Chapter 27: Infiltration
Jaden and four clones crawled through the thick mud, inching their way toward Colsitice. The storm was relentless, with rain pouring down in sheets, drenching them to the bone. Thunder boomed overhead, and lightning cracked across the sky, briefly illuminating their path. In the distance, the large shield dome of the city stood like a silent guardian, flickering with the storm's fury. The mud sucked at their limbs, making each movement a struggle. Jaden could feel the weight of the mud pulling him down, threatening to bury him. The clones beside him grunted and cursed under their breath, fighting to keep moving. Their armour, usually an asset, felt like a lead weight in the swamp-like conditions.
Every few meters, Jaden had to reach out with the Force, lifting them slightly out of the mud to keep them from getting stuck. It was exhausting work, and the effort showed in the deep lines of concentration on his face. The Force flowed through him, a tangible presence pushing against the relentless pull of the mud. The storm's intensity made it hard to see or hear anything beyond the immediate area. The rain pounded down on their helmets, and the howling wind made it difficult to communicate.
"Keep moving and keep low, this place will be much more defended than the other base," Jaden shouted over the storm, his voice barely carrying over the roar of the elements. The clones nodded while adjusting their straps to make it easier to move. As they crawled closer to the shield dome, the ground became more treacherous. Deep pools of water formed in the mud, and jagged rocks jutted out, threatening to tear at their armour.
As Jaden and his team got closer to the shield, a warning echoed through the Force. He called for a halt, pulling down the goggles he had made during their journey. Switching them on, he saw a pattern of light squares forming a net across the floor.
"Sensor grid," Jaden muttered to himself. Fortunately, he was prepared. He grabbed a modified light disrupter, hovering it over the grid before activating it. A gap formed in the grid, and Jaden gestured for his men to follow him through. They reached the shield and pushed through, taking a moment to clean off as much mud as possible. Jaden wiped his face and used the Force to blow most of the mud off, though his robes remained soaked.
"Keep down, stealth weapons only. We can't alert anyone we're here yet," Jaden instructed.
"Yes, sir," they replied.
Jaden led them through the gap, staying low and silent. The storm still raged outside, but inside the shield, it was eerily calm.
The city streets were eerily empty, resembling a ghost town. Jaden gestured for one of the clones to scan the surroundings. The scanner showed large groups of people packed into the buildings around them. "Constant curfew," Jaden muttered.
Moving through an alley, they cautiously approached a street. Jaden quickly pulled back as he spotted a patrol. A squad of droids marched past, followed by super battle droids. They were clearly keeping the streets locked down.
They waited for the droids to pass before continuing towards the command centre. The closer they got, the more patrols they encountered. Jaden decided they should cross using the rooftops. The buildings were close enough together to make this feasible.
Jaden and the clones shot rappel hooks from their rifles, the hooks latching onto the ledges of the buildings. They were pulled up quickly, landing silently on the rooftops. The team moved across the roofs, taking out droids silently. Jaden's lightsaber hummed as he sliced through a droid's neck, while a clone used a knife to disable another. They synchronized their attacks, ensuring that no droid could raise an alarm.
The first rooftop was clear, but as they approached the edge, they saw another patrol on the next building. Jaden gestured for silence and motioned for the clones to follow his lead. He leapt across the gap, landing softly. A droid turned, but Jaden's lightsaber was already slicing through it. A clone threw a knife, hitting another droid in the head. They moved swiftly, clearing the rooftop before proceeding. They encountered another patrol of super battle droids on the third rooftop. Jaden and the clones had to time their attacks perfectly. Jaden jumped onto the first droid, plunging his lightsaber into its torso. A clone slapped an Emp mine onto one's back, while another clone shot a third in the head. They then finally reached the massive building housing the command centre. Jaden turned to the clones. "You know the plan. Plant the charges and get out."
"What about you, sir?" one of the clones asked.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry," Jaden replied. They prepared to jump, running back and leaping to the building. They crashed through the windows into a corridor. The noise was louder than Jaden had hoped, but they were here now. No one could stop him from completing his task.
As they moved down the corridor and split up, an alarm suddenly sounded. Jaden cursed, quickly running to a wall panel with an embedded screen. He bypassed the password, bringing up the alarm settings in an attempt to turn them off. "Shit," he whispered, realizing it wasn't them who triggered the alarm. Tapping the screen a few more times, he saw the alarm originated from the communication array. "Scout... Zule, what the hell are you two up to?" Jaden breathed out. He couldn't turn the alarm off from here and couldn't do much of anything. He would just have to trust they'd be okay and complete their job.
