Prometheus, Bridge.
-("Report.")- RG2 Spoke up.
-("Seventy-Two percent of enemy defenses were disabled in our opening volley, Six enemy vessels have disabled. The other two were destroyed due to reactor containment failure. We are ready to deploy fighters.")- The unit in charge of tactical reported.
-("Understood. Roaming patrols of five, sphere formation. Have them destroy any remaining defenses. I'll report this to Lady Beatrix.")- RG2 Ordered.
Compiling the data, he sent the packet towards Beatrix. Thanks to the relatively short distance he got a reply within minutes.
-("Solid copy RG2, Good work. Broadcast attached file to the station, DO NOT under any circumstance deploy units into the station. Lord Coda has demanded that he is the first in, psychological profile suggests previous trauma is causing anger flares. Unpredictability expected to rise exponentially if orders are not followed to the letter. You are free to secure prisoners and help slaves in disabled vessels. Beatrix out.")-
Receiving the message, RG2 quickly relayed orders to the relevant parties. Even though they were incapable of emotions, they were programmed in such a way that they did not react well to influences that upset Coda. A shudder ran through all of them when they were sent the message as simulated anger and urgency made itself known, their artificial eyes turning red in response.
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Dominik watched the hologram displaying their surroundings as the massive vessel deployed hundreds of fighters with clockwork-like efficiency. Followed by six shuttles of some kind that headed towards their former patrol fleet as he asked tactical.
"What's the status around the station?"
Medical personnel came running in, checking and applying first aid to those hurt in the initial attack as tactical responded.
"We have fires all over the station, response droids and personnel are already on it. Multiple cave-ins in the sectors built into the asteroid, we're getting confirmation of multiple casualties from all around the station... Odd. The fighters they deployed are keeping a distance from the station, they aren't attacking anymore."
Dominik's eyebrow shot up. Why does that worry me more? "I assume we're still being jammed, what about scanners?"
"We have scanners, but I doubt it'll do us any good sir. They've deployed a GWG, and I don't think anyone is stupid enough to approach when they get dropped out of hyperspace only to see that monster out there." Tactical responded.
Despite the situation, a wry smile found it's way unto Dominik's face. "I can't blame them. Tell the troops to start setting up hardpoints around the station. Even though they aren't approaching us now, I find it hard to believe they just came over to use us as target practice."
"Yes, sir!" Tactical responded as they started shooting orders down the line.
Dominik cupped his chin as he ran over his admittedly limited options. Most of them automatically rejected due to the fact they weren't feasible. He simply didn't have enough information, what did these people want exactly? He was going to fight if it came down to it, unlike his incompetent family members that were sent here with him. He was a warrior, and his job was taking care of this station.
He was brought out of his ruminations when tactical spoke up again. "Sir! They're broadcasting on all frequencies. Shall I put it on?"
With a nod, he turned his head towards the hologram display as it lit up. The same male as last time showed up, but there was a glaring difference that could be seen. Anger marred his features and his eyes glowed with a sinister red color. It dawned on him. They're machines?! It started speaking, this time its voice was low and much harsher.
"House Rrud! You stand accused of slavery, rape, and kidnapping. All punishable by death according to the laws of The Order of The invisible Sun. Soon you will be boarded and any opposition will be met with swift death without due discourse. Civilians aboard Watchpoint station, if you are unrelated have no fear. We will record everything that takes place and you shall not be harmed if you are found to have no relation to the crimes previously stated. Submit to investigation and stay out of the way if you value your life, for Judgement approaches." It then went silent for a couple of seconds before speaking up again.
"You will soon come to find, you cannot fight an angered sun."
The transmission cut out as Dominik found out that he could indeed become paler. Though most people on the bridge blanched as well, they'd all seen the news from about a week ago. The Hutt information network was vast, and they knew of the mercenary group known as the Invisible sun. They were fairly sure they were also responsible for some of their agents going missing in recent days, and now they were here.
Tactical spoke in a soft voice, it cut through the silence on the bridge easily as you'd hear a pin drop right now. "Intelligence should have connected the dots. The vessel that bombarded Tatooine belongs to the Invisible Sun. It's official, we're fucked."
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In the middle floors of Watchpoint station, five men wearing cloaks were sitting in a bar. One of them was putting away a hologram disk as they'd just witnessed the broadcast.
"It looks like we're in luck, he's going to show up here. Are we going through with it?" A small rodian asked.
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A burly human spoke up next. "Might be risky, where would we do it? More importantly, how would we get away?"
Two twilek's sitting together looked at each other and nodded before one of them spoke up. "He'll probably enter by the main hangar, it's going to be hard to move around so we can set up an ambush right off the main path. Between where the station troopers are setting up defenses. Then we just split up and blend in, none of us here have any relation to what happens on this station. It comes down to if our fearless leader here can hold him locked down long enough for us to gun him down."
Snorting, a tall black man spoke up. "I've been trained extensively, some Jedi scum cannot defeat me. Just do your jobs and stay out of my way."
As the last speaker stood up, a glint of a lightsaber hilt could be seen from under his cloak.
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The Dauntless, Hangar.
Sev', Trilla, and Beatrix had just entered the hangar when they spotted Coda standing in front of the closed ramp. His back was turned but they could all see the air in a five-meter radius around him simmered, the area shrinking and expanding with every breath he took. The metal flooring under him had already started warping due to the heat he was giving off.
Sev' glanced around the hangar as she spotted around two hundred of these strange droids standing perfectly still, lined up in rows behind him. Their eyes were glowing with a sinister red, just like Beatrix's had been doing for the last few minutes.
As her eyes turned back to Coda, she could easily feel the barely constrained anger flowing off him in every direction. Staying on the ship was already stifling, the proximity to him now made it much worse. Deciding to run the force through her eyes she became terrified. Leaking off him like steam was a dark red aura, as soon as he had felt someone observing him she could feel that he had switched his focus over to her for a split second. It felt like being crushed under the gravity of a black hole, a predator glancing at her only to decide she was not worth its time.
Breaking out into a cold sweat for the third time today she had to remind herself to breathe again. Turning to look at Trilla, she saw that she wasn't faring much better. It seemed that being close to him was difficult for her as well, probably anyone.
They stopped walking towards him when they were about fifteen meters away, any closer didn't feel safe. That's when they heard Coda speak, his voice deeper than usual, even unnaturally so. "Report."
Beatrix replied instantly. "My Lord! We are ten minutes out now, there has been no additional movement from the enemy. A few ships have jumped into the area but were intercepted by the GWG aboard the Prometheus, most have left already but some seem to be hanging back to watch the situation."
"It matters not. Everyone will stay on the Dauntless for five minutes after I depart, then invade it in full force. Destroy all opposition without mercy, enter their systems and take over. All suspects are to be moved into any open space large enough to hold all of them. Am I clear?" He was speaking in an eerily calm tone, a jarring discrepancy to how it felt to be around him.
"Your will be done, My lord!" She said in a loud voice.
Trilla spoke up nervously. "Coda, are you alright? Shouldn't you try and calm down?"
Silence followed for a few seconds before he replied in the same calm tone. "I am going to refuse. My anger is justified, and I have lived with feelings like this since I was but a child. I am upset, but I am not mad." His unnatural tone grew more prominent the more he spoke, leading to Trilla doubting his words.
Though worried she opted not to say anymore, for she remembered the feeling of rage as well.
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Watchpoint Station, Command Bridge.
Dominik had at this point geared up for war, as had all the other officers there. They had been monitoring everything closely the last hour or so, the tension felt palpable. A revolving sphere of fighter squadrons surrounded the station as the massive ship loomed over them. They'd managed to do a lot with this extra time they had been given, constructing barricades and setting up multiple kill zones all over the station.
It helped morale somewhat but Dominik still felt extremely anxious. Why weren't they moving, what exactly were they waiting for? Looking over at the security feeds he could only see empty hallways, streets, and buildings. The civilians that worked or lived here had already retreated into the emergency shelters as the people who were visiting hid in their ships, the only movement being soldiers running around or droids helping out.
Suddenly the tactical officer shouted. "Sir! A ship that dropped out of hyperspace seems to have entered the GWG's zone of influence and is approaching our location! The design suggests it's the same vessel spotted at Geonosis!"
Dominik's brows shot up. So that's what they were waiting for! The unknown man leading them, he wasn't aboard the ship outside. He thought as it clicked. "Get ready, things are about to start." He said with a determined tone of voice.
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"My Lord, where do you want the ship to enter?" Beatrix asked as they approached the sieged station.
Removing his mask from the belt, he brought it up to his face. Once he put it on he responded. "Main hangar."
"Understood my lord, but they have closed the blast doors. Do you want me to have the Prometheus fire upon it?" She asked.
Shaking his head slowly he spoke again. "No need. Just fly into the hangar, the door will not stop us."
Even though she didn't fully comprehend what he meant, it was not her place to question the order. "Of course, My lord."
Retrieving his lightsabers from under his white and black robes he glanced down at his orange-colored saber before speaking up. "I once told you the name of my silver saber, Apathy. Even though I doubt you fully understand how it works, I had to cut away parts of myself before coming here. I couldn't come here otherwise, my baggage would prevent me from truly living in this galaxy."
He sighed lightly as his gaze turned towards the ramp again. "You cannot ever truly remove parts of yourself without losing who you are, so I inserted these parts into my lightsabers."
As his tone became almost like a growl he continued. "What I am saying is, I removed my apathy, as well as... Anger."