Rebel Fleet arrivedThe desperate hour has come. The team of the operatives returned back from their mission on Coruscant with a vital info - there are no new secret weapon under the development of the General Weiss. It was all a ruse to lure Rebel fleet where the Imperial will be waiting for them with an overwhelming force. But the operatives were late - the fleet already departed to Ord Mantell. Without any means to contact it while it was in hyperspace, High Command decided to send all available ships to their help. Also the same team of operatives departed on one of the fastest Alliance ships - their mission was to inform the fleet of the ruse as soon as possible and to help with ground operation if needed. The overall plan was simple - while the Empire thought that the Rebels were going the the trap, the situation will change as soon as Rebel reinforcements was arrived. The first fleet arrived to Ord Mantell and engaged Imperial forces there. The Rebels definitely outnumbered Imperials and was sure that their mission will be successful. But then the urgent communication from High Command has been received - the Empire was waiting to spring their trap and destroy all Rebel ships. The order was to maintain the visibility of unawareness and wait until Imperials will show up in force. Then Rebel reinforcements will arrive and spring the trap. The orders have been acknowledged, space battle continued as if Rebels were waiting for an easy victory against unprepared Imperials. Meanwhile the ground team was flying over Weiss's facility, ready to destroy the weapon or at least still the complete schematics. They were keeping radio silence as ordered and wasn't aware that the plans were changed. "This place looks pretty empty," the pilot told the operatives, completing his scan. "There are a few stray troopers, but nothing major." Upon landing, the team saw no sign of any manufacturing. When they reached command center. And the only interesting data they found was a battle plan showing a lot of Imperial ships converging on the section called "Rebel fleet". Just starting to comprehend that something went terribly wrong they heard heavy footfalls behind and the doors leading out closed shut. "Always so desperate," an amplified voice echoes in the hangar as the doors opens. One of Weiss's modified walkers stood before the operatives, aiming it many weapons in their direction. "The slightest wisper of new weapons, new threats, and you risk so much on nothing but a rumor. How can your kind possibly govern a galaxy? I was almost hoping you wouldn't be fooled," Weiss said, a note of disappointment in his voice. "Yes, the weapon is a complete farce. Your fleet will be ambushed and destroyed. If you do not wish to join them, surrender."AT-ST enters hangarIt was a desperate fight. Even regular AT-ST was a match for a squad of infantrymen, and the upgraded one was twice as powerful. But as soon as stormtroopers fell, slain by intensive blaster fire, and a couple of elite guards dead on the ground, the Rebels started to gain advantage. As much as AT-ST tried to keep all of the adversaries under constant fire, the Rebels were agile and were attacking it from all directions at once. Finally something blasted inside AT-ST's cockpit, thick smoke came out of it and it fell down to the hangar floor. One of the operatives quickly searched through what left of the walker and found only transmitter in place of a human pilot.But the operatives didn't have a time to catch their breath, as another of Weiss's AT-STs stepped through the field in the hangar. "You cannot win," Weiss said "Surren-" There was a burst of feedback, followed by static. "Hmm..." Rebel pilot said "Well, that wasn't so hard." The walker has swiveled back and forth. "Just give me a sec to get the hang of this." The pilot was able to jam Weiss's signal and took control of the walker himself. The operatives cheered him loudly - now the had a lot of firepower on their side! The pilot tried to contact the fleet to inform them of their findings and warn them about the trap, but he quickly understood that all the communication channels have been jammed. It was decided that the only way was to find Weiss and force him to deactivate the lockdown.Above the planet, battle was raging. The Imperial reinforcements have finally jumped in, but a moments later even more massive Rebel fleet arrived, and the fierce battle continued. The commando team who arrived just seconds before the second fleet tried to establish contact with the team on the ground, but to no avail - all the communications from and to planet have been jammed. They decided to proceed with landing. Weaving through the intense battle, their transport dodging TIE fighters and turbolaser fire. They descended into the atmosphere and the battle became a blaze of flashing lights above the clouds. The pilot tracked Weiss's personal shuttle to an Imperial base of the surface below and the squad commander decided to proceed