
The white room was quiet save for the beeping sound of the motor. There nothing but a bed and a crystal tank at end of the right wall. Then suddenly the crystal that shapes like a heart in the center, started to glow. Then there a hissing sound of air releasing as the case open. In it there is a familiar being, is starting to wake up.
Now
Sharp Blade and Stone Hoofstrong went through the halls of the Castle to Cadence’s room. While they walked there they discuss how did the alien get out.
“The doors and the windows are shut, and same for the case,” stated Sharp.“You think it got unlocked?”Asked Stone, since he couldn’t find any explanation.“No way, it’s locked and secured, plus Cadence put on a spell that only she knows.”
“Well, I guess we will have to know how it got out later. Where did the alien go anyway?” asked Stone.“Probably terrorizing ponies on the streets,” replied Sharp.
“Come on, what harm could it do. It’s not like it eats ponies,” commented Stone. They both stopped and looked at each, “could it?” since it's an alien, there's no idea what it can do. They quicken their pace to find Cadence.
They found her room and enter in, Cadence is in there doing her hair.“Princess Cadence th- Oh hey Shining Armor! How are you doing?” Sharp greeted quickly, forcing a smile. For Shining Armor, Captian of the Royal Guard is standing at the table by Cadence. He turned to them with an inquisitive look.
“What are you doing here, aren’t you be at your post?” he asked. Sharp Blade’s mind is racing of what to say.
“Uhh…” he hesitated. “There something we need to tell Princess Cadence,” replied Stone Hoofstrong. Cadence turned to them with a strangely suspicious look.”What is it?” she asked, Sharp’s heart is pounding like a drum, he has to find something to do and quick.“The-”
“Cat! The cat is missing!” Sharp Blade blurted, all he could think of. Cadence raised her eyebrow,
“What?” asked Cadence.
“Your poor cat Fluffy has gone missing! Lost and alone out there!”He said dramatically. She looked at him quite surprised,“Uhh...I-,”but Sharp cut her off.
“But don’t worry we will find her! Guard’s honor!” He turned to Hoofstrong,“Come Stone, we have a cat to find!”Sharp drag the bewildered Stone out of the room and shut the door.
Cadence and Shining Armor stood there,“I didn’t know you have a cat,” Shining said at last. She smiled sheepishly, not knowing herself of what is that about.
Meanwhile, the two are walking down the halls,“Now what?”Asked Stone.“We are going to find the alien. What else?” answered Sharp with determination.
“How? He could be anywhere from houses to streets,” stated Stone.“We will ask ponies, search everywhere we can and- Oof!” Sharp was cut off by bumping into something...more like someone. He looked who he bumped into to find a purple unicorn mare in a school uniform.
“Twilight?”Sharp asked, surprised to see his cousin.“Sharp Blade? What are you doing here?”Asked Twilight.
“We are looking for Cadence’s cat, ”Sharp lied. Stone looked at Sharp“What? I thought we-Ow!” Sharp step on Stone’s hoof to cut him off.
“I mean, yeah! That’s what we are doing,” Stone agreed, forcing a smile. Twilight lift an eyebrow up, “Really? I didn’t know she has a cat.”
“She has it for a year, ”Sharp lied. Twilight put a hoof on her chin, “Strange. I pretty sure that sh-”
“Well, it’s great to see you Twilight!”Sharp interrupted,“But we need to get going! Bye!”He drags Stone with him through the hall.
Twilight stand there and watch as they go,”Ok then? That was weird,” she shrugged it off and went down the hall to Cadence’s room. For she is going have a talk with Shining Armor.
“We are going after the alien, are we?”Stone whispered.“Of course, we are!”Sharp hissed, as they go outside, and off they went to find the alien.
Jai’s POV
Darkness. That all Jai could see...a black void, blacker than a black hole. ‘Am I really dead? Is this the afterlife? If this Manda, this not what I expected to be.’ There absolutely nothing here, he heard no sounds, see nothing. He can’t feel anything, not even his own hands! In fact, he can’t feel any of my own body nor can move. All Jai can do is just stand and wait.
With each minute felt like an eternity, like as if time stretch out like a string. It feels like hours when suddenly there was a flicker of light in the distinct, a pinkish white light. It’s not very much, but stand out like a star in empty space, then it started to grow. It’s growing bigger and brighter by the minute. Then it turned into pure white that blind him. Then It started to clear up and he was able to see.
It was a blur but the clone was able to identify that he’s in some room. Then it started to clear up and Jai’s able to see more details. The room was white with some dark cyan in parts of the room. There’s a bed across the room where he's at, and a monitor at the left side of the bed. At first, Jai thought he’s in a clone medical station, but then noticing the actual color of the room and the technology in here.
