Krest | A Star Wars Story

Chapter 18: The Warlord

2045 hours, 21 BBY

Command Center, Republic Base Abbus, Kogg Sector, Planet Heldia

Deck officers scrambled about. For hours now an entire planet sector had gone dark with no communications in or out. With General Yao'l's last orders in mind, the men he left behind have been working feverishly to get back into contact with their general as they try to figure out what has happened.

"Anything?"

"No sir, the entire sector is still dark- hold on! We're receiving a transmission!"

"Patch it through!"

"This is General Yao'l calling to all open Republic frequencies. Separatist forces have overrun Sector Corrin, and our communications have been knocked out. If our sector is dark it means that the Separatists are making their mo-"

"What happened?"

"The transmission cut out! I'm trying to get it back now."

"Can we spare any men for an expeditionary team?"

"A detachment of the 501st landed a few hours ago for refueling, if you'd like we can requisition them to go into sector Corrin and report their findings."

"Get me into contact with General Skywalker."

"Weren't we supposed to just refuel before heading out to regroup with the General?" Sighed Crash as he ran diagnostics on his LAAT.

"Looks like there's been a change of plans. There's troopers in need of help and we're it." Rex asserted, wiping some carbon scoring off of his forearm plate.

"On the bright side, we'll get to reunite with the boys in green!" Hardcase smiled, locking his Z-6 into place in the overhead storage rack in the troop bay. "I owe Shellshock a few credits and some rations anyway."

"They're the ones we're saving?" Crash asked, leaning down out of the cockpit towards Rex and Hardcase. "And their whole company is stuck in that sector?"

"Not entirely, a good portion are still on the way from Christophsis. At least from what I've heard." Rex explained looking up at Crash. "Either way, we've got new orders. Are we all ready to go?"

Crash put his helmet on and ran a few final checks before flashing a thumbs up. Rex nodded and motioned for everyone to board as he contacted the other gunship teams. "All teams prepare for departure, time to head into the belly of the beast."

"Hey Crash! Try and make sure we stay in the air yeah?" Hardcase called to Crash from the troop bay.

"No promises!" Crash chuckled as he and his copilot closed the cockpit.

Krest and the rest of the strike team gathered back-to-back as an army of droids surrounded them, blasters trained center mass. Large floodlights turned on, illuminating the area.

"What's the plan General?" Krest asked scanning the area for viable escape routes and simultaneously thinking of a way to break the encirclement. As he was thinking the wall of droids parted and a Separatist tank approached them. The top hatch popped open and a woman rose out.

"Well, well, well. I knew the Jedi weren't very tactically sound but I didn't think you'd do something as stupid as this." The woman said in a robotic groan that sounded as if her natural voice was still fighting to overcome whatever augmentations she had. The entire lower half of her face was consumed by a triangular device that seemed to be projecting her voice. Tubes attached to the bottom of it snaked down into the collar of her uniform and her skin was pale as if she was a corpse. She wore an old military uniform that Krest had recognized from records of old conflicts before the Rusan reformation. It didn't take long before Krest recognized her as General Rakarth.

"Time seems to have not favored you General, or should I call you warlord?." Skitarr taunted, gripping her lightsaber tightly.

"Your flat jokes do not affect me Jedi," Rakarth hissed metallically. "Your forces may have gotten a lucky shot. But with the skills of this planet's engineers and technicians, I have moved past the need for the weakness of flesh. Where my body fails, machinery will carry me on until I see the Separatist flag fly over this planet."

"So you're an abomination and your delusional!" Krest called out.

Rakarth's eyes narrowed onto Krest, sending chills down his spine as he watched some type of exhaust hiss from the device on her face. She motioned and two Super Battle Droids pushed Na'lona Suonn, General Yao'l's padawan into the center of the encirclement. She had bruises on her face and her robes were tattered and torn. Her eyes connected with Krest then Skittar as she tried to get up only for her to collapse onto the ground.

"M-master..." Na'lona said weakly.

"She...she's a kid..." Krest overheard Fodder say under his breath.

"Padawan!" Skitarr shouted, taking a step toward the injured Padawan, her thumb twitching over the igniter switch on her lightsaber. but a blaster bolt landing right next to Na'lona's head stopped her.

"Don't do anything rash Jedi!" Rakarth boomed. "One wrong step and the youngling dies!"

"You won't get away with this!" Skitarr growled.

Suddenly a streak of blue light flashed past Krest and struck Rakarth causing her to wail in pain. Another flash of light and several small tubes from her augmentations were severed emanating a painful hiss as she disappeared into the tank. Several more flashes followed, emanating from the surrounding darkness. Krest spared no moment on pondering the situation and sprung into action. Drawing both pistols, Krest immediately dispatched the droids near Na'lona and scooped her up with both arms. As Krest ran for the exit route he caught a glimpse of Fodder as he let out heavy leads from his Z-6.

"YOU WANNA BEAT UP ON A LITTLE GIRL? HOW BOUT YOU TRY BEATING UP ON ME YA BUNCH OF COWARDS!" Fodder screamed as he fired everything he had at the horde of droids.

"Fodder, fall back!" Krest shouted into his comm as he ran past. He could hear Fodder shout in frustration as he turned and ran.

As they left the base they were met by a squad of guardsmen who provided covering fire as they made their escape.

"Corporal Arroyo and the rest of the men are on the way with evac." The squad sergeant informed.

"Evac?" Skitarr asked.

The hums of LAAT gunships filled the air as several spotlights were focused down on them. From the sky several LAATs opened fire wiping out droids by the dozens while more circled around them and landed, their troop bay doors opening to deploy several 501st troopers.

Krest sprinted as fast as he could to one of the gunships. Rex hopped out and assisted Krest in loading her onto the gunship. Once she was loaded Krest boarded along with Rex and the others. Once everyone was aboard the gunships lifted off and escaped.

"Thanks for the save, Rex." Krest said, bumping wrists with Rex.

"Anytime, we were just lucky to get here on time." Rex sighed.

Krest looked over to Na'lona who was being tended to by a medic. He gritted his teeth as he watched her whimper, bruises all over.

"These are the kind of people the Separatists flaunt as heroes? The kind that beats up and holds a gun to a kid's head?" Fodder muttered. "Jedi or not, goes to show who these monsters really are."

(A/N: Sorry this took WAYYYY too long. I was gonna give myself a break for the holidays and then that break turned into two months without any chapters coming out. I sincerely apologize for the dead period and I'm so happy people are still coming and showing support even though I've been radio silent for so long. I hope this chapter makes up even a little bit for this and I'll try my damndest to keep putting chapters out. Again, I hope you guys keep sticking around for more and keep showing your support! I would also like to thank Cuthalion97 for letting me use their OC Crash. As for everyone who submitted OCs to use I'll try and work as many as I can in so stick around and hopefully I can get to everyone's!)