Star Wars: Omnium: Clan Of One, A Splinter Universe Story

Episode 5 - The Beskar Heist Part 2

4 ABY

The plan was set. Everything was arranged. The heist would go down that day. Everyone knew their role. They were ready.

Var walks from the Insight toward the white Lambda-Class Shuttle where Gem, Cora, Dagh, Sopo, and Rafe all stand. Rafe is a thin man of medium height. His hair is swept back and he nervously grips the small gray hat that would normally cover it. Dagh and Cora both wear the white Stormtrooper armor. Each of them holds an E-11 blaster. Besides the blasters, both hold a large case containing their Mandalorian armor. Var joins the group and shakes the hand offered to him by Rafe.

"Everyone ready?" Rafe asks, an anxious note in his voice.

Var turns to Dagh and Cora, "As soon as you depart from the fuel station, contact us and we'll hit the ship."

"Stop worrying, Omnium," Cora slugs Var in the shoulder. "That Beskar is as good as ours."

"It was already ours," Var replies. "We're just taking it back."

"This is the way!" The group choruses, then Dagh and Cora board the shuttle with Rafe and take off for Concordia.

Var, Gem, and Sopo walk to the G8 Rigger-Class freighter, now sporting newly modified cannons, and strap in. Warhead, meanwhile, rolls to the Insight. The two ships take off and set courses for Tatooine.

On the Lambda shuttle, Dagh fidgets in the uncomfortable Stormtrooper armor, "I'll be glad when this bucket is off my head."

"I know," Cora grumbles. "All for the pursuit of a free Mandalore."

"This is the way."

"This is the way."

"We're approaching the landing platform on Concordia," Rafe calls from the cockpit. "Just follow me and try to act like you belong."

The shuttle lands, and Rafe walks out followed closely by Dagh and Cora. They troop towards the Gozanti-Class cruiser, its cargo bay doors open as Imperial personnel load freight on board. Cora elbows Dagh and jerks her head toward three hover dollies, each bearing a large crate marked with the Empire's symbol. Written on the side in large letters, "BESKAR STEEL".

"Come on," Rafe hisses at them. "Let's get on the ship."

The trio walk up the ramp and toward the officer quarters. A voice behind them calls out, "Hey! Hold up you three!"

They stop and turn to see another officer marching toward them. Rafe steps forward and salutes the other officer who lazily mimics the gesture, "Why are these troopers here? Security personnel barracks are on the next floor down."

"Naturally," Rafe speaks calmly. "These two were merely assisting me with my luggage."

The officer grunts, "Very well, but mind you don't linger where you're not supposed to be, troopers."

"Yes, sir," Dagh and Cora reply.

The three resume their march to the officer quarters. They pass many other Stormtroopers and officers. Mouse droids and astromechs roll past. When they reach Rafe's room, he shuts the door behind them.

"Alright, leave your armor here. I'll bring it down with me when we hail Gem and the others. For now, go down to the Tie Fighter launch bay and stand guard at the door. I made sure your IDs were registered to be assigned there. When the attack starts, I'll head for the hold and meet the rest of the team there."

Dagh and Cora walk down to the TIE launch bay. Four holes are set into the floor with ladders inside so pilots can enter the docked fighters from within the cruiser. A voice over the intercom informs all crew that they are ready for departure. The cruiser rises into the air and launches off of Concordia. A few minutes after they leave the planet's atmosphere, four TIE Fighters dock and their black clad pilots ascend the ladders into the launch bay. They walk past Dagh and Cora at the door. One pilot nods to Dagh, who responds in kind. The voice comes again over the intercom, this time informing the crew that they are jumping to light speed.

Aboard Sopo's ship, Var and Gem clean their weapons, readying themselves for the coming action. The freighter sits on an asteroid, slowly spinning along with the immense rock. Suddenly, Gem's communicator crackles to life and Rafe's voice calls out, "Gem, we've departed from Tatooine. We're heading your way."

"Showtime!" Var leaps to his feet, replacing his pistol in its holster. "Sopo, light her up."

Sopo flicks a switch and the ship hums to life. He detaches from the asteroid and rises above the field. There, so close they can almost see into the cockpit, the Goazanti-Class Cruiser. Sopo guns the engine, and Gem mans the cannons. The freighter tears toward the much larger ship. Gem tenses, thumbs on the fire buttons. "Now!" Var shouts. The cannons burst to life. Instead of individual bolts, bright red beams fire from the dual cannons mounted on each of the ship's wings. The powerful blast overwhelms the cruiser's shields and cuts glowing lines into its massive engines. The rightmost engine explodes, followed by the middle. The left engine suffers least, merely flickering and dying as the power cells feeding the energy beams expire.

Sopo brings the ship around to dock at the cruiser's left airlock. Meanwhile, the Insight roars out of hyperspace to intercept the squad of TIE fighters on their way to assist the heavily damaged cruiser. At the door to the airlock, Var and Gem set up a heavy blaster turret.

"When we open that door, the Imps are in for a nasty surprise," Gem laughs.

"Ready?" Sopo draws a blaster.

"Ready." Var spins the turret to face the opening door.