He was confused, couldn’t remember anything. His mind was blank, and his body is paralyzed, he couldn’t think clearly or do anything. At that moment, gravity comes down on him, literary, as his body dropped on to the floor.‘Ow!’he tried not to scream out if there’s somebody in here. ‘Well that answer the question on whether I’m dead or this is a dream(which is not possible.)’ The fall seems to make my body to wake up and now he’s able to move. He groaned a little as he rubbed his head. As Jai get back up, his mind reel back to his past. From the day Jai was born to the first action he and my brothers went on Geonosis. Then he remembers of the convoy, when Jai, Flare, Razor, and Ven’vul are guarding the supplies, then….
“We were under attack. Where're the troopers, my squad, my brothers, Flare, Razor and Ven?”Jai looked around himself in the room. That’s what usually a thing about me...no matter how many times I’m with my troopers, or times I’m with my brothers, I always end up finding myself alone. ARC troopers tend to go solo but it's just...... Shaking his head he tells himself in his head,‘hold together soldier, my brothers don’t want me to break like that.’
While looking around, there was something off, then Jai noticed that he wasn’t wearing my armor, in fact, he’s not wearing anything at all. Fortunately, the ARC turned around to find his bodysuit on a table, “Well, at least he won’t have to go commando”Jai said to himself as he went to the table to suit up.
After getting his suit on, the trooper noticed a map on the wall, not the kind of holographic map, but one of those old style maps on paper. Looking at the map, it appears to be a map of a city. It shows buildings and streets with some names on them. There’s a building on the map give a good estimate about a klick away from here, it has writing on it saying ‘Alien’s stuff here.’That made his eyebrow raised,'would that be where my equipment is? And who even place this map here?’He just put those thoughts aside, there’s work to be done.
Looking around there a double-door on the right side of the room, but that could alert whoever is in the building. Then find another way out his eyes lay upon the windows. Then walked to it to get a better closer look. The windows are that found of a primitive house, just simply two small glass doors with dark cyan currents. Removing the currents, it appeared that the whole glass has been painted white. Jai doesn’t understand why they painted it, but a good guess they don’t want him to see or be seen.
Jai pulled on the handles and it's what he expected. Locked. From the looks of it, the lock is an old fashion type that uses a key. Since he doesn't have a key, Jai just has to make one. Looking around, there a table with needles and small medical tools. “Just what I need,” taking a needle and some tweezers then stitched them into the lock. Their drill sergeant taught them how to pick a lock in the old fashioned way, some may say that it’s useless but you never know when you’re in this kind of situation. To unlock a lock is you have to line the pins inside. After a few attempts there a click and the lock drop.
“Still got the hang of it.”Then opening the windows, he was meet with a blast of fresh air. What a view that lays before him. It was a city, not the kind of a city like Coruscant, but a classic beautiful kind like of Theed, except more colorful. There houses that are painted with purple,white and yellow. Some buildings the same colors except more golden. It is quite a view, but he has no time for sightseeing.
For at that moment, Jai faintly heard some footsteps closing in. Instinct kicked in and not taking the risk if it’s friend or foe, he jumped out of the window into the bushes. Then quickly but quietly closed the current and windows behind him.
Now he would've followed the protocols of negotiating but since he didn’t know if they’re with the Republic or the Separatist, chances are that could kill him. Beside, it’s better to trust your instincts than your protocols.
Peeking out of the bushes, the clone see nobody around, the coast is clear. After a few seconds of waiting, moving like a Mastiff he made across the street and into an alley. Proceeding with the same process, the ARC Trooper began to notice something of the sky. There’s seem to be a pink shield over the city, why there is a shield Jai don’t know. The sky is not the only thing strange, it’s the city itself. It’s quiet, save for birds chirping and the streets are empty.
“Where did they all gone?”He asked himself while wandering in the street to the alley. After a few minutes, he reached his location.
It’s a one-story building, similar to that of a modern building but instead of metal, it’s made of red bricks with some white paint. There are two windows at each side of the front of the building with a double-door. Jai went to the right side of the of the building to check the window on the far right.
Looking through, it appears to be a research lab, with a white table, equipment, and some spotlights. There also some kind of chest at the left wall near the window. Jai tested the window by pushing it up, locked. Then he tried the doors, it open with ease. When entering the building, there are no cameras, no any security and nobody in here. That made him thinking to himself,“Somebody should’ve put up better security. A cadet could have sneak in here.”It didn’t take long to find the room, there nothing in the room. At least, nothing in interest, there are the usual things he saw by the window. There is an old microscope, a clipboard(which he doesn't believe they still use those), and an around glass object with a handle.
