Star Wars: Rising of the Union/Battle of Greater Ossus

Battle of Greater Ossus

As soon as the smoke appeared the Commandos began to shoot. Before the smoke cleared the passages were piled with Remnant bodies. This made it harder for the Imperials to climb over the bodies causing even more deaths. Slowly the Remnant troops pushed through to take control of the Upper level killing seven Commandos.

The Republic troops sealed the doors to the stairs from the Upper levels behind them before running to support each other. Abeo was behind a crate when Sheila called to him to support her right flank. Abeo ducking down ran across a clear line of fire to the other side of the Cargo Bay to protect Sheila’s flank. Abeo ducked behind the Iron plated shield and regularly fired. Abeo ducked down to recharge his Blaster when he saw a large Titanium crate. Abeo crawled slowly to the crate and unlocked it. The Iron plates swung open to reveal an enormous Dual-barrelled gun turret. Abeo jumped into the seat and activated the systems. Immediately he came under fire but to his surprise, he soon found out the Gun turret had an independent shielding system. Abeo began firing on the Remnant and discovered that the screen counted all those killed by its guns.

Abeo shouted to the remaining 28 Commandos to withdraw to the huge blast doors and open them. As they did the Remnant slowly gained ground despite Abeo firing the turret. Abeo set the gun to automatic firing and jumped down. He pulled out a demo charge and placed it on the turrets hull. “How long?” Abeo shouted to Sheila as he set the charge. “Five secs.” She replied. Abeo set the charge to ten seconds and activated it. He began to run to the blast door. As soon as he reached them they opened up. They ran through. Doing this a further three Commandos got shoot in the back as they ran. The Remnant had reached the turret when they saw the demo charge. ‘3…2…1… click.’ The demo charge went of destroying the Gun-turret and several Storm Troopers. Abeo sealed the blast doors and continued to run down the shuttle bay.

Sheila managed to open a ventilation shaft door and all of them crawled through. They only went ahead about 30’ before they came into a small passage way. They all stood up and began to walk down the passageway. After two rights they reached a door with the word Shifters. They walked in. Everyone in the room went silent. It seemed to be a bar of some sort. Several people slowly rose from their tables and clenched their fists. Then Abeo noticed the Bar keepers.

Abeo saw he had his finger pressed against a small red button on the side of the wall. Abeo ran up to the bar and jumped over. He kicked the Barkeeper out of the way and smashed the button. The door at the far end opened to reveal a passageway. Jumping back over the bar Abeo and the Commandos ran into the passage sealing the door behind them. The sprinted to the end of the passage way into an elevator and activated it. They went down to the Docking Bay. When they had arrived they slowly began to walk forward down the pathway. Then weapons fire erupted instantly killing at least eleven of the men. They fire fight lasted several minutes and a further eight Commandos were killed. The Commandos only jus escaped being overrun by three-dozen Imperials. With the Imperials hot on their tales the Commandos ran like devils to the Docking Bay through the Third Plaza and into the second. Then a huge explosion shook the city causing everyone to fall to the ground. Abeo got up quickly only to be knocked over by another. “Abeo” Sheila shouted “Stay down, it’s a Republic Dreadnought. They’re bombarding the planet.” “Why?” Abeo shouted in reply. “Because of Admiral Thrawn being here.” “Thrawn is here?” Abeo shouted in memory of Gransa. “Yes, but we have to get out of here. Soon the Republic will send ground troops. We have to get out of here.” Abeo was upset. His one chance to get his revenge for Gransa’s death was slipping from his grasp. His one chance to revenge the deaths of over 50 000 Humans was slipping from his grasp. Reluctantly he stood up, as did the Commandos and began to run to the Docking Bay. The First Plaza was strewn with Imperial dead killed by the bombardment. The Great Terrace was all but great. The fountain was completely destroyed. Abeo ran to the far door. Then he stopped in the middle of the passageway. “What’s the matter Abeo?” Sheila enquired. “Can you feel that?” He replied. “Feel what?” “Him” Abeo said pointing to the far end of the Plaza.

There stood a shadowed figure in a dark cloak. It looked up and pulled something from his pocket. Activating it ignited its red beam of pure energy. This was the first Lightsaber Abeo had ever seen.

“Abeo” Sheila shouted “Get the Commandos to your ship. I’ll hold him.” Saying this Sheila drew a Vibrosword and sealed the door behind her. Abeo reluctantly ordered the Commandos to board his vessel and lift off. But their troubles were not over. Several Tie-Fighters had taken off and had decided to intercept Xerces. Xerces torpedoes destroyed the first five. Two more by her Dual-titanic pulsar phasers. The remaining three resorted to a glory or death charge on the Republic Dreadnought. To their peril. All of them were ripped apart by its disrupter fire. After several minutes they noticed several hundred small troop carriers head straight for Ossus Prime. Abeo opened his communicator. “Republic Dreadnought. This is the Union vessel Xerces. We require immediate assistance.” Abeo spoke into the communicator. He waited several seconds before receiving a response. “This is Major Colonel Khan of the Republic vessel The Saviour. You have entered the Sovereign territory of the Galactic Republic. By the Republic Marshall Law act of 8 ABY we here by detain your vessel. You will deactivate all your weapon, sensor and communication systems. You will deactivate your engine and prepare to be boarded.” “Bordered?” Abeo replied surprisingly “But we haven’t done anything. We are...” Abeo looked shocked. “They cut me off.” He spoke to a Republic Commando. Then Xerces began to shake as she was caught by The Saviours tractor beam. The Republic search force left by Xerces loading ramp having found nothing onboard. It seemed that the entire crew had just disappeared one soldier told his commanding officer. The Republic Officer seemed annoyed by this but ordered his men to leave the Docking Bay. After leaving himself the Officer turned off the Docking Bay lighting system. Xerces lights activated a few seconds after. Abeo and the remaining Commandos left Xerces and activated the Docking Bay lights. Abeo ordered half of the Commandos to head the armoury while the other half split into two. One group would deactivate the Tractor beam. The other under Abeo’s command would download the ships database to get any information on the Union.

