Chapter Text
Star Wars: The Old Republic
NOCTURNE
A decade after an Imperial victory in
the TREATY OF CORUSCANT, the Galaxy
has returned to open warfare in an effort
to finally crush the REPUBLIC once and
for all.
Even with their loss at CORELLIA, the
SITH EMPIRE fights on, striking systems
far and wide to find a key foothold that
could change the tide.
Meanwhile, trouble is brewing above
an icy world in the Outer Rim - where
the fate of an Imperial assault transport
may depend on the actions of a daring
pilot and her wingmen…
--︱Prologue
Fourteen Years Ago - 3653 BBY
Foggy Bottom Station
Genarius
Slipping past yet another Imperial patrol, Syri Taloth admitted to herself that perhaps wearing her armor for infiltration was a poor choice. She had teased her partner when she had insisted on a dirty technician’s coveralls, but she had been right about making it easier to blend in. They were Jedi knights, and all of the sneaking seemed unnecessary. There was a reason they had trained for combat at the temple on Coruscant – to defend the innocent by confronting the dark side and the Sith head-on. Subterfuge was good for when they were trying to land their shuttle without getting shot down by the defensive cannons, but their goal should be to trash the machinery immediately. It would free the workers up to turn on the occupying Imperial forces.
Genarius was a gas giant whose main industry was tibanna gas mining. Used primarily in blasters and other weaponry, it was an essential resource in the fight against the Sith Empire. Mining was a delicate and technical process. Collecting the valuable gas out of the atmosphere, the workers vented it into carbon freezing chambers. The encasing carbonite would keep the gases stable enough for further transport to refineries across the Galaxy. Controlling a station like this was key to keeping weapons firing.
Which was why the decisive attack by the infamous Bane Brigade eight years prior had been so devastating. The Imperial black ops unit had wiped out the defenders and delivered the floating facility into enemy hands. Now she and her partner were here to make them regret that. After almost three decades of fighting, the war was leaning in the Republic’s favor. Breaking their supply lines would be key to winning the sector, and hopefully the war.
Ahead, Loke Sanna overrode the door controls to let them into the maintenance tunnels. Syri had known her since they were both Padawans, frequently training together, and they’d been close as sisters ever since. Unlike Syri’s role in the Order as a ‘Guardian,’ her friend was classified as a ‘Sentinel.’ A path that saw her train with the Force and become a serious lightsaber duelist, while also seeking out typically non-Jedi skills. Sometimes it seemed redundant when they could use their powers in almost any situation. Based on how Loke was dismantling the station’s security though, Syri couldn’t protest too much.
Panels blinked with a variety of status indicator lights, connected to bundles of thick wiring snaking across the walls and ceiling. Grime and slowly spreading rust gave the catwalks and battered walls an oddly neglected feel as they crept forward. Not that she was expecting pristine hallways, but it was clear the repair priority was on the mining equipment. It almost made her wonder where she would have ended up if the Jedi didn’t take her in as a child. Would I be stuck on one of these platforms?
Dawn would be here soon, the endless field of clouds out the viewports already beginning to turn shades of pink-orange. They were right on schedule, aiming to complete their objectives before the morning shift came on duty, but not stand out as sneaking around at an odd hour. It helped that the early morning was typically when most everyone was asleep or groggy from just waking up.
The sound of boots clinking lightly on the grating ahead made the Jedi stop in their tracks and press against the wall. Syri peeked around the corner to watch as a pair of soldiers stopped in front of the door to the gas spinning room. Part of her wondered if they were going to have to go through them.
“I’m exhausted. Counting the minutes until patrol ends.” One of them stretched and their helmet wobbled as they rolled the tension out of their neck.
“You’re telling me.” The other responded. “Maybe I’ll grab some chow before I head back to my bunk.”
“Not like there’s anything else to do on this backwater. Makes me wonder who I crossed to get punished with this place.”
A vocoder-tinged chuckle drifted down the hall as they continued on their route. “At least no one is shooting at you here, right?”
Shaking their heads, they moved out of sight, and Syri let out a long breath. Once their footsteps had properly faded off, the women held for one last moment before striding toward the door. The room was smaller than she expected, all drab metal with a couple of consoles and a wall of gauges. A holoportrait of a smiling family glowed on one of the desk areas, hovering silently with the occasional flicker.
“We should have about forty-five minutes, but I planned this whole operations for thirty. If all goes well, we should be long gone before even an early riser checks in.”
“Well, get to it, and I’ll keep watch.”
Loke slid into the technician’s chair while removing a thin spike from her pocket. Pre-programmed with the access code and secret subroutines, the spike would get to work on the platform’s systems, adding sabotage to the mix. The consoles in this room controlled the flow of the tibanna, spinning it with just enough air to keep it stable before the freezing process. It was a delicate operation, but primarily automated. That made this the perfect place to strike. With just the right shift in the mixture, they could begin rendering all the Tibanna nearly inert. When used in an engine or blaster, it would almost certainly fail to ignite, making the ship or blaster useless. Syri understood all the science behind it, as Loke had been talking about it while she planned. She still didn’t understand going through the complicated plan to get here though.
“Are you sure we couldn’t just bring in a bomber wing on this place? I’ve seen you handle a fighter, and we could skip all the sneaking."
Loke shook her head. “Trust me, it’ll be worth it. This way will protect all the workers pressed into service. Plus, it hurts the Imperial military for months if they need to keep checking every single shipment to make sure their weapons are going to fire when they pull the trigger.”
“Yeah, yeah, long game.”
They stood quietly as Loke worked, the sound of her tapping and going through menus mostly drowned out by the whir of machinery, the hiss of steam, and thudding bangs of general life on the platform. Syri paced while she waited, impatient to be done with this and get back to the front lines.
“Oy! What are you doing?” A stern voice came from the door. Covered in black armor, the Imperial soldier was already reaching for his weapon.
Using the Force to throw the trooper backward, it only served to push him back out the door and allow him a chance to alert his comrades. Rather than face two Jedi, he disappeared from sight. Alarms began blaring their whooping sirens, complete with strobing red lights.
“Well, that’s not good.”
Syri ignited her deep blue blade. “Plan B?”
“Hold them off for me. Almost done.” Loke commanded.
Syri headed for the doorway, her weapon pointed upward and ready to respond. The sound of shouts and echoing footfalls were coming their way. She felt her fingers tighten around the hilt in preparation. With a final series of button presses, Loke followed her. A sudden deep thrumming noise came from her side as the tangerine blade hung from one hand.
“Ready?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Bursting into the hallway, blaster bolts tore past them and slammed into the walls. In a blur of blue and orange they pushed forward meter by meter, deflecting fire into the walls. As soon as they reached a branching hallway, they took it, angling toward their escape plan. Syri moved into the lead solely on instinct, but she had to admit that the battle was giving her a rush. Stepping over the fallen, she knew they wouldn’t be able to keep this pace up all the way to the landing pad.
A small orb flew toward them, bouncing with an almost musical noise against the metal paneling. Loke rushed for it, but it was too late. The blast threw her backwards and into the wall while leaving a warped gap in the hallway. Against all odds, it left her crouched on one knee as she tried to shake the concussive damage from her mind.
Syri helped her friend up, almost recoiling at the blood running down Loke’s face. Dark spots were already forming around the tattered holes where the shrapnel had bit into her skin. Nothing that seemed critical, but she knew after years of war that looks could be deceiving.
“Next time, let the person in armor take the hit.” Syri shook her head as she chided. “How bad is it?”
“I’m- I’m okay. Just a little off, but we can keep moving.” Loke assured her, collecting her saber hilt from the floor.
Syri felt the ripple in the air as well as the shift in the Force. Grabbing Loke by the back of her coveralls, she shoved the woman hard. As she stumbled forward and landed on the ground, a shimmering red ray shield activated. At least her instincts were still on point. Loke looked up at her from the ground with confusion on her face.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re wounded and I couldn’t let you get trapped on this side. You need to get to the shuttle!"
“What about you?”
“I’m going to do what we should have done in the first place – make a mess.” Syri reignited her saber. “Now go!”
Rushing back down the hallway, Syri gave herself completely over to the Force, blocking incoming fire and sending it back to where it came from. Cleaving through any enemy within range, she tuned out the cries of pain and shouts of anger. High, low, her blade danced as she leapt on her next opponent, spinning to cut down his companion. More troops flooded in through the doorway, hoping to corner her and end things here.
Wrenching pipes from the walls forced steam and tibanna to spray out onto the attackers. If nothing else, it made most of them retreat to cover until they could find a way past. A stray shot would be deadly to anyone within the blast radius. Holding the jagged pipe pieces in mid-air, Syri launched them into the nearby storage tanks. They turned holes into directed clouds of flammable gas.
Between the buildings, Loke’s drab shuttle hovered into view with engines glowing. Syri was torn at the sight – relief that her best friend was safe and despair that she had been left behind. How could she just leave without me? If she really was trapped here with scores of angry troops and key Imperial supplies, better to save countless lives by taking them away from the enemy.
There is no death, there is only the Force.
Leaping over the railing, she hurled her lightsaber toward one of the main gas pipes. Assisted by the Force, it flew with incredible speed, spinning toward its target. She closed her eyes as she landed, focusing on keeping the blade’s momentum. Along with the already leaking gas from the tanks, there would only be one outcome.
Burning jets of blue-orange flame tore through the mining platform, shattering storage tanks and nearly splitting the whole place in half. Smaller, secondary explosions followed the initial one in popping succession. Lights flickered and failed along with key grids tied into the repulsor systems. It made the floating city sag and shift, a great beast fighting its inevitable death. Slowly it sank, descending into the lower cloud layers and the crushing pressure of the depths below.
Soon enough, the platform and all the inhabitants disappeared in the swirling colors, never to be seen again.
1︱Uninvited
3639 BBY
Jygat, Mygeeto
Much like everywhere else on the planet, the capital city was locked in a perpetual ice age. Thick layers of ice coated most of the surface, its varied terrain broken up by canyons and glaciers filled with massive, jutting crystals. It was these crystals that helped power what few cities existed. Buildings sat perched above the canyons, domed or resembling stacks of rings to discourage snow build-up on their roofs. Skybridges ran between structures, offering frigid travel pathways for both speeder and pedestrian traffic.
Polar winds whipped swirling snowflakes that filled the air. Constant snowstorms were a fact of life for those that lived here. A bleak but resource rich world under endlessly overcast clouds. Dark shapes moved within them, predators stalking their prey.
Above the buildings, a trio of Mk. VI Supremacy-class interceptors shot past, skimming over the towers as they cut through the storm. Consisting of two downward sloping wings from a central pod, their profile was legendary. Blaster cannons jutted out from each wingtip, panels near the rear flipping up to provide better stability during combat. The Imperial fighters were the backbone of their attack squadrons. A deadly yet angularly striking piece of equipment that was the last thing many pilots ever saw. Lacking shields or missile tubes, they were designed for speed, swarming a target with overwhelming numbers. It was a tactic that had won the Sith Empire countless battles - and even the last war.
But now a new war had begun, one that was being fought across the Galaxy, even here on the Outer Rim. Fighter patrols and fleet incursions reminded the local populace that the Empire was everywhere, powerful and vigilant. Especially after their defeat at the Battle of Corellia. That soon every world would fall under their ordered rule.
The fighters banked away from the city in unison, climbing through the thick clouds as they headed off-world. It was a dark gray mire in the center, the turbulent air buffeting them before they broke through the clouds to see the sky a brilliant pink-orange. A curve of glowing atmosphere like looking too close at a glass orrery.
As the view turned dark and filled with stars, they could finally see the asteroid field that surrounded part of the approach to the planet. None were close enough to pose a danger to the inhabitants, just those traveling into or out of the system. In orbit hung a different object, a Subjugator-class assault transport. Adjusting their heading for approach, the fighters flew casually so as not to appear threatening.
The top of the assault transport was flattened and winged out on both sides with what looked like a typical superstructure on the stern. A hold over from other designs, as the true bridge was a boxy head that stuck out from the bow like some shelled beast. Triangular-shaped engines and armor dominated the rear. Two large hangars hung on the underside of the ship. Depending on the mission, they held fighters, dropships, or even rows of speeders for rapid deployment during an invasion.
Over the encrypted Imperial frequency, the tone was harsh. “This is the Nocturne. We were not expecting allied forces in this area. Identify yourselves and your purpose.”
The woman’s voice was appeasing. “This is Captain Dala of Shyrack Squadron. We’re looking for resupply before our next patrol.”
“Roger. Please transmit access codes.”
“Of course. Transmitting now.” Everything was going to plan. 'Dala' smiled to herself inside the cockpit. The real Imperial Captain was probably still unconscious in a storage closet. She would be perfectly fine when she woke up, minus a pounding headache. And her ship, but she would figure that out eventually.
Any other day, the woman wearing an Imperial uniform was known as Master Loke Sanna of the Jedi Order. A Sentinel specializing in non-Force skills and tasked with destroying the Sith. Some even claimed she was one of the best blades in the Order, but she never let that go to her head.
On Tython, the Masters had always preached that deception was the way of the dark side. That the Jedi could only walk in the light by confronting problems head-on and with diplomatic transparency. Loke had never agreed with that. Wars were won by keeping your enemy off balance, and that included deceiving them if it meant saving innocent lives. She had tried to teach the same paradigm to her Padawan, with mixed success.
Well, former Padawan. Sera Misari had passed her trials with flying colors after Corellia. Now she was assigned to Felucia, a thousand parsecs from here. Loke was incredibly proud of her, but it was strange not having one of her closest companions by her side. Although her current wingmen were really growing on her.
"Attention, Shyrack Squadron: You are cleared for landing. Proceed to the starboard hangar."
'Dala' kept her accent crisply Imperial. "Acknowledged."
Shifting position, they moved to single file for landing. It was strange to see the autocannons sitting dormant as the fighters grew closer, not realizing what approached them even now. Sliding through the magnetic hangar field, they took their places along the edge of the room. Banking one last time to face inward, the repulsors lowered them onto docking hooks. Maintenance crew moved ladders into place for the pilots to exit as the cockpit opened with a hiss.
The crew chief was heading toward Loke when she reached the bottom. Unhooking the helmet’s pressure seals, she removed it and took a breath of the stale, metallic air that every ship seemed to have by default. She set the helmet on a nearby crate and quickly checked her smooth, black hair with her left hand to make sure the tight bun had not fallen loose. Regulation among most Imperial units, it was just one more detail to help her blend in.
With her other hand, she tapped her gear. Checking life-support tubes, ammo pouches, the main control unit on her chest. It looked typical enough but allowed her to triple-check the cylindrical storage pouch strapped to her lower back. This one held something more precious than flares though - her lightsaber. One of them, at least. There was limited space for just her primary weapon. It was a last resort option. If lightsabers came out, something had gone terribly wrong.
“Chief.” Loke said in her practiced accent.
“This is a surprise.” The man said in his dirty coveralls. She noticed him eyeing the thin scar along the outside of her right eyebrow that stood out on her tanned skin. “What can we help you with?”
Loke pointed back at the interceptor’s wing. “My port side stabilizer keeps sticking. Not sure if it’s the ice or some sort of mechanical issue, but the flashing sensor warning has me concerned.”
“Will do. I’ll have my crew check it out.”
“Much appreciated.”
Her other wingmen had exited their fighters as well and joined the group just as the Chief was departing. Only one had removed their helmet, a fair skinned human with dark hair and a thick beard. He nodded professionally to her as the pair arrived. Just like Loke, he had a similar pouch on his lower back.
“Everything in order?” Ashnox Blackstar asked quietly.
“It would seem so.” She replied, leading them toward the hangar exit.
Jae Doraan had kept her sloped helmet on as they moved into the hallway. She was more anonymous than any of them, save for the non-standard silver metal of her blaster pistol. It was her prized possession, and mostly hidden by the black leather of her standard-issue holster. “I hate this stupid helmet. It’s fine for looking straight ahead out of a cockpit, but it’s got no peripheral vision.”
“If it makes you feel better, you look extra sinister with it on.” Ashnox commented.
“And with it off, my face would blow our cover in an instant.” She had a point there. Jae was a Mirialan, born with jade skin and later adding the geometric tattoos on her cheeks and forehead. Aliens were non-existent in the Imperial military, seen as a second class citizens that could not be trusted with any sort of power. The joys of authoritarian, xenophobic societies.
Loke nodded in agreement as they passed a few enlisted troopers and maintenance personnel in the halls. Most barely gave her a passing glance. Amazing how a simple costume could allow them access to an enemy warship. Not that she was shocked, that was the point. It was human nature to ignore most things if it looked like they belonged. Most of these Imperials were focused on more pressing priorities, like sleep, what was in the mess hall, or when they would next have port leave.
She had been pleasantly surprised to get Jae’s call a week earlier. She had identified Imperial activity on Mygeeto and had cooked up a plan to remove it for good. It relied heavily on stealing the Mk VIs and Jae had immediately thought of Loke’s fighter training. Sure, her background was purely in Republic fighters, but a ship was a ship. A chance to utilize her skills in the cockpit, test out enemy ships, and take down a key target? No one needed to twist her arm for that opportunity. The only hitch was finding proper uniforms, but Jae seemed to have that covered as well. An occupied airbase on Corellia had its ships destroyed in bombing runs, but all of the equipment was left abandoned when the troops retreated.
Ambushing and stunning the actual pilots on Mygeeto was simple after all that.
“These suits don’t come in a ton of sizes either.” Jae shifted in her black uniform with dark red accents, like she longed to get it off and go back to something more comfortable. “This was the only one in the whole pile that could fit my curves.”
Ashnox put his hand on her shoulder. “We finish this quickly, and you’ll be free.”
She shook her head. “Don’t rush unless we absolutely have to. We have some time. Emtoo knows to meet us on Ryloth in two days with Ascension.”
Two days seemed like a stretch, but it was better to give themselves some room in case this operation went sideways. The Empire would have noticed an unmistakably Republic vessel landing on Mygeeto, so Jae left that burly-looking droid to fly the ship. Instead, the trio had taken some light luggage and hopped a commercial transport to the planet's surface. A slower but subtler method. Loke only hoped they could avoid needing to return to the city below by way of the escape pods.
Reaching the central turbolifts, they looked around at one another. Jae was the first to break off and head toward the stern of the ship.
Loke looked her in the shiny helmet visor. “You got this?”
Jae scoffed. “This isn’t the first Imperial ship I’ve sabotaged. I'm 'The Destroyer,' remember? Just don’t let them jump to hyperspace until I give the signal.”
“That’s my cue too.” Ashnox gave her a mock-salute and headed down the other hall toward two Imperial troopers standing guard outside a blast door. She watched him walk until he was even with the pair and attempt his mostly passable Imperial lilt. “Excuse me, is this the armory?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ve had some trouble with my sidearm. Fully charged power packs dead before I can fire a shot.” He waved his hand slightly. “You want to show me inside so I can find a replacement.”
“Sir, if you’ll follow us, we can get you a replacement.”
Loke chuckled as she hit the call button for the turbolifts. It only took a moment for the car to arrive, considering the smaller size of this vessel as compared to a capital ship. It only took a few seconds to reach the other level and the doors to slide open again.
“Everyone in position?” Loke whispered into her commlink.
“All good.” Ashnox replied.
Jae sounded less sure as the warbling of a blaster on stun came through in the background. “Uh… I think we’re clear. Give me thirty seconds or so.”
Pocketing the device again, Loke counted down in her head while she walked toward the main bridge. This hallway was much sparser, mainly holding Officer berthing and a few diagnostic consoles. She breezed past them as she headed toward the blast door with a single guard posted outside.
“I think you’re lost.” The trooper said firmly.
“I need to speak to the Commander about a security issue. She needs to hear it from me directly.”
Shifting his weight, the man sighed. “Fine. Follow me.”
Unlike most military ships, this one had only a modest bridge with a half-dozen crew members manning it. Commander, XO, Weapons, Communications, Hangar Control, and Helmsman. Simple yet efficient. At the far end was a middle-aged woman in the typical gray Imperial officer’s uniform. She scanned over a datapad as she sipped a steaming caf.
“Commander Uris.” The guard saluted. “I was told there was some vital information you need to be made aware of.”
Uris rolled her eyes and set down the datapad. “Well, what is it, Captain? Is there a reason you're clogging up my hangars?”
“You need to surrender this ship to me immediately.” Loke dropped the Imperial accent. It only seemed to perk the Commander’s ears more. “I have a team on board that has planted explosives throughout your vessel. If you try to kill me, the charges will destroy the transport and kill everyone on board.”
Uris looked at Loke like this was some sort of twisted joke. “What in the Emperor’s name do you think you’re doing? This is mutiny, and that treason is punishable by death.”
Ashnox sounded unsure in her ear, “Uh… A few ion grenades will disable the arms lockers and kill the hyperdrive, but we don’t have that kind of firepower.”
Jae chastised him in response. “The Imps don’t know that! They probably think she’s crazy enough to do it! Clever move, Loke.”
Luckily Loke knew just how good her Sabacc face was, even with voices in her head. “Surrender quietly, and no one gets hurt.”
She saw the comm officer move forward out of the corner of her eye, reaching to call for reinforcements. It sent a warning through the Force to the Jedi Master, meaning she had already prepared. Switching to her non-dominant hand, she fired her pistol. The blue stun rings widened just before striking the man in the chest and sending him tumbling backward over his chair.
The rest of the crew moved back from their consoles and began positioning themselves to fight, and Loke knew she was out of options. Reaching into the pouch on the small of her back, she produced the unmistakable hilt of a lightsaber. She held the weapon firmly while staring down Commander Uris. Watching her eyes closely to read her motives.
“Right about now you’re sizing up this situation. Realizing who and what you’re dealing with. Do you really want me to turn this on? We both know how that will end.”
“Perhaps.” She sneered.
All Loke saw in Uris’s eyes was disgust and rage. Anger at being outsmarted and confronted so easily. No one moved as they waited for orders from their leader. Her eyes darted between the lightsaber and the intruder’s face as her resolve began to fade. After a long moment, the Commander dropped her blaster. A chorus of thunks followed as the rest of them followed suit.
Loke let out her breath as she keyed her commlink. “We’re clear. Objective complete.”
It was the best outcome for everyone, whether they realized it or not. Loke had heard enough stories of entire crews scuttling their ships or fighting to the last man just to save themselves from whatever wrath their superiors had in store. Her orange blade would have snuffed out a lot of lives in self-defense if the Commander had ordered them to fire. Pointless deaths and unnecessary destruction with all the blaster bolts flying around.
Ashnox and Jae came through the bridge doors a moment later, the Jedi carrying a satchel filled with neural binders from the armory and his hilt on his belt. Jae had removed her helmet now that the element of surprise had passed. Her green face seemed to shock the crew, as did the scar that ran down the center of her right eyebow and cheek. Unlike her Force-wielding companions, she had her blaster trained on the group to encourage their cooperation. They were unlikely to have any trouble at this point, but the charges planted in the armory and engine room ensured their contingency plan.
Moving down the line, Ashnox clicked their wrists into binders. Some accepted it more passively than others. “You’ve done the right thing. Because you surrendered, you’ll all be treated as prisoners of war – and all the protections that come with that. Just sit tight and we’ll be done soon.”
“And unless you try anything, no one gets hurt.” Jae added.
Now that they had the ship, the hardest part was out of the way. Loke moved from console to console, deactivating weapons systems, checking the shields, and locking down parts of the ship to try and contain whatever personnel had not already been incapacitated. Knowing her other team members though, there would not be many.
While Ashnox relocated the new prisoners to sit in the corner of the bridge, Loke set the final jump coordinates and let the ship calculate. Outside of factoring for the asteroid field on one side, it would be a decently direct trip. A ping and flashing light came moments later to confirm their course was locked. Pulling back on the hyperdrive lever, the Galaxy outside stretched and swirled into a tunnel of bright blue-white.
“Come in, Fifth Fleet, this is Master Loke Sanna. Mygeeto is clear of Imperial forces. My team has captured the Nocturne and will be jumping to your location. Please hold your fire and prepare boarding teams to take prisoners.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, Master Jedi. We’ll be waiting for you.”
“Delivering us to the Republic!?” The Commander demanded from the corner. “I’d almost rather you be pirates.”
Ashnox raised an eyebrow. “Jedi pirates? What is this, a holofilm?”
Loke laughed as she checked the consoles. “Look on the bright side. At least you don’t have to freeze on that ice planet anymore. You’ll get a nice, warm cell and better food than the Empire was probably feeding you.”
Uris let out a disgruntled noise in response.
<< >>
Dropping back into realspace, the assault transport had landed perfectly in a semi-circle of Republic capital ships. Bulbous Valor-class cruisers and thinner Thranta-class corvettes with their distinctive hammerhead bows waited between worlds. Carmine-colored shuttles launched at their arrival, making a beeline for the ship. Almost none of the hangar crew would have weapons, and with the doors locked down, nowhere to escape. Loke hoped that it would force them all to surrender without further violence. They had made it this far with no casualties, it would be nice to finish that way.
"Attention: This ship is now under Republic control. You may have noticed that we’re currently surrounded by the Fifth Fleet. You have about fifteen seconds until troops land. Surrender immediately, and you will not be harmed. Thanks!"
"Nice touch." Ashnox chuckled from behind her.
Loke felt Jae join her at the command console. Although the Jedi was focused on the view outside, she asked the question that floated to the top of her mind. “So, what happens to this ship? SIS planning to exploit it? Melt it down for scrap?”
Jae placed an affectionate hand on her back. “My part of the plan ended here. Seems like a waste to destroy a ship we took perfectly intact. Any ideas?”
A smile formed on Loke’s lips. It was an unexpected and impulsive thought, but these two had that effect on her. “Maybe I’ll give it a new coat of paint and see if we can’t use it to do some good.”
“Can’t argue with that.”