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

Episode 6 - The Beskar Heist Part 3

4 ABY

Var yells with elation as the blaster turret sends a barrage of laser fire down the hallway. Stormtroopers cry out as they're knocked off their feet from the force of the blasts. Their attempts to return fire are thwarted by the circular ray shield mounted on the turret's barrel. Var continues firing until the blaster overheats and begins its cool down cycle. Stepping from behind the turret, Var pulls his pistol and runs down the hallway, followed closely by Sopo and Gem. The trio rush through the halls, gunning troopers down as they go.

"Make for the elevator," Gem shouts as they round a bend and come face to face with around 20 Stormtroopers. Var tosses a thermal imploder behind them as they turn and run in the opposite direction. They reach the elevator and Sopo slams the button for the cargo hold. Var leans against the wall and catches his breath as the car descends. The doors open and the three flatten themselves against the walls of the elevator to avoid the laser fire of several Stormtroopers waiting in the hold. Var returns fire, catching one in the chest. Gem lands two headshots as Sopo dispatches another trooper with a dart in the neck fired from his vambrace.

Meanwhile at the TIE Fighter launch bay, Dagh and Cora shoot down the two Stormtroopers guarding the entrance. After they had been relieved from their shift, the two had changed back into their Mandalorian armor and snuck through the vents to return to the launch bay. The Stormtroopers were very surprised when two armored Mandalorians dropped from the ceiling and shot them. They had barely had enough time to issue a startled shout. Dagh and Cora enter the small room and hide along either side of the doorframe, when the TIE pilots attempt to enter their fighters, all four are shot dead.

"Alright!" Dagh laughs as the found pilot falls to the floor. "Let's set the charges under the seat of each TIE."

Dagh tosses two photon grenades to Cora who descends the ladder into the first TIE. Inside, she reaches behind the seat and magnetically attaches the grenade to the bottom. Dagh mimics the action in the adjacent fighter. As he ascends the ladder, a metal hand grabs him by the throat and hurls him into the wall. The KX-Series Security droid stares down at him, "You are not authorized."

Across the room, an identical droid has Cora by her throat. At least it did, until she severs its arms with two humming vibroswords, pulled from scabbards on her back. The droid almost looks surprised as its arms fall to the floor and Cora decapitates it. The droid's body falls to the floor with a loud clunk. Cora whirls around to Dagh pinned against the wall by the other droid as he tries to reach for his blaster. Cora throws one sword parallel to the ground, slicing off the droid's left leg. It topples and releases Dagh, who quickly fires a blaster bolt through its head.

"Thanks for the assist," Dagh massages his neck.

"Anytime," Cora replies. "Let's go find Rafe and meet up with others at the hold."

The pair run down the hallway towards the cargo hold. When they arrive, they find Var, Gem, Sopo, and Rafe pushing the three large hover dollies toward the elevator. The room is littered with dead Stormtroopers.

"How'd it go with the TIE fighters?" Sopo calls as they run over.

"We ran into a couple security droids but Cora dismembered them," Dagh says. "Other than that, not much resistance."

The group boards the elevator and rises to the level where the ship is docked. The doors open and they come out firing, using the crates of Beskar as cover. Their journey back to the freighter is slow. The remaining Stormtroopers fight tooth and nail to prevent their escape but eventually, they reach the ship. The Insight docks at the second airlock and Warhead rolls out to provide cover fire as the Beskar is loaded onto Sopo's ship. The two ships launch, and Dagh detonates the explosives in the TIE Fighters. The explosions trigger a chain reaction, destroying the rest of the ship in a brilliant ball of fire.

"Let's get out of here!" Gem shouts.

Sopo spins the ship and prepares to jump. Then the Star Destroyer drops out of hyperspace. Sopo brings the ship around and guns the engine, hoping to get out of cannon range. They race away from the massive ship, TIE fighters in hot pursuit. Var runs to the gun turret mounted on top of the ship and fires at the oncoming ships. He destroys one, then two, then three. The last fighter, a TIE Interceptor, launches two torpedoes which connect with the engine and shake the entire ship. Var destroys the ship, but the damage has been done.

"We can't jump!" Sopo yells from the cockpit, "I'm going to try to land on Tatooine. I know a place we can hide."

Sopo guides the ship into Tatooine's atmosphere. The freighter shakes violently as smoke pours from the left engine. Sopo makes for Mos Eisley. Opening a comm channel he calls, "Botho! Botho are you there?"

A few seconds pass and a voice responds, "Sopo Krott, is that you?"

"Botho, we need a smokescreen, I'm sending you our heading. No time to explain, we're coming in pretty hot."

"Alright then Sopo, but you owe me."

Three ships launch from the city below. When they clear the buildings, they begin trailing clouds of gray smoke. A flare shoots into the air and Sopo flies the ship toward it. They descend toward a domed building, the roof spirals open to reveal a landing pad. Sopo guides the groaning ship to the ground and turns off the engine. The group walks down the ramp where a Sullustan waits with folded arms, "Sopo! And friends! You all look like you need a place to hide. It's your lucky day, Botho Nusk is here to save you!"