What really have his interest is that chest where he saw from the window. It’s a big wooden old chest with some gold along the corners. There seem to be no locks on it, only two handles on the side of the chest for carrying. Jai opened the chest, not surprise what's in it. It has his equipment, his weapons and his armor, all here and undamaged. While gathering his equipment there was a distance bang. Not a bang of a slugthrower, but a hollow bang like something hitting. Looking around to the window it was nothing at first. Then there was it again only louder and more clear this time, looking the sky Jai found the cause. There’s a large light-black cloud of strange creatures outside of the shield. ‘That explains the shield, but from the looks of it, it isn’t gonna hold much longer, if that brake-’ There’s blinking on the shield before it went normal, that means it’s going to be soon. He turned to his armor.
There a Republic protocol not to interfere with non-republic conflict or businesses, but Jango taught him how to make your own protocol, and his is to protect the innocents. Then he went to my equipment and start to gear up.
Starting with the boots and leg armor, clicking each of them on. Then Jai buckled my belt along with my black kama, it’s not quite fashionable but a reminder of the Mandalorian culture. After he put on the chest armor and pauldron, Jai placed on arm armor and his gauntlets. Now to inspect the weapons: The WESTAR-M5, the verpine attachment, the under-barrel-grenade attachment, DC-17 hand blaster with a reloving system, 6 frag grenades, 2 RPP grenades, 3 EMP grenades, 3 ion grenades, four thermal detonators, and a HX2 antipersonnel mine. Of course, there’s the vibrosword too, though it ’s a little heavy and slow but good enough until he can find a better one.
Picking up his helmet Jai paused for that moment. When he looked at it, flashbacks went back to the time when for the first time Jai got this helmet...and when he met his brothers. The memories flooded in his mind, the things he and his brothers been through, the battles they fought. It’s not only them, but there are also ones that Jai trained and fought with, Rex, Coby, the Delta squad, Kal, Jango…
A shattering sound brought him back to reality, looking around to find the sky is pink no more. He looks back to his helmet and sighed. Then putting his helmet on, checking the systems and the shield, putting his sword on his back, his other weapons at his waist, the veteran grabbed his blaster rifle and get ready for the storm.“Par ner vods” he said to himself. For my brothers.
If you can make ten men worth a hundred, then you can make one man worth a thousand.
Location: Equestria, Canterlot City Day: 739 ABG Galactic Military Time: 13:25
Canterlot has been invaded. The force field spell that was protecting the city have been shattered and changelings are swarming in. Soon the city was overrun. Sharp didn’t know what just happened, first, they were asking questions to some ponies and searching the nearly empty streets(since most ponies are at the wedding by now), then the next they found themselves surrounded by changelings and got captured. He and Stone were trying to escape from a green goo that wraps around them. But it was no use, and the changelings just laughed at their efforts.
“Once we capture the rest of the guards and take the city, we will feast the love in this city!” announced the sergeant, while the others cheered.
“You won’t win this!”Hoofstrong shouted angrily.
“Ha! We did, and who’s going to stop us?”The sergeant mocked. At that moment there was fast repeating noise and a scream, then two buildings down the road a window was shattered, strange blue lights fly out of it, then a changeling was flung out onto the street and lay there motionless. The other changelings stare and before one of them could check on their fellow changeling out came a strange creature. It’s a foot taller than them with white hard-looking skin with what look like bruises and scars, and blue around some parts of its body. The head has a T shape with a black mark on the left side of the forehead. At first, it’s looking at the changeling body then it looks straight at them.
“What is that thing!?”One of them shouted.
“Who cares! Get it!``the sergeant ordered. A changeling flew straight at the alien, spear at hand, but the creature lifted up a black stick at the changeling and shoot. Blue blots of magic zoomed and blew straight through the changeling’s head, killing it instantly. The others froze in complete shock. Seeing his fallen comrade the sergeant shouted with such rage.
“KILL HIM!”
Then they rush at the veteran, but before they could reach him, five were shot down by multiple blots. The sergeant rush at the alien, though he’s wearing armor, it got shredded like cheese and he too fell to other’s fate.“Sergeant!” a changeling yelled then charge at him, sword raised ready to strike the monster. Before the changeling can get him, the alien took out his gauntlet blade and slashed it, blood spewed out from the chest as it tumbled across the ground. Three more attacked him, he dodged a strike from one then sliced off the wings then took out his pistol and shot to the head, then he stabbed another one through the neck, blood gash out spilling on his armor. Then he shot the third straight the head. The fourth one was trying to crawl away slowly but then felt wight upon him, then the changeling looked up with fright to see the alien on top of him with his rifle pointing at him. The alien pulled the trigger and it shot, leaving a smoking hole on the body. The two guards stare with great shock and horror, “Oh Celestia, what have I got myself into..”Sharp muttered aloud. While they have a hard time to fight off the Changelings, the alien wiped them out with ease, all this time he was guarding and then searching not a pony-eating alien, but a killing machine! It started to walk towards them, Sharp’s heart is beating fast, for Stone, he has never been afraid before, but now, for the first time, he’s afraid. The human stopped in front of them, then took out a purple sword, raising it high. Sharp Blade tried to struggle out of the goo but in vain, then he looked up to see the blade coming down.