towards that destination.Meanwhile on the ground the pilot was able to triangulate the source of Weiss's signal and provided the operatives with an approximate location of the transmitter. It was located nearby, somewhere outside the base. Unfortunately the team wasn't able to lead captured AT-ST there, the gates was to small for the towering walker to pass through. They rearmed their weapons and procedeed on foot. As soon as they exited the base into the open clearing outside, they saw another of the modified walker in their way, this one featuring even more armor plating and weaponry. This time it was controlled by Weiss himself. "Very clever, intercepting my signal. Too clever for your own good." He descended into the cockpit.Above the planet the battle was proceeding in a favor of Rebels. Most of Imperial ships have been destroyed, and each moment the numbers of those still fighting were dwindling. No one paid much attention to a single shuttle under escort by two TIE fighters, that were descending to the planet.The operatives weighted their chances against the monstrous AT-ST - and not that good their chances were. They ran back into the base while hailing the pilot over comlink - "Be ready to take off as soon as we back, we need to warn the Fleet about the trap! Maybe it is not to late yet." Weiss silently swore, it wasn't what he has expected. He couldn't proceed with AT-ST and trying to pursuit on foot would be a suicide. That was when he saw rebel transport dashed out from the base and quick disappered in the distance. "Well, better this way, is it not?" Weiss muttered to himself, powered down the walker and hastily run toward the base command center."I see AT-ST of unusual design, similar to the description of those in use by Weiss." the pilot of commando transport cried. "I'm going to land as near as I can and will cover you until you are out." "Affirmative" commando team leader said "Ready when you are." As soon as shuttle landed, the team poured from it in battle formation, ready for anything. But attack never came, a lone AT-ST stood not a 20 meters nearby and the base entrance was clearly seen in a distance. "Let's move, people, let's finish this, we need to find command center as soon as possible, maybe the second team is still there" barked said and team ran towards the base.Base looked totally deserted. Weiss reached the command center and to his astonishment found Darth Vader there, all alone, standing near one of consoles. Vader outstretched his gloved arm toward Weiss. "Lord Vader, what a pleasa..." he started, when he felt as if his throat became filled with sand "I... can't... brea...". Vader dropped his hand down and Weiss was able to breath again. "You have failed me, General, failed the Empire. And you know what the punishment will be for those who is responsible for the failure of such magnitude." said Vader in his mechanical hissing voice.The commando team reached the command center closed doors and took the position, ready to break in. But when the door opened, they saw Weiss, on his knees before Darth Vader, who loomed over the General with an outstretched hand. "Lord Vader, please!" Weiss's hands grasped at the collar of his uniform, struggling to choke out his words. "Not a failure... merely... a... setback..." Before the commandos could decide whether to try to save General of flee the command center, Weiss crumpled to the ground, dead or unconscious. Vader slowly turned toward you, a grim silence in the room save for the soft hissing of his breathing apparatus. He appraised each of the commandos before his red lightsaber sprang to life. The operatives opened up with all their weapons. The were trying to keep Vader under constant fire from multiple angles, never let him to concentrate on one of them. They were keeping Vader on defensive all the time and soon they began to drive him back, coordinating their efforts with absolute precision. Vader staggered under assault and ceased fighting. He raised both arms, ignoring blaster fire the operatives continued to pour upon him. The room trembled and the walls buckled inward with a screech. The operatives have been thrown down to the floor as the structure was ripped apart by Vader's awesome power.By the time they crawled free of the twisted wreck, there was no sign of Vader. The jamming was gone, and the leader was able to contact the fleet and provide High Command with the information of what has happened. The Command sent their thanks and in turn informed the leader that the second team safely returned to the fleet. As the team departed in their transport, they saw the wreckage of the Imperial fleet floating in space all around. As soon as transport cleared planet's gravity field, the pilot engaged hyperdrive and the transport jumped to hyperspace. The war was far from over, but once again the Rebellion beaten the Empire decisively and the hopes were rising high again.
Related organizations, units, characters and technologies
