Star Wars: A clash of lords

Chapter fifteen

Leyl saw general Ilam emerge from one of the streets and walk into the centre by the statue. Then he waved his hand signalling every one to come to him.
Leyl turned to her legion and said "time to move out, General Ilam has signalled for us to converge on him" and with a few groans her troop raised to their feet and stood in Formation ready for Leyl to lead out. With a light flick of her wrist the troop began their march to Ilam.
As the got closer they started to see a hint of joy and amusement on the generals face, well why shouldn't he be they were about to turn the tide of war in one day.
General Ilam released a heavy cough to speak but Leyl also believed it was to get everyone's attention. "Congratulations all those who have survived their journey here..." he was interrupted by a round of cheers and claps, which he seemed happy to allow to continue. "But we have not won yet, although the gates are down and the castle open, we will still have a fight ahead of us. Our highest ranking leaders will take point entering followed by the strongest legion so that ample cover fire can be returned to allow the remaining legions to move in and garrison the barracks and besiege the fortresses doors. When inside the fortress we will decide into three groups. The first group will take the right stair case, the third will take the left stair case and the second shall accompany Lord shyr and I to the throne room directly"
The crowd jostled with unease, getting here was hard enough for any legion but the prospect of such a tight area to fight in with probably the most armed troopers in the empires service. "Does anyone have any questions before I proceed with assignments?" Ilam spoke with such authority that Leyl feared the fate of anyone who would question this plan, but no one did to Leyls relief.
Legions from rally points on the west of the city will take the left, rally points from the east will take centre,..." Leyl felt strangely relieved yet more fearful then ever. She had just been put in with the greatest force users she knew yet she was assaulting the throne room.Ilam continued "rally points to the south shall take the right"
Then she saw shyr walk into the centre and stood by Ilam, she looked tired and drained but as always resolute. Shyr began to speak "we have all faced trials of horror to get here and what lays beyond the doors will be no different. The closer we get to the throne room the more our resolve will fade, this is not from weakness or fear inside but the emperor will likely be battle meditating to try turn the tide. May the force serve us."
And with that shyr, the general and a handful of sith began their approach through the gates followed by the 13th legion, that Leyl thought looked at full strength.
Maybe the 13th legion had their sith still escorting them when they fell pray to the empires ambush, or maybe they had better luck with calling in a bombing run. Leyl didn't ponder it any further at least it wasn't her legion going in first.
As anticipation grew from the awaiting sound of blaster fire. Leyl and her legion got on with checking munitions and scouting other legions for spare power packs. Leyl laid her riffle on the ground and began reconfiguring it, with a twist of the barrel and a sudden click it came away from the body. Then she moved her hand to the sight on the ridge of the blaster, pinching the sides of its mounts she moved it along its rail and off she placed it next to the barrel.
Her hand went for the hilt next it was carved from a local tree called a skight tree which was infamous for its durable dark wood. She placed her forefinger and index of the nape of the hilt where it met the metallic body of the riffle then she pressed down till she felt the locking mechanism click and then she pulled it away from the body.
"How come you get such cool toys?" The lieutenant said as he looked at what was a full rifle now turned into a small machine gun.
"It helps when you know how to build blasters then you can modify them to fit your needs or style, When I was studying in the imperial academy I always found it unfair that the people who had the force could build personal weapons which both matched their personality and looked absolutely stunning when left inactive. So once I joined the cause the first thing I did was set on building my own weapons taking what I found beautiful on this planet and using it decoratively on my weapons. The wood is from a skight tree, the golden inlays along the barrel is of the rocks found in one place only anywhere on this planet, the barrel is made from durasteel the hardest metal known to us. The internal mechanisms are to optimise damage and use a fraction of power the usual bolt needs." Leyl said proudly as she re-admired her own work
"Well if we get out of this alive, you will have to assist me on making one" the lieutenant stood for a moment longer, Leyl tried to work out was he still admiring the rifle or awaiting a response.
So she decided to speak "I will oversee your construction and give you pointers but what you add must be personal to you, it will be your weapon" the end she said with an authority that was not commanding but excited to help someone else break from the bonds of the empire.