He shut his eyes, ready for his end to come, but it didn’t, instead of feeling the hit, he felt a loose tightness around himself.
Opening his eyes, he looked down to find the goo that wrapped around him turned to nothing but green soap. Then he looked up at its expressionless face completely dumbfounded as it looked back at him not knowing what it will do next. It looked up then and rushed at two Changelings, shooting them down, then got on top of a turned over cart. He looked at the two of them, then he raised his right hand in a two-finger salute. Both Sharp and Hoof are very surprised and looked blankly at the alien. Then the alien jumped off and went through the streets.
The two of them stare where it went off then looked at each other, “Did he just…”Hoofstrong paused, too baffled of what happened.“Saluted us?”Sharp Blade finished.
Meanwhile in an unknown building
It’s very quiet in the room, nothing made a sound save for the breeze. Snoring on the bed, lay a particular weapon specialist, sleeping happily. Suddenly, there was a booming sound and the whole building shook. Poor Flare fell out of the bed, caught by surprise and disturbed him from his dream(who knows what his dreams about). Fare starts to get up while groaning.
“Ugh, Razor, if you doing another experiment or this is a joke Ven made you do, I swear I’ll-” He stopped, “Wait a second....,” Flare got up and turned around to see where he’s in. It was a simple white room, with a white bed that has a strange crystal hanging over, a nightstand, and a closet.
“This isn’t my room,” Flare said looking around. He looked at the closet then walked to it and opened its doors. Outcomes his weapons and his armor, “And what are my weapons are doing here?”Flare asked. Then he remembered: He was battling droids in the engine room when alarms going off. The second engines can’t hold the heat when use hyperspace, they're only used for emergency and go for short distances. From the looks of the smoking and the sparking, they are quite far...and it’s going to explode! Not taking chances, Flare rushed out of the room before it burst with a KA-BOOM. As Flare got up and was about to meet up with Razor, he was flung from a sudden jolt and everything went black.
“I must’ve been knockout, where am I?”Flare asked looking around the room. Suddenly there were some crashes and screams coming outside. Flare decided up gear up and investigate after he put on his armor went to gather his weapons: Z-6 blaster cannon, grenade launcher, 4 impact grenades, 2 sonic grenades, 5 flame grenades, 5 thermal detonators, 3 HX2 antipersonnel mine, and 3 proximity mines. Finally, Flare picked up his favorite weapon: an old flare gun he named Flarly, he has this weapon ever since his first weapons training.“Well, ready to burn things up?”Flare asked his weapon, then he hosted it on his right side waist. Then picking up his Z-6, he stalked towards the door carefully and planted himself to the wall between the door and the window. He was about to open the door when suddenly there was a whistling sound like a falling proton shell.
“What the-Whoa!”Flare jumped out of the way as a ball of green fire came crashing through the door, smashing it to splinters and made a crater few inches from him. Flare turned around ready his blaster cannon, aiming toward the crater, the barrels spinning faster and faster. Suddenly, an insect-like alien jumped out of the crater, hissing at Flare. Before the alien could bite or even touch him, it got hit by a hail storm of blaster bolts, the alien dropped back into the crater. Smoke rises from the barrels as the weapon specialist walked over to inspect the creature: It looks a lot like a geonosian but more black-green than the dark-orange, it also seems to be more humanoid with holes around the legs. Its mouth was wide open showing two fangs with its blue eyes opened with fright.
“Ugh, and I thought Verpines look creepy,” Flare said as he kicked the body, then he walked out of the building then stopped when he heard something. The trooper turned to the right of the street to find another bug. It stood there for one second then it screamed and flew for the hills.“Ha! That’s right! You better run, because it’s going to take more than one to-” Flare looked up to find a whole swarm of bugs, an endless black-cloud of them.“Wow. Now that’s a lot of bugs.”He said. A group of them spotted him rush towards him, he shrugged and ready his blaster.“Well, as the saying goes,” he said readying his Z-6 and prepared himself to charge into the fray.“Sol’ye step, lo Haran!”
The streets are in chaos, changelings swarms around, buildings ablaze, ponies scattered around in terror. Three unicorns one blue, one white, one mint green, all ran for their lives from changelings. A changeling fire green magic blast at the ponies,“ Gah!”It the blue unicorn.
“Minuette!”The other shouted in fear.
“Grab them!”Command the lieutenant. Before they do something, the changelings grabbed them. Then they dragged them to the lieutenant with the blue one and dropped them at his feet. The white unicorn crawled to Minuette, “It’s alright Twinkleshine, I’m fine, just can’t move.” replied the blue one.
“Now then, let's have some fun,” the Changeling gives a mischievous grin. Then he approaches to the frighted Twinkleshine.
“Leave her alone!”Lyra shouted.
“Quiet you!”A changeling kicked the green unicorn on the side hard, forcing her down. The changeling lieutenant grabbed the blue unicorn by the mane, Then he continues to approach the shaking unicorn, “Please, don’t hurt me,” she pleaded.
“Bend over so I ca-”He was cut off suddenly and flung off by some force that made him rolled then he laid still. One changeling rushed over to his comrade as the others stood in shock, he shook hard on it then look up with terror,“He’s dead, he’s bloody dead.”Sure enough, blood spews out of the head where it hit the changeling.
“Who done this!”Another changeling shouted ferrous, then grabbed Minuette by the throat, “If you’re responsible for this I’l-”Then he too got hit by something...or someone.
“What th-”Then, some very small quick blur hit the changeling straight through the head.
“Bucky!”The other one shouted before he too was shot. There confusion and panic as one by one they get shot down. One tried to fly away, but fall to their same fate in mid-air, it dropped down like a leaf. Only one was left as he searched right and left for the attacker,“Where are you! Show yourself!”Suddenly a shadow looms over him and as he looked up a great creature fell down upon him. Before the changeling could react, he was pinned down and grabbed by the throat. Then it brought down a knife on him and stabbed and slashed, the insect howled and screamed in sharp pain as blood spewed out onto the road. The blood-curdling cries melted away in the chaos until it became just a wisp in the breezes, then silence.
The three mares stood there in pure horror, as they witnessed the changeling just being slaughtered, never, have they seen something so terrifying, let alone brutal. Though the monster’s back on them, they could hear it’s screams of agony as green blood trickled like small streams. As the last breath of the changeling escaped from the body, the creature dropped the body and roses up.
Then turning around, it revealed itself to the mares. Standing six feet, it have white with reddish-black on the shoulders, knees, and along the elbows, it have T sharp face with two line like of tears or scars. It have a lizard-like skull on the left side, and black garment around the waist with blood spelt all over and the rest of his hardened skin, on his right phalange was a bloody knife. He then spoke,“You’re alright?” They girls shrieked and bolted up the streets, leaving a cloud image of dust of themselves as they left the alien behind.
Ven stood there with blood all over him then shrugged,“Sure, sure. Just run away, it’s not like I SAVE your lives or anything!``he shouted after them. A bug beside him hissed and about to bite, Ven turned and punch him down to the ground.
“Oh shut up,” Ven said with annoyance. Groaning, the insect raised its hand before Ven started to stomp on the changeling until with a crunch, the skull brake under his boot with blood spilling out,“Ug, now I got brains all over the bottom of my boot.”
Meanwhile on the streets….
Razor was wondering how he got here while dodging alien-insect shower. First, he was looking through the data on the ship before he blackout by the sudden jolt, then he wakes up to be looking through two blue eyes of a black-green insect, to take it down only to find out he is in an invasion of a city. Now here he is, zig-zagging, ducking, jumping over craters across the streets. A bug was climbing out of the crater but only to have its head met Razor’s foot. He ducked a bolt and hid behind a cart. He’s taking heavy fire, so Razor decided to wonder later and find cover. Searching around, he found a two-story building that seems to be once a shop with two large, rectangle broken windows. Razor took a deep breath and rushed into the open. He got a few glancing hits, but made over to the shop and jumped through the window. Just in time as a hailstorm of green bolts zipped past over him. Razor took cover by the wall under the window, tighten by the sheer number of lasers flying over. Over the sound of fire, there was of gasping beside him, he was not alone.
Razor turned to his right and found two humanoid creatures. One is male judging from the body structure, with grayish azure coat and dark blue mane with amber eyes. It has a mark on the arm that looks like two moons. The other is a female with a light grey coat same for her mane with purple stripes, it has light article blue eyes and a mark also but have stars instead of moons. Both are wearing unusual clothes but Razor is more focus on their faces. The two of them looked very frightened whether himself or the invasion, he could not tell. Razor has been in this situation before, though not in the middle of combat. Doing diplomatic protocol would not work in this situation, so he decided to use the panic protocol, “Remain claim, everything is under control.”More green laser bolts came flying over their heads.
“Under control!?” Shouted the male one over the shooting.
“Nearly all of the guards are captured! And just who you think you are? What are you!?”
“Alpha-18. ARC Trooper of the SO BDE of the Republic, ”Razor replied.
“The what-”
“Get down!”More bolt fires over very close to their heads, breaking pieces of glass and frames. Razor got up to the window and aimed his blaster at the enemy. He returned fire and took out two changelings that coming to the left, “Hostile eliminated.”Then shot down three more to the right with ease, more insectoids are coming. Despite being well skilled and with superior technology, it will be a matter of time before they find themselves buried in alien bugs. Razor thought of a plan, though there are a 95% chances for it to fail. But given the fact they’re outnumbered and also there not any other options, this has to work. The ARC Trooper turned to them,“Listen, I don’t know who or what you are (or where am I), but we have to discuss this later and get moving.”After he said that the backdoor of the building was banging, the enemy is trying to get in. Razor raised his head over only to duck down from the green bolts. They’re getting closer, Razor needs to move, fast.
“Alright, I got a plan, but you have to trust me,” Razor moved closer to the couples, “Can you trust me?”There was silence between the three besides the conflict raging outside. The male turned to his companion, the female was silent for a moment, then she nodded.
“OK,” he finally said,“Good, now you see that building over there,” Razor pointed outside to the right side down the streets to a bright blue apartment. They both nodded then Razor took out a stun grenade, “I’m going to throw this grenade then you run out while I provide cover fire.”They are not sure if this will work, but they’ll try.
“Ready,” the ARC Trooper gets into position, reeling his hand with the grenade. The pair got ready by the door. Then Razor threw the grenade over the window, a few seconds later there was a bang.
“Go, go!” shouted Razor as they rushed out of the building. The grenade has caught a good amount of bugs in the explosion, some outside were affected by it only a bit recovered quickly. Razor took out the ones that near them as they dodge and take cover from bolt firing from their horns. They were almost to the building, but then more insects landed in front of them, cutting them off their way to their refuge.
“This way!” Razor shouted leading them into the ally. The bugs follow after them into the ally with frenzy. Razor threw another grenade, this one is an EMP grenade, though it's not effective against organic beings, he hoped it will slow them down while they could get a distance between them and the bugs. They turned to the right of the alley where they stopped. The alley they took, led them to a dead end. “Blast!” He turned around to find the alien bugs have caught up with them, their glossy blue-greenish eyes are filled with red rage. Their dagger-like horns point down to the three, ready to fire. Razor stood in front of the two humanoids, shutting his eyes, he prepared to receive the fire that’s to come. But it didn’t, instead of the sound of blaster bolts, there was only the sound of sparks.
The ARC trooper opened his eyes to find the reason why; The horns of the alien insects are giving out electrical sparks. No matter how many times they tried to recharge, it just wouldn’t work. Not missing any chances, Razor raised his WESTAR-M5 and open fire; it’s blue bright bolts zipped through the air, burning the flesh of the screaming insects. Some were trying to escape but got cut down, and some that are very wounded tried to crawl away but they too, fell before the fire. Silence fell within seconds, smoke raised in a column from Razor’s blaster as the emotionless visor scan over the corpses. As Razor’s reload his rifle, he turned around to see the couple’s fear in their eyes.
Then the female spoke,“You ...you killed them.” The Advanced Recon Commando look at her in the eyes.
“I have no choice ma’am, it’s killing them or let them murder civilians,” Razor replied scooting in to comfort.
“Don’t get any closer to her!” Shouted the blue male moving at her side, putting his forearm around her.
“Why are you even doing this!?”That struck Razor and stood there frozen, ‘Why did I try to help them?’ He did it because he was programmed to? Because it was part of the protocols? Usually, he put his missions first, despite the times he saved his brothers. He never thought of this before, but this is actually his first time he has tried to save civilians. Maybe, just maybe he did it because……
There was a screech and Razor turned around. An insectoid in black armor charged at him, sword raised above its head. Razor dodged the grunt’s swing then punched it in the guts and send an electrical pulse from his gauntlet. The alien insect screamed in pain as sparks of electricity zapped out of his body then he collapsed. The taser Razor have on his gauntlet was designed to take out droid infantry, but it could stun or kill organic being depending on the species and its endurance. Not taking any risk, Razor aimed his blaster rifle and shot it.
“Objectives first, questions later,” he said to himself. With that, before the two asked Razor what he meant, the Advanced Recon Commando placed a demolition charge on wall and pressed a few buttons.
“Stand back!” He shouted, and at that same moment, the charge exploded with a burst of cloud. When the dust settled, it left a hole that leads into some kind of an apartment. Razor moved in and scanned the area.
“Clear,”he motioned the civilians over and they compiled. Searching the room more, there was a turned over chair, burnt currents, and a few broken pieces here and there. There was a door which he opened up to find a closet with enough room to hold two.
“You two can hide here until it’s safe to come out.”
“Where are you going?”Asked the blue civilian.
“To find my squad and see if I can assist with the defense.” Right when he was about to leave, a hand was placed on his pauldron, he looked to find the female local looking at him with a worried face.
“My daughter is out there, she was around the castle when the invasion happened, could you please find her”This surprised Razor, he don’t know what to say, the trooper has never been requested, usually he recuse those when he was ordered to by his superiors. But then again, Jai did things that the command did not tell them, well at least what they didn’t mention or things they told not to do. Razor starred in her arctic blue eyes, “Ma'am, I’m not sure if I will be able to find your daughter.”He said, making the female looked fearful,“But I’ll do whatever it takes to do so.”
With that, she smiled knowing he’ll find her daughter. Razor then got up ready to go out into the fray, he turned around one last time to look at the couple, thinking of asking their names or what they are. But then he decided to ask later, right now he has to find his brothers(and if possible and the local’s daughter whether alive…..or dead). The ARC Trooper saluted to them and went out into the open. First things first, he scanned the area no enemy nearby, putting a figure to his helmet’s comlink, Razor turned on.
“Alpha-18 to Alpha squad, this is Razor, can you read me.” Statics is all that can be heard.
“Razor to Alpha squad, can anyone hear me?” Nothing. Razor is getting worried, either their comms are off or something about this planet is jamming their communication links or….. His thoughts were interrupted by the hissing of insect coming from to his right flank as it pounced on him. Razor elbowed him square center to the chest making the attacker to reel back gasping for air. Then the specialist punches his attacker down to the ground and took out his pistol and shot it to the head. Small smoke leaked out of the burnt part of the corpse on the ground like a water drop from a vine. Razor then proceeded on to contacting his squad, he must keep trying.
Jai rushed through the streets as he dodged obstacles and blast changelings. He stopped to look around the area. It was what all soldiers are familiar with….. Chaos. Destruction. War. It’s hard for him to believe this was a beautiful, peaceful city. But that’s how it is in war, when war comes, even the most peaceful place turned into a battlefield.
‘It seems as if wherever I go, I always end up in a conflict’ He then press a finger on his helmet. Fortunately for Jai, as he was putting on his armor back at the building, there was a map of the whole city. He scanned the map then put on this HUD. The downside is he can’t be able to track enemies or allies without a tactical senor, so he has to check the area himself. He looked up to see what’s the situation. It appeared to be not looking very good, there seems to be an endless sea of insects, they’re overrunning the defenses (which there are barely any), and from the looks of it, there is no guard, either killed or captured. He shook his head.
“Real soldiers are rare these days,” He said to himself gloomily. This wasn’t the first time Jai has defended local planets, nor any other planets for that matter. Though he may not know which side they’re on or not, either way, their home was being invaded. He understands how it feels for their home was invaded, his home planet, Kamino have been invaded by the Separatist. As Jai was remembering his past while running through the streets, his comn starts to come to life. “Alpha-18 to Alpha Squad, can anyone read!”Jai stopped in mid-step, then checked his helmet comn.
“Razor?”
“Jai? Is that you?” the tech specialist asked. Jai was revealed to know that one of his brothers is alive. “It is. It’s good to hear you are here, wherever here is,” he said while looking around the battlefield.
“What’s your status?”
“Terrible, no matter how many of them I killed these insects, they just keep coming and coming. There must be a whole planetary invasion force here!” replied Razor, then Jai heard a thump and a screech of an alien.
“I don’t know which is worse, geonosians, or these bloody buggers.” a crunch can be heard at the end of the comn.
“Where’s are the others?”Jai asked.
“Don’t know, for all I know if they survived, Ven’vul is on a killing spree and Flare probably wrecking the streets by now.”Razor replied with some annoyance.
Meanwhile
Flare roamed the streets while shooting down any changelings in his path.
“That’s 165,” he said after shot a humanoid bug with his Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Then his cannon mowed down another few more, “That’s 166, 167, 168….” he continued to count his kills as the bugs fell one by one. Some who tried to escape or return fire have met a storm of pure blue energy. Finally, the road was clear as the last one fell, full of burning holes. “And that’s 180. Man! Scorch would be jealous when he finds out that I’m on a roll here.” Flare said gleefully, as he switched to his grenade launcher and fire grenades into buildings where the insects have barricaded themselves in. As the weapon specialist strolled through the town, blasting bugs from left to right, his comm was getting static all the sudden. Flare stopped for a few moments and banged his helmet with his hand a few times. He shrugged it off and kept moving until it went static again.
“The comn must be broken. If only Razor were here, he’s the one with the tech,” he sighed, remembering how his brother helps out with tech. Like the time where Razor help him with the cannon system on their tour on the Liberty. Flare chuckled, “Even though he can be quite dull.”
“What was that?” avoice called. The weapon specialist stopped and check his comn, praying to the Mandalorian Gods, or any deity that exists. He put his finger on the receptor, “Razor?” “Flare? Is that you?” Flare would have never thought how glad he was to hear the very voice that bored him those time ago.
“Is Jai there?”
“Hey there little vod.” All three are happy to know each one is alive.
Though it’s great to know they’re here, neither one doesn’t know where they are exactly. Not to mention that they are in a warzone. Also, there’s another thing….
“Where’s Ven?” said Flare, a sound of concern in his voice.
“Don’t know. We got separated on the ship. We thought you might have made contact with him.” replied Jai. There was a moment of silence.
“Jai, what do we do now?” asked Razor.
Jai looks around again to see where he was. He appears to be in some kind of a marketplace with ruined shops and turned over carts. On the right, there is some kind of a cafe with broken windows, glass scattered on the ground. The door was knocked down back towards the cafe, a coffee sign dangle over the entrance of the cafe. On his left, there was a store for clothes, dress dummies on the display were knocked over places, surrounded by shattered glass. He continues searched around the area until he spotted a castle-liked structure ahead of him, about 10 klicks away. Jai made his decision and tell the others on the comn, “Alright, here’s the plan. Can you see a castle at your position?” asked Jai. The other two acknowledged that they can see it. “We will rendezvous there, hopefully, get a better signal to contact Ven. If not, then we will search for him from there.”
“Rules of engagement sir?” asked Razor.
“Weapons check. Watch for civilians, kill the hostiles.” Jai replied.
“With extreme prejudice?” Flare asked with glee.
Jai couldn’t help but smirk under the helmet, “With extreme prejudice.”
He sent his squadmates the map into their HUD, and as he was wishing his squad luck, he heard a sudden scream. Jai turned toward the direction which comes from across an alleyway. Deciding to investigate he went through the alleyway and peek around the corner. There were about five insect soldiers across the street, four in green armor, and another one with blackish green ones. They are surrounding a local civilian that’s on its knees with two insects at each side. Jai was thinking of what to do. Whether he should try to pass them or try to help the civilian. On one hand, he’s in a hurry to join his squad, on the other, he has this feeling in his gut that he should help this civilian. Jango Fett always told him to trust his instinct, especially strong ones. If your instinct is telling you something, you should listen to it. That’s what Jango told him and his squadmates, and Jai’s instinct is telling to help this civilian. Most of the ARC troopers would disregard citizen lives, seeing that they just get in the way of their objectives. To Jai, saving a civilian life has advantages. If you save a civilian, you would earn their trust and they could become potential allies. If he could save this civilian, he could earn his(or her) trust that will help them in the future on this planet. Jai made his choice, he reloaded his blaster and took out his flashbang. “There are five so far, but there could be more. I have to take them out quickly before any possible reinforcement could arrived.” The trooper was getting ready to throw. “Well, here goes nothing.”
Fleur struggled to break free as her captors laughed at her vain efforts. “Feisty one aren’t you!” mocked one of the changelings holding her. The other one grabbed her by the hair, she gritted her teeth from the pull. They caught her off guard when she and Fancy Pants got separated in the confusion, she tried to fight back but they subdued her quickly. She looks angrily toward the changeling officer as he approached her with a wicked grin on his face.
The officer grabbed her by the chin, “I have to say, you put up a fight.” he grinned, pulling her closer. “But not good enough.” whispered evilly into her ear.
Fleur pulled back her head then bite the changeling on the hand. The officer yelled and pulled back his hurt hand then slap her hard on the cheeks. The two let go of her limbs as she fell to the ground from the impact. The changeling officer hissed angrily, “You know, I was planning to have some fun with you.” He took out his saber. “Now, I changed my mind.” The officer raised it over his head, ready to strike her down. Fleur looked up in fear as the blade gleam in the sunlight like fangs of a serpent. She lifted her hand in vain for the coming blow. Just as it’s about to carve into her skull, a strange hourglass-like rolled in front of Fleur and her executioner making a rapid beeping noise.
“What in the-”
*BANG!*
There was a loud noise and a bright flash that blinded Fleur and those around her. The unicorn lay there stunned, thinking or at least trying to think what just happened to her. The first thought was that she was struck by lightning. She tried to look around but couldn’t see anything but white light, hear nothing either accept for the consent ringing in her ear. Ten seconds later Fluer started to see again, her eyes widened at what she saw. Dead changelings all around, but that’s not what has her attention
What really caught her attention is this tall white creature standing over the officer’s corpse. It’s looking down at the body while holding a strange short black stick pointing. A small stream of vapor rises out of the end of it. The creature turns it toward the unicorn, its T shape eyes staring at her.
There were a shout and a changeling charged at the creature. In lighting speed, it dodged the spear, turned, and punched the soldier in the neck. The changeling gasped for air then it collapsed with its throat bleeding. Two more attacked it, one raised his sword to strike, but the alien pierced through his armor and took its black stick and fire blue lights that burns through the armor. The body fell like a tree as the metal crush on the ground. The alien looked down at its victums then look back at the horrified unicorn. It walked towards her, stepping over the carnage. Fleur crawled back in fear until she ran out of ground and hugged the wall behind her. The creature squatted down as it looks at her with its motionless eyes. It was a long minute of silence.