Abeo and his team reached a junction sometime after leaving the Docking Bay. Strangely the entire ship seemed deserted for some reason. Why was unknown to Abeo. Maybe downloading the Ships database would help. Keeping to the right Abeo and co. reached an Elevator. A security camera covered the Elevator, but luckily one of the Commandos was able to deactivate it using the nearby control panel. They entered the elevator and read the computer panel. It read; “Current Deck 17, Docking Bay 4. Deck 1, Main Bridge. Deck 2, Officers quarters. Deck 3-16, Crew quarters. Deck 17, Docking Bays 1-4 Deck 18, Armoury. Deck 19, Docking Bay 5 and Docking Bay command. Deck 20, Command Bridge. Deck 21, Brig. Deck 22, Computer Core and Ship’s Database.” Abeo pressed the “Deck 22, Computer Core and Ship’s Database.” Button. The Elevator doors closed and the elevator began to lower. The elevator was fairly slow. On the Deck eighteen Abeo was told that a the Commando squad had reached the Armoury and had began the ascent to the Docking Bay. After a further twenty minutes Abeo and his team reached Deck Twenty-two. Strangely even the Computer Core was unguarded. Abeo sent two of the Commandos to scout ahead and report back anything of notice. Nothing except the location of the Computer Cores location was reported.

When Abeo’s team had reached the Core he began to hack into the systems. Thanks to the Commando with Computer skills he got in easily. Finding the information was much harder though.

Upon activation of the Computer Core Abeo was bombarded with irrelevant data. After minutes of searching he finally found a touch screen button that read “Intergalactic Organizations Databank files”. He pressed this and another line appeared saying “Press to select Intergalactic Organization wanted” Abeo pressed this and a list of over one thousand appeared. To cut time Abeo pressed the button reading “Quick Search for Intergalactic Organization wanted” A small taskbar appeared and Abeo began writing in it. “Union, The (Associated with Thrall Pirates (Said to be the Largest and strongest Intergalactic Organization in the galaxy)” The computer screen went blank and a small sign appeared in the centre of the screen reading “Searching for required Information” After a while the screen went blank again and then returned to the search screen. Nothing was available. A Commando who had been reading over looked surprised. “The Largest and Strongest Intergalactic Organization in the galaxy” He said “and there’s nothing about in the Database. How is that possible?” “I don’t know” Abeo replied, his eyes fixed on the screen “but what ever this Union is, it’s definitely a large secret.” “Could it be an Imperial splinter faction? Like the old Imperial Guard.” “No. The Remnant is too recent. Anything like this has to have been around for at least one thousand years.” ”Maybe its Sith?” “Possibly, but I don’t think were going to find much on the Saviour. Maybe Coruscant though.” ”Coruscant, you forget that we have to get of this ship before we get to Coruscant.” “Yes, you’re right, well…” Abeo said turning off the computer and turning round “Lets get going”

“Lord Pantene” the Imperial officer said. “We have made contact with Sinays. He awaits you.” “Very well” Pantene replied, “tell his Lordship that I’m coming.” “Yes sir” The officer turned around and left the Bridge of the Star Destroyer.

Pantene looked out onto the planet of Ossus. The Saviour was in full view of the Destroyer. Pantene removed his black cloak to reveal his uniform it its splendour. Pantene’s left hand was clenched upon the butt of his sword the other hanging down by his side. Pantene stared into space rarely looking back to the ship.

Then the Bridge doors opened. The same person that was on Ossus walked through. He strode through the room as if he was floating. He wore a pitch black cloak, which hooded his head almost completely. The cloak also dragged slightly along the floor. When the man finally reached Pantene he removed his hood. Still, it was impossible to tell what he looked like as the front of the Bridge was cloaked in darkness, but his voice could heard throughout the bridge. “My Lord” He spoke to Pantene “I have, as you requested, eliminated Admiral Chell and Sheila Carin.” Pantene replied, “Did you kill the Jedi? Is he dead?” “No, he is not. He escaped by a whisper.” The man replied solemnly. “Worry not my Apprentice. Failure is punishable by death in the Union. Go, Go and kill the Jedi.” “Yes Master Sensil” Then the Apprentice turned and put on his hood. He then walked straight out of the Bridge. Pantene looked to the ceiling as if frustrated. Then he spoke. “Commander!” He shouted, “Ready the weapons” “Yes sir” The Commander shouted in reply, “Weapons ready” “Commander, Destroy the Republic Dreadnought now!” “Gladly” The Commander activated the weapons and fired upon the Saviour.

Next: Escaping the Saviour