Shadows of the Past

Chapter 8

Enarc

'Sir! Multiple crafts approaching our position! A droid reported.
'Are they escorted?
'No, sir!
'Send out the Vulture Droid! We will tear those scums to pieces!he roared as he curled one hand into a fist.
'Isn't this a trap? Should we shoot them? Kanan asked watching the main screen of the Command Centre. 7 shuttles were closing in fast.
'Would you rather allow them to land here and provoke casualties?
'Still...
'There is no logical answer to that! Grievous intrerrupted him harshly. I don't need any advice about strategy, especially coming from a low-ranked Jedi padawan.
Kanan sighed and continued to watch the screen. Their own fighters had started attacking the shuttles and they were already making one crash into the ground.
'See? Grievous asked mockingly.
'Yeah, looks like I was right!the Jedi answered and pointed at the screen.
'What?
A squadron of TIE fighters appeared from the clouds and delivered a large barrage of ion shots into the Vultures. Before they had any chance to attack, all went into the ground, destroyed.
'This is not well!a droid remarked.
The General remained silent and thought of his plan. Maybe there was a chance of... defeat that had not taken into account. And if that would be the case...well, he won't be around to see it.
'Sir!
The Super Tactical droid asked concerned.
'Yes?
'The imperial forces have landed on the soil and are coming towards the main entrance as we speak. In a few minutes, they will breach the first corridor.
'Send in the Droidekas! In the corridor, the stormtroopers will be killed by the lasers and won't be able to disable the shields.
'Yes, sir!
The droid walked away, while Grievous activated the cameras there to show on his screen. He feared the worst.
'What are we going to do if we fail?
Ezra entered the cyborg's mind with his question.
'That won't be the case!he replied confidently.
'But what if it is?!
'Look boy, if you need to, you will escape somehow. And don't look back becausd you will be captured.
'Huh, you speak very well of your memory, General... Kanan smirked.
'It is because of these tactics that I am still alive, padawan. Now, let's observe how that imperial trash will be eradicated.
The screen showed as three droidekas deployed in the middle of the corridor, blocking the way. The blue shields activated around their vulnerable body and the guns were pointef at the entrance. Everyone waited for a few seconds in suspense, until the door was slammed right into the droids, making them rubble.
'Arrgh! The cyborg screamed terribly.
From the outside, a few stormtroopers entered with their blasters and started shooting a few B1 droids that were taken by surprise. And then, the two inquisitors entered, activating their red lightsabers. They walked slowly, passing by junk, corpses and stones. And then, from the smoke and the dust that was raising in the air, a dark cloaked figure walked calmly yet confidently.
'It's him! Kanan shouted scared.
'The Dark Lord... Ezra continued with shivers on his spine.
Both of them has faced Vader once before, and they had been left with a great amount of fear after. But Grievous... he wasn't exactly impressed.
'So ... he showed up, after all...he mumbled, a bit dissapointed. That complicates things.
He stood up from his chair and put on his dark cloak, walking fast towards the exit. Before leaving the room, he dropped a phrase to the Super Tactical droid:
'Mantain command in my absence!
Behind him, Kanan and Ezra followed.
'What are we doing?the Jedi padawan asked.
'I am going to fight them.
'But this is impossible... even for you! Ezra intervened.
'No, since my objective is not the same as yours.
They turned over a corridor, and a few droids were fighting 4 stormtroopers. One of the B1 soliders noticed the General.
'Hey! It's General Griev...
But his head flew away because he stood up to say his name. The body fell down limp and dead. The stormtroopers on the other side aimed from the cyborg, but he activated his lightsaber and charged right into them, throwing away all kinds of flesh and armor.
The 2 droids remaining left their cover and approached him.
'Sir!one exclaimed.
'You are alive!the other one cherished.
'Indeed. What is the situation?
'The stormtroopers have destroyed our forces in the area. They are going for the factory.
'Excellent! You two, follow me! Jedi.
He said as he looked at Kanan and Ezra. You must use the backdoor of the outpost and leave in the wilderness. I would hate to see Ashoka mad at me for letting you two die.
'Are you insane? We are not abandoning you! Ezra shouted.
'I'm afraid you are, little one!
He kicked the boy in the gut, sending him into Kanan , both falling on their back. Grievous closed the door behind him and stabbed it with his lightsaber, blocking the way.
'Finally! He exclaimed.
'Sir, are we going?one of the droids asked.
'Yes, quickly!
He ignited his lightsabers and continued to run, turning through empty halls and corridors, filled with blaster bolts and dead organic and metal bodies alike. A few stormtroopers had the misfortune of being on his way, as they were cut down during his flight. The three of them managed to finally reach the exit of the outpost, the very one through the stromtroopers entered. Just before he could exit to surface, an invisible force pulled him back. In the air, he turned and parried a lightsaber swing coming from the Seventh Sister.
'Leaving without saying hello?she asked grinning.
Grievous exited the saberlock and glared at her.
'You are nothing compared to me.
'Perhaps , but you won't be able to escape my master's wrath!
'I did fought against him before and I shall do so again if needed to!
He slashed his lightsabers at her, making the woman jump a few feet backwards.
'Afraid? He taunted her.
'Not a chance!
She charged at him, but the General blocked the hit with both of his lightsabers, but then, he sudennly detached one of his arms in two, picking the Inquisitor by the throat and with a new hand, punching her into the face. She fell down, dropping her lightsaber, remaining defenseless. Blood was dripping from her mouth and her jaw had been broken. Grievous picked her hilt from the ground and ignited it.
'This one had an interesting design over it. Thank you!he exclaimed and chuckled. He raised her sword over her.
'No, no wait...!
Huck! Her chest was cut in two.
'Good riddance, Sith scum!
He turned and attached the third hilt to his magnetic waist. The two B1 droids that had watched the entire fight, began:
'You killed her, master!
'Well done, sir! You are the best!
Grievous passed by them, slowly growling. He finally exited the outpost and observed the shuttles around him. He picked one and quickly walked to it, followed by his guards. A stormtrooper noticed the General and raised his blaster but one of the droids shot him first.
'Die, Empire slime!the droid sneered.
Grievous widened one of his eyes at the two chosen droids. So stupid, yet usefull in a way. Disregarding the corpse off the shuttle's ramp, he entered the ship and analyzed the controls. Very reminiscent of the old republic ones.
'Technology really didn't advance so much in these past ten years... pilot the shuttle! He ordered the two of the droids which complied immediately.
'Roger roger!both of them answered at the same time.
While the white ship was taking up, Vader appeared from the exit and tried to pick the shuttle with the Force but it was too late. He remained with his hand raised in the air, that instantly curled into a fist.

Enarc's orbit

The white Lamba shuttle as it was called passed by the Imperial Star Destroyer with no problem. The Admiral in charge of the blockade was occupied with an attack coming from the rebels and ignored one of his own ships leaving the systems, which suited Grievous well. When they exited their array, they departed in deep space. One of the droids turned to Grievous and asked:
'Where are we going sir?
'It is clear that the so-called Rebel Alliance is nothing but a group of disorganized thugs with good intentions. They are not the force I was looking for. The fact that they allowed the Empire to find me there and destroy my base proves that.
'Sir, but what are talking about? The other droid asked confused.
'Arrgh! You are lucky to be the only units I possess. Set course for... a backwater planet. Maybe... a once Separatist planet... Felucia! Yes... set course for the Felucian system.
'Yes sir! It may deplete our fuel though. The journey is long.
'It doesn't matter! Jump into Hyperspace!
'Roger roger!
And with that, the Lamda shuttle exited the Enarc system.

The Command Centre

'My lord, we have captured all the outpost! A stromtrooper reported to Vader who was looking through the informations of the base.
'Very good, Commander. What about the battle in space?
'The Rebels have damaged a star destroyer but they have been forced to flee.
'Return back to the shuttles then.
He turned to face the Fifth Brother.
'It seems that your fellow sister had been foolish enough to face the General without my assistance.
'Indeed. Her mistake costed her life...he replied with a hint of remorse in his voice.
'You are the new High Inquisitor now. Use all your resources to find the General and report to me! I have other matters to attend to.
'Yes, my lord!he bowed before him.
Vader looked one last time at the ravaged Command Centre and slowly exited the room.