Chapter 361: Seizing the Star Destroyer! Encircle and Reinforce! See You on Mandalore!
"Alright then, but we have to be careful not to draw any attention."
Naturally, Obi-Wan was far more familiar with Tatooine than Paul, and as a reliable Jedi Master, Paul agreed to have him accompany him to the surface.
Soon, with a gentle hum of the Force, the heavy stone gate slowly lifted, and Paul and Obi-Wan stepped out of the long-sealed Jedi archive, returning once more to the surface of Tatooine.
By now, after the Imperial Star Destroyer's orbital bombardment, the entire surface of Tatooine had undergone dramatic changes.
Dark red dust mixed with crystallized sand swept across the scarred wasteland. The once-soft desert had hardened into a field of glass.
The oxygen content in the air had significantly dropped. Debris hurled into the upper atmosphere had formed a dense layer of trash, blocking out the light of the twin suns.
This caused the planet's temperature to plummet by over ten degrees, transforming the sweltering desert world into a cold and dim wasteland.
[Warning! You are in a hazardous environment. Do not remain here for long. Avoid any contact between your skin and the rain.]
Just then, a warning flashed on the holographic display of Paul's protective visor, alerting him to the dangerous levels of contamination in the area.
Acidic rain, carried on stormy winds and mixed with ash, began falling from the sky—further scarring an already barren land.
Molten lava that had once streamed across the ground had cooled into pitch-black obsidian, while the fine desert sand had turned into jagged glass shards scattered across the landscape.
Tatooine was completely ruined. Without decades of reconstruction, it would remain a hellish wasteland unfit for life.
Had they not taken refuge inside the Jedi archive in time, Paul and the others would surely have perished in the orbital bombardment.
Activating his personal force field, Paul no longer worried about the acid rain. He glanced around the devastated wasteland. The acrid stench of sulfur and burnt residue assaulted his senses, and he frowned deeply.
"Compared to orbital bombardment, neutron annihilation might actually be a mercy from the gods—at least it's quick and painless."
At last, Paul understood why, in the Halo universe, the Covenant loved turning enemy planets into glass.
It wasn't just a show of power—it was a deliberate act meant to plunge enemies into absolute despair.
"Someone's coming," Obi-Wan warned softly.
The two immediately ducked behind a slab of obsidian and used the Force to erase any trace of their presence.
An Imperial AT-ST walker was approaching, its twin mechanical legs trudging across semi-solidified lava as it scanned for any remaining lifeforms on the planet.
Its powerful floodlights swept across the dark wasteland, accompanied by a squad of stormtroopers.
Equipped with insulated armor and wielding blaster rifles, these soldiers shot at anything even slightly suspicious, ensuring no survivors could escape.
"As expected, the Empire isn't going to let this go so easily. Even after being redeployed, they've still left forces behind to scour the surface."
The commotion Paul and Obi-Wan had heard earlier in the archive had clearly been caused by this patrol unit.
The stormtroopers seemed irritated by the monotonous task of searching the scorched landscape. They moved half-heartedly through the area, just enough to file a report and be done with it.
And understandably so—after such an intense orbital strike, it was highly unlikely that any living being had survived in this heavily bombarded zone.
The entire terrain was either black obsidian or sticky, cooling magma—no one could survive here long.
They were essentially wasting their time.
Just as Paul was thinking about their next move, he received a direct order from his superior, David Martinez.
[Paul, our team has seized control of the Star Destroyer in orbit above Tatooine. Your job now is to clear the grunts in your area or hold position until we move in. A squad will be dispatched to extract you shortly.]
It turned out that the moment Cassio Tagge left after receiving Palpatine's orders, David had brought in a fleet of his own. He deployed an Astartes boarding team to storm the Star Destroyer and seize its command center.
Now, Paul's mission was to board the Star Destroyer, return to the fleet's formation, and work with Universal Megacorp to wipe out the enemy.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan would head out on a solo mission to eliminate Darth Maul—removing this looming threat before the final battle began.
"Understood."
Paul relayed David's plan to Obi-Wan, who, after a brief moment of thought, decided to return to the underground hideout to discuss things with the others.
Back inside the Jedi archive, the group was both anxious and excited about the news—they were about to intercept a Star Destroyer and participate in the final battle!
Just imagining it sent a thrill through them.
"Master, are you really leaving us to go to Mandalore alone?" Luke asked reluctantly. He hadn't yet fully grasped how to wield the Force.
Without Obi-Wan's guidance, he had no idea how much good he could do with what little he'd learned in such a short time.
"I am. The people on Mandalore need me more right now. Don't worry—we'll meet again there very soon."
Obi-Wan patted Luke's shoulder with a warm smile. He believed the past three days were enough for Luke to gain an initial understanding of the Force. What came next would be built through real combat experience.
A chosen one like Luke would naturally grasp Force-related skills far faster than ordinary people.
When Din Djarin heard Obi-Wan was headed to Mandalore to help his fellow Mandalorians fight the Empire, he wanted to join too.
But after thinking it over, he realized that Paul's mission was in greater need of his support. After all, capturing the Devastator wouldn't be a walk in the park.
"So what's the plan now?" Luke asked, still feeling unsure. Capturing the Devastator wouldn't be easy, and their small team didn't seem up to the task.
"Our people will be landing soon to extract us onto the Star Destroyer. Once aboard, we'll rejoin the main fleet, infiltrate the flagship, and seize control of the Devastator from the inside."
Paul's ideal scenario was to take the Devastator quickly and use it to help the other expeditionary units from Universal Megacorp defeat the rest of the Imperial fleet.
Then he'd fly the Devastator to Mandalore, reinforcing the allied ground forces in their battle against the Empire's main army.
This would dramatically reduce Universal Megacorp 's wartime costs.
And even in the worst-case scenario—if they failed to capture the Devastator and naval warfare broke out between Tagge's fleet and David's—the diversion would still fulfill the strategic goal of encirclement and reinforcement.
That would greatly relieve the pressure on Reed's defense forces on Mandalore.
"This is insane! How the hell did you even come up with such a wild plan?" Cassian couldn't help but exclaim. If Tagge noticed anything wrong, they could all be wiped out in an instant.
"It's a risk worth taking. Someone has to intercept Tagge. Now that headquarters has entrusted us with this task, it's a golden opportunity."
Paul gave Cassian a meaningful look, silently saying: This is your best shot at going full-time. After serving the Rebel Alliance for so long, why not finish the job with Universal Megacorp ?
"The Devastator is the same class as the Executor—a flagship-grade Star Destroyer. There are fewer than 50 in the entire Empire. Each one is capable of deploying a full elite legion."
"This operation involves more than just us. Universal Megacorp 's expeditionary forces will provide backup. But we should avoid large-scale naval engagements unless absolutely necessary,"
That gave Cassian and the others a huge boost in confidence.
If they could take down the Devastator, it would be a monumental achievement. Not only would it cement their place in Universal Megacorp —it might even earn them ranks or titles.
And with the expeditionary forces providing cover, they had no reason to worry.
More importantly, Paul—this ridiculously strong man—would be leading the mission. That alone was enough to reassure them.
"This mission is dangerous," Paul said solemnly, "but I won't force Anyone to go."
"Anyone who doesn't wish to take part can return to the rear base with the others and wait for the final battle to be over."
"But if you're willing to come with me and seize the Devastator, raise your hand now."
The moment Paul finished speaking, Chani raised her hand without hesitation, her eyes unwavering. As Paul's most trusted partner, there was no way she'd pass up any chance to fight alongside him.
"Um… I'm just a humble protocol droid. I assume I don't have to do anything quite this exciting?" C-3PO poked his head out hesitantly and raised his hand.
Then R2-D2 zapped him with a shock, prompting him to quickly change his tune: "On second thought, I love excitement!"
Din Djarin didn't say a word. He simply wiped down his rifle in silence—his actions clearly showing that he was in.
"This is a separate job, right?" he asked.
"I'll owe you," Paul replied. "I'll settle the rest of the payment after the war."
The Rogue One team members, each with their own thoughts and concerns, still chose to fight. They had come too far to back out now.
They had to make this count.
"Excellent!"
Paul was quite pleased with everyone's performance. Regardless of their individual motives, at this moment, they were all united as comrades in arms.
"Then let's move out—avenge Tatooine, avenge Mandalore, and avenge every soul wrongfully slain by the Empire!"
With his pre-battle speech complete, Paul and the others returned to the surface. As soon as Cassian and Jyn Erso saw the outside world, they were visibly stunned.
Clearly, they were shocked by the hellish sight before them.
Acrid, sulfurous smoke choked the air; molten lava belched flame; the thick, polluted atmosphere made their lungs burn with pain.
Without respiratory filters, they would've been dead in minutes.
"I can't believe we're still alive. If Uncle Owen were here, he probably would've fainted on the spot," Luke said with lingering fear.
"Maybe that's just the luck of the Chosen One," Cassian teased with a laugh.
Paul nodded thoughtfully.
He had to admit, they'd been extremely lucky. If Luke had returned any later, or if they hadn't gone to find Obi-Wan in time, they might've been killed in the Empire's orbital bombardment.
"I still think this is a terrible idea. R2, maybe we should just go back and hide. It's not like we'd be much help anyway."
C-3PO grumbled in a low voice to his old friend R2-D2.
The only response was a jolt of electricity from R2.
R2-D2 stayed close behind Jyn Erso, while C-3PO, though complaining nonstop, still dutifully followed along.
Soon, the group came across dozens of towering Astartes warriors, each wielding hard-light weapons, standing amid a field of steel wreckage.
The squad of Imperial stormtroopers that Paul and Obi-Wan had spotted earlier had already been wiped out—eliminated silently by these Astartes assassins.
Meanwhile, in Tatooine's low orbit, a Star Destroyer had been taken over by Universal Megacorp forces, with technicians successfully maintaining the illusion of normal operations through carefully faked signal traffic.
"Paul, it's so good to see you here!"
One of the Astartes stepped forward—until Panam Wells displayed his face through the helmet interface of his power armor.
Only then did Luke and the others realize that these towering, three-meter-tall iron-clad behemoths were, in fact, humans.
Just recently, Panam had led an Astartes unit to the surface. With help from an AI virus that sabotaged the walkers and the team's elite close-combat tactics, they had silently exterminated the stormtroopers in swift, efficient fashion.
"How are things back at headquarters?" Paul didn't linger on pleasantries—what he really cared about was the construction progress of the Starkiller Base.
After all, every mission he had undertaken so far had been to buy time for Universal Megacorp's key strategic asset.
Individual efforts could only go so far; winning this total war would ultimately require the full might of the Megacorp.
"Don't worry. The first batch of finished units has already entered the testing phase. They'll be ready for deployment soon."
Panam fully aware of Paul's concerns, responded with a reassuring smile.
"Good."
Paul finally felt some relief. As long as the Starkiller Base was on its way, the grand unification campaign across the Star Wars galaxy would soon reach its final stage.
Everything else could be left to others.
"You all need to move out soon. We've already forged the comm signals and sent a recall order to the Devastator flagship."
"You need to report to Tarkin immediately and seize control of the Devastator. Commander David's forces are right behind you—if anything goes wrong, they'll back you up at once!"
Panam relayed David's orders again. The top priority was to capture the Devastator, currently commanded by Cassio Tagge.
The other Star Destroyers in orbit were nothing compared to that flagship—just minnows in the ocean.
"Alright. See you on Mandalore!"
Before parting ways, Panam handed Paul and Chani a batch of Hunter Darts, indigenous assassination weapons from the Dune universe—something Paul was all too familiar with.
"You'll definitely need these. That's all—good luck."
With their farewell exchanged, Panam took Master Obi-Wan aboard a shuttle and departed on the fastest ship available to Mandalore.
Paul, meanwhile, led Luke and the others toward an Imperial Star Destroyer, with the goal of intercepting Tagge's Devastator fleet.
…
Not long after, the Star Destroyer carrying Paul merged into the formation of the Devastator fleet. Surrounded by enemy ships, young Luke was so nervous he broke into a cold sweat.
Through the viewport, he could clearly see Imperial Destroyers encircling them on all sides.
Whenever he spotted stormtroopers pacing the decks across the void, Luke instinctively held his breath, terrified that any wrong move would alert the crews aboard those ships.
Shortly after they successfully rejoined the formation, a transmission came from the Devastator's command center:
> [Star Destroyer ICSD-9527, immediately report to Command with the recovered remains of the fugitives. Repeat, bring all remains for confirmation at once…]
The former Imperial pilot Bodhi responded to the command with practiced ease: "Understood. We'll dispatch our team to report immediately."
Clearly, when it came to "dead or alive" protocols, the Empire was nothing if not thorough.
Even when they believed a target had been blown up, they would dig through the rubble to confirm the kill before moving on.
"That bastard Cassio Tagge really doesn't take chances. But that's fine—he just gave us the perfect opportunity to board the Devastator!"
Captain Cassian was visibly eager. This saved them the trouble of finding another way in—after all, the Devastator's command hub wasn't exactly a place you could just stroll into.
They knew the path ahead would involve heavy questioning and scrutiny from Imperial forces, but if they could just get aboard, it would be a major step toward completing their mission.
The group disguised themselves as stormtroopers and boarded a transport en route to the Devastator. Bodhi, piloting the shuttle and serving as their acting squad leader, was anxious.
"Stormtroopers will definitely stop us and ask questions. I can only stall for a while. After that, we might have to blast our way in!"
Having served in the Imperial Navy, Bodhi knew just how strict the Empire's protocols were. Their disguises wouldn't stand up to serious inspection—they'd be stopped before even reaching the main gate.
"It's fine. As long as we can make it aboard, we'll figure out the rest."
Paul was unusually confident this time. With David's expeditionary forces standing by and the support of the Master Chief, he was confident they could pull this off—even without Obi-Wan.
Soon, their shuttle touched down inside the Devastator's hangar.
Just as Bodhi predicted, they were immediately met by a squad of heavily armed stormtroopers.
Clearly, the Empire had stepped up its security measures—likely due to previous incidents like the Scarif infiltration, where rebels had disguised themselves as stormtroopers.
But this time, Paul had no intention of sneaking in quietly.
He was here for one reason only: to charge straight into the command bridge and take control of the Devastator.
Still, to be safe, Paul asked Chirrut, "Are there any strong Force users on board?"
His last battle with Darth Vader had nearly given him PTSD.
If there was a powerful Dark Side Force user stationed here, Paul would seriously consider pulling out.
"No. Not even a Force-sensitive," Chirrut replied confidently. In this entire sector, Paul was probably the closest thing to a Force wielder.
In fact, while Cassio Tagge was an outstanding fleet commander, he absolutely loathed the Force.
He had even mocked Vader to his face once, calling the Force "a sorcerer's trick"—and nearly got Force-choked to death for it.
If Grand Moff Tarkin hadn't intervened, Tagge would've been a corpse that very day. Ever since then, his hatred of Force users had only deepened.
As a result, he made sure there were no Force users of any kind in his fleet—not even sensitives.
With that assurance, Paul felt much more confident about the mission ahead.
"Alright, everyone—time to raise some hell!"
As soon as Paul finished speaking, a volley of Hunter Darts shot out from the shuttle's hatch at lightning speed.
These micro assassination weapons, upgraded with AI systems, were capable of autonomously targeting and eliminating nearby enemies.
Like wraiths, the darts arced through the air in graceful yet lethal trajectories, piercing the carotid arteries of several stormtroopers below.
Before the remaining troopers could even react, the darts doubled back like roller coasters and struck down the rest.
Each dart was loaded with 5 grams of lethal toxin, but only needed to inject 1 milligram to paralyze a human instantly.
Thanks to their incredible speed and precision, the kill effect was surreal—stormtroopers collapsed in droves without ever realizing what had happened.
No screams. No blaster fire. Just silence as entire squads dropped dead on the spot.
As the last dart returned to the waiting hands of Paul and Chani, the hangar was already littered with corpses.
The whole ambush took less than three seconds—none of the stormtroopers had even had time to report in.
At that moment, the shuttle's hatch opened slowly, and Paul strolled out calmly, as if he had expected this exact outcome.
Luke and Cassian were stunned.
Who could've imagined that Universal Megacorp's arsenal was this advanced? With weapons this effective, why hadn't Paul used them earlier?
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