Feeling a bit nervous, Jaden had to push on. "Get to your positions and wait for my signal," he instructed the clones. They nodded and sneaked off to their designated spots. Jaden took a deep breath, readying himself for the task ahead. He had to trust that Scout and Zule would handle their part.
...
Zule and the three clones fired relentlessly down the corridor, their blasters creating a storm of red bolts that tore into the advancing droids. The sound was deafening, metal clashing and sparks flying as droids were ripped apart. Zule's lightsaber flashed, deflecting incoming fire with practised precision while she squeezed off shots with her rifle, each one finding its mark.
"Turn off that damn alarm already!" Zule shouted, her voice barely audible over the din of battle.
"You're the one who tripped the damn alarm, you kriffing moron!" Scout shouted back. She furiously worked at the wall pad, her fingers a blur as she tried to bypass the security codes and shut down the alarms. Each failed attempt only added to her desperation. The door to the control room for the communications array was locked, and Scout needed to open it manually.
Blaster fire intensified, the droids advancing despite being continuously shot down. Zule's lightsaber moved faster, deflecting bolts back at the enemy, while her rifle continued to fire. The clones beside her fired in disciplined bursts, but the droids kept coming. One of the clones took a hit to the shoulder, his armour smoking as he fell back with a grunt of pain. Zule gritted her teeth, stepping over him to shield him from further harm.
"Come on, come on," Scout muttered, her frustration mounting. The security codes were tougher than she expected, and each failed attempt only seemed to make the firewall more complex. There seemed to be an advanced AI of some kind trying to push Scout out of the system and was blocking off her paths one by one.
The corridor became a chaotic battlefield. Zule deflected a flurry of blaster bolts, sending them ricocheting into the walls and ceiling. Her rifle barked in rapid succession, taking down droids with each pull of the trigger. The clones beside her fired in short bursts, but the droids kept coming. One of the clones was hit in the chest, collapsing with a gurgled cry.
"Hold the line!" Zule yelled, her voice nearly drowned out by the sound of battle. She swung her lightsaber in a wide arc, slicing through two more droids. Another clone was hit, his helmet flying off as he fell backwards, his eyes wide with shock.
Scout's fingers blurred over the controls, her breaths coming in short, desperate gasps. The sound of blaster fire grew louder and closer. She could feel the heat of the bolts passing dangerously close. "Come on, you piece of junk!" she hissed. "Fuck it," Scout muttered under her breath, slamming her fist against the screen in frustration. She then drew her lightsaber, the blue blade humming to life, and thrust it into the reinforced blast door. The blade pierced through, but progress was slow due to the door's reinforced nature.
Zule glanced back, seeing Scout's struggle with the door. Realizing they wouldn't last long enough for Scout to cut through, she growled, dropped her rifle, and charged forward, deflecting blaster fire with her lightsaber. The sheer volume of incoming fire forced her to use her mechanical arm as a shield. Her arm smoked from the blaster impacts, but it held up. A dangerous smile crept across her face as she realized its potential. She deflected bolts with both her lightsaber and her arm, her movements becoming more aggressive. She tucked her hand down, firing her wrist blaster and taking out two droids.
Zule leapt off the wall, her boot connecting with a droid's head and sending it flying. She landed in a roll, twirling her lightsaber in a 360-degree arc, slicing several droids in half. She stood, deflecting a bolt back at a droid, then reached out and crushed another droid's head with her mechanical hand.
Blaster fire intensified around her, and Zule felt a searing pain as a bolt grazed her shoulder. She growled in anger, her aggression spiking. A super battle droid raised its wrist and fired a rocket at her feet. The explosion sent her flying back down the hallway, slamming into the ground hard. Her vision blurred her lightsaber just out of reach.
The droids advanced, ready to finish her off. Suddenly, the clones rushed in, providing cover fire. They launched thermal detonators into the crowd of droids, explosions rocking the corridor and buying Zule time. She forced herself to stand, her vision clearing. She reignited her lightsaber, ready to fight again.
"Get in, now!" Scout shouted from the doorway. The clones helped Zule to move, and they retreated through the small hole Scout had made in the door, firing at the droids as they moved. They quickly lifted the thick piece of metal back into the hole, and Scout used her lightsaber to weld it shut.
"Will that hold them?" Zule asked, panting.
"Probably not," Scout replied, her voice tense.
"Hurry up, then," Zule urged.
The clones nodded, setting the charges around the room as quickly as they could. Zule watched them, her lightsaber still ignited, ready for any droids that might break through. She could hear the muffled sounds of the droids attempting to breach the door, but for now, they had a momentary reprieve. One clone finished setting a charge and moved to the next. "Charges set," he reported. Scout ran to the computer terminal, fingers flying over the keys. The screen flickered with lines of code as she bypassed security protocols and initiated the system override. She inserted a memory chip into the slot, typing rapidly as she uploaded the message.
"Got it," Scout muttered to herself, eyes narrowing in concentration. The message bar filled up, and with a final keystroke, she sent the recording. A smirk crossed her face as she saw the confirmation. "Message sent and received," she announced, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.
"Are you done yet?" Zule called over her shoulder, her voice tense as she and a clone pressed against the door, trying to keep it from being bashed in by the advancing droids.
"Yeah," Scout replied, laughing. "I just wish I could see his face when he watches the recording."
"Is there a route out of here?" Zule asked, glancing around urgently.
Scout scanned the room quickly, her eyes landing on a vent near the console. "There!" she shouted, rushing over to it. She yanked off the cover and beckoned them over. "This way!"
The clones and Zule rushed to the vent, the door behind them groaning under the pressure from the droids. They scrambled into the narrow space, Zule being the last to enter. She ignited her lightsaber, slashing through the console making sure they couldn't do anything ti undo their work. The droids finally broke through the door as she pulled herself inside, but she deflected the first few shots with her lightsaber before following the others. Inside the vent, it was dark and cramped. They crawled quickly, the sounds of droids echoing behind them. Scout led the way, moving with purpose. They reached an intersection, and she took a right turn, then a left, navigating the labyrinthine vent system.
They emerged from the vent into a dimly lit maintenance corridor. "Move quietly," Scout whispered, gripping her lightsaber. They advanced cautiously, the tension palpable.
Suddenly, a squad of assassin droids appeared at the end of the corridor. Their red eyes glowed ominously in the dim light, and their sleek, black forms moved with unsettling precision. "Contact!" one of the clones shouted. Blaster fire erupted, the clones returning fire while Scout and Zule readied their lightsabers.
The assassin droids were relentless, their blasters cutting down one of the clones instantly. Scout deflected bolts with her lightsaber, her precognition guiding her movements. Zule pushed forward, slicing through droids with heavy strikes, but they kept coming.
"We need to keep moving!" Scout yelled, her voice barely audible over the din of battle. They retreated, firing as they went, trying to find an exit.
One of the assassin droids lunged forward, its sharp claws gleaming. It grabbed a clone by the throat, crushing it with ease. Zule swung her lightsaber, severing the droid's arm, but another droid shot her in the side. She gritted her teeth against the pain, slashing through the droid with a fierce cry. Droids advanced with an eerie silence, their red eyes fixed on their targets. Scout moved with incredible speed, deflecting blaster bolts and cutting down droids with swift, lethal strikes. But the droids' numbers seemed endless.
"We're trapped!" Scout shouted, desperation in her voice.
Zule looked at Scout, their eyes meeting in silent agreement. "We have to blow the charges," Zule said.
Scout nodded, pulling out the detonator. "It's been… horrible, but I'm glad I met you," she said, her finger hovering over the button.
Zule took a deep breath, gripping her lightsaber tightly. "Do it..."
...
Aubrie charged forward, her lightsaber cutting through the thick air and slicing into the first droid. Sparks flew as the blade cut through metal, and the droid collapsed in a heap. Blaster fire erupted around her, but she moved with agility, dodging and deflecting the shots back at the attackers. The clones beside her fired in unison, their blasters mowing down the droids in their path.
She ducked under a super battle droid's arm, thrusting her lightsaber upward through its chest. The droid sparked and shuddered before falling backwards. Another droid aimed at her, but a clone took it out with a precise shot to the head. Aubrie nodded in acknowledgement and moved on, her lightsaber a blur as she blocked and parried the relentless blaster bolts.
A droid lunged at her with an electrified staff. She sidestepped, swinging her lightsaber in a wide arc that severed its arm. The droid staggered, and she finished it with a quick stab to the torso. The clones moved efficiently, covering each other and laying down suppressive fire. The hallway was filled with the sounds of battle, the clanking of metal, and the shouts of commands.
Aubrie spun around, deflecting a volley of blaster bolts that were aimed at her squad. Her lightsaber twirled and danced, redirecting the shots into the surrounding droids. One clone took a hit to the leg but continued firing, propped up against a fallen droid for support. Aubrie reached out with the Force, pushing a group of droids back into a wall, where they crashed and crumbled into pieces.
They were almost at the shield generator. Aubrie could see it just ahead, a massive structure humming with energy. More droids poured into the corridor, trying to stop them. She gritted her teeth, pushing forward with determination. A super battle droid fired a rocket at them. Aubrie leapt into the air, flipping over the explosion and landing behind the droid. She drove her lightsaber through its back, ripping it apart.
The last of the droids guarding the generator fell under the combined assault of Aubrie and her clones. They quickly set to work, deactivating the shield. The generator powered down, and the protective dome over the city disappeared. Aubrie took a deep breath, sweat mingling with the grime on her face. Just then, a massive explosion rocked the city. Aubrie turned, her eyes widening as she saw the communication array engulfed in flames. A sharp pain coursed through her, emanating from the Force. Something had gone wrong. Her heart sank, but she couldn't afford to lose focus now.
"Commander, the shield is down," one of the clones reported.
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Jaden sprinted through the corridors of the command centre, his cloak billowing behind him. He turned sharp corners, his focus unwavering as he approached the elevator. He pressed the button, but it remained unresponsive due to the lockdown triggered by the alarm. "I guess it's the hard way," he muttered, heading towards the stairwell.
Before he could reach the stairs, he encountered a patrol of battle droids and Jabiimi Commandos. Reaching out with the Force, Jaden yanked their blasters from their grips, disarming them instantly. He ignited his lightsaber, its blue blade humming to life. In a swift, fluid motion, he slashed through the droids, sparks flying as their metal bodies were sliced apart. With the droids down, he extinguished his lightsaber and force-pushed the commandos against the wall, knocking them unconscious.
Jaden reached the stairwell and began his ascent. The sound of metal clanking above him caught his attention. Assassin droids dropped into the stairwell, their bodies contorting unnaturally as they landed. These droids were fast, armed with wrist blades and blasters. The first droid lunged at him, its wrist blades aiming for his chest. Jaden deflected the attack with his lightsaber, the blades clashing with a shower of sparks. He pushed the droid back and fired his blaster at another, the bolt piercing its head.
The droids moved with uncanny speed, jumping off walls and bannisters, attacking from all angles. Jaden parried a series of rapid strikes, his lightsaber a blur as he deflected their attacks. One droid leapt from the bannister, aiming a kick at Jaden's head. He ducked and swung his lightsaber upward, cutting the droid in half mid-air. Another droid fired its blaster, but Jaden deflected the bolts back at it, the shots hitting its chest and disabling it.
One droid landed behind him, its wrist blades aiming for his back. Jaden spun around, his cloak swirling, and slashed the droid's legs off before force-pushing it into the wall. He blocked another droid's blaster shots and then force-pulled it towards him, impaling it on his lightsaber. More droids jumped into the fray, their movements coordinated and relentless. Jaden jumped onto the bannister, using it as a vantage point to avoid the crowded stairwell, it also allowed him to keep climbing the stairs. The droids adapted quickly, leaping after him. Jaden deflected another series of attacks, he fired his blaster at a droid clinging to the wall, the shot hitting its head and sending it crashing down. Another droid lunged from above, but Jaden force-pushed it mid-air, sending it crashing into the stairwell below.
The fight moved up the stairs, Jaden and the droids exchanging blows in a deadly dance. He dodged a swipe from a droid's blade and countered with a precise lightsaber strike, cutting it down. The last droid jumped at him, its blaster firing rapidly. Jaden deflected the shots and force-pulled the droid towards him, slicing it in half as it flew through the air. Breathing heavily, Jaden continued his climb, the remains of the droids scattered across the stairwell.
Jaden reached the top floors and slowed down as he neared the command centre. Jabiimi commandos aimed their blasters at him, firing rapidly. With swift movements, he deflected the bolts back, making their guns explode and throwing them to the ground. He extinguished his lightsaber as he approached the large metal door. Using the Force, he grabbed a destroyed blaster from the floor and threw it at the panel, opening the door and entering the command centre.
The two guards inside were thrown against the wall and knocked out before they could raise their weapons. The command centre was a spacious room with a long cylindrical platform in the middle, accessed by a staircase. Surrounding it were various consoles, each manned by droids, and in front of the platform was a large screen displaying multiple images. On the platform stood a man in a black cloak, his hands clasped behind his back.
Jaden reached for his blaster and fired eight precise shots, destroying the eight droids manning the consoles. He then walked up the steps, his blaster still in hand, but to his surprise, it was yanked out of his grip by an unseen force.
"You must be the one responsible for attacking our patrols, stealing our shipments, and destroying various bases," the man said, his voice cold and menacing.
Jaden and the man stood on opposite sides of the platform. The man turned around, revealing his yellow eyes. "I'm glad I get to kill you myself," he growled, drawing a lightsaber and igniting its red blade.
(AN: Next Chapter will be Jadens first battle against a Sith. While Jaden is powerful in the force don't forget he hasn't been training for that long in the forms. Tol Skor was a Jedi Knight before he became a Sith Acolyte, when it comes to lightsaber combat there's no competition. Even with Force he'll have a greater degree of control. Really the only thing Jaden beats him in is raw power and his instincts (due to battle meditation). Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter)
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