Chap. 101 - Hopeless

Fifteen minutes before:

Cress: - Multiple ships are abandoned in the sector. Our tractor beams can't do anything about it. -

Thrawn: - It must be that frigate... Its own tractor beam is canceling ours. -

Cress: - This is taking too long... A Separatist frigate should not be able to withstand so much damage. -

Thrawn: - I agree... If I had to guess, this ship has been modified with post-war components... And taking into account that it is not attacking we can assume that it is simply acting as a shield for those ships that are fleeing. -

Cress: - That makes no sense... Why would they sacrifice the largest of their ships to save a few? -

Thrawn: - The only thing I can think of is that our beloved droid has not left the planet yet... It wouldn't make sense otherwise.... Also... -

Officer: - Several ships leaving hyperspace on the port side. -

Both Thrawn and Cress turned their heads to the left, as they watched five more Imperial battleships move right next to them. Five battleships that the Grand Admiral immediately recognized, although young Cress only wondered who they could be.

Officer: - Incoming call. -

Thrawn: - Report it. -

At his command, the officer pressed the required controls, and a life-size projection appeared right in front of both of them. A ruthless and crafty being. With a cold but calculating look.

Thrawn: - It's quite a surprise to see you here, Grand Inquisitor. -

Grand Inquisitor: - My pleasure, great admiral. I see your fleet moved ahead of ours. -

Thrawn: - Just a little. And where is your teacher? -

Grand Inquisitor: - Since the last incident, The Grand Master has decided to conclude this situation... personally. Right now he must be abandoning the ship, heading for the surface. -

Cress: - What is happening, Grand Admiral? Who are they? -

Thrawn: - There are some things that are better not to know... young admiral. -

If Cress learned anything all this time, it was that the Grand Admiral's words had to be listened to carefully. If Thrawn himself told him to keep his nose out of this, it was best to listen to him. Especially when in front of him he had the chilling holoprojection of that Pau'an, with his penetrating gaze, and that dark aura that he emanated, even when he was not present.

Whoever this Grand Inquisitor and his master were, it was best not to dig too deep... Or the consequences could be dire.

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However, this was information that Icarus craved at this moment with his entire being. In front of him, the chilling abomination in black was displayed. A being forged by the Force itself and corrupted by its darker side. One who met his most tragic fate, on the path he took to avoid it. A victim... And an executioner.

It was... Darth Vader. 

The force that such a dark being emanated was perceptible even to those who did not have any control over such supernatural energies. Icarus felt it more than everyone. Those same negative emotions that fueled this being's anger. An anger that would make Inquisitor Howlhell himself look like an infant in the middle of a tantrum.

Icarus felt it, and his midichlorian core stirred in his chest. The living part of him was terrified inside, even though his face was expressionless. If he had skin he would be sweating from nerves, but that didn't stop his hand from feeling a little weak with his grip on the lightsaber. So this was the real fear...

Vader: - That saber... It doesn't belong to you. -

He spoke with his voice modified by his artificial respirator, which seemed to be the only reason he remained alive. Who this cyborg was and what had happened to him was a mystery, but such questions were unimportant when the top priority was escape at all costs. Which would not be a simple task at all.

Catherine: - Now... Attack. -

The woman's voice rose from behind the black silhouette. Darth Vader had captured the attention of Icarus and the rest so much that they were not able to notice the few remaining stormtroopers who took advantage of the appearance of such an imposing being to launch a counteroffensive.

The commando droids darted toward the nearest cover, concentrating their blasters on the white quivers behind the Sith Lord. The stormtroopers quickly found cover behind the huge metal containers, and both sides began firing in both directions.

No blaster dared to stray towards the center, where Icarus, the magnaguards and that demon in black were. The commando droids, for fear of harming their general. The stormtroopers, out of fear of the consequences of affecting this strange Imperial officer that they didn't even know, but who gave them the impression that he would kill them without even hesitation... And possibly he did.

However, those in the center quickly concluded their staring duel, when the magnadroids charged head-on against the sith lord. Icarus remained aloof, analyzing his opponent and plotting the quickest way out of this situation. Three against one was a noticeable advantage, and he just had to find the exact moment to deliver the coup de grace. What he did not know was that luck had abandoned him long ago.

The magnaguard on the right lunged at the Sith, but his electrostaff was quickly stopped by his opponent's crimson saber. The simple fact that a mere mortal could match an IG droid in physical strength was already terrifying, but the unpleasant surprises had only just begun.

The other magnaguard launched an attack on the imperial's unprotected flank. The lightsaber was held by his partner, so there was no way he could dodge that attack. The droid charged his electrostaff, and brandished it in a powerful circular trajectory, so powerful that the simple impact would not only fry the opponent's body from the electric discharge, but could also break several bones.

However... That never happened.

To everyone's surprise, the deadly electrorod never made contact with the black-clad cyborg. Its sizzling tip stopped mere centimeters from his hand, which was extended with its open palm pointing toward the droid's weapon.

The magnaguardia did not stop of his own volition. That was something that could be assured, hearing the grinding of his joints pushing towards the Sith with all his strength. But metal and circuits would never be able to defeat that monstrosity.

Even the commando droids turned their heads, as the creaking of metal caught everyone's attention. Before his eyes, the magnaguardia, probably the most lethal combat droid, began to deform as if the metal became an amorphous mass devoid of solids.

Some imagined what was happening. Others simply refused to accept it. Especially Icarus, whose logical mind was incapable of processing something so crazy. But there was no doubt... There was no logic in this situation. That being was a force user... A very dangerous one, who would make any other in this galaxy pale. One that... By simply closing his fist in the air... He turned the magnaguardian into a discarded metal ball in front of his eyes.

Before such a spectacle, there was a terrifying silence. The shots from both sides were silenced to the astonishment of the spectators. Only the rumbling of frightened breaths broke the silence. And then... The macabre being spoke.

Vader: - So... it was you who killed the 11th inquisitor. -

Icarus: - I only did the right thing. -

Vader: - And I appreciate it... It is right to eliminate the weak and useless. There is no room for incompetence in this galaxy. -

His words did not hesitate for a second. It was more than clear that this being in front of him despised everything... hated everything. The way he presented himself, the way he fought, the way Icarus perceived him... He even doubted if he was a living being. Or at least once it would have been.

Icarus: - Who...? Or what are you? -

Vader: - That... You won't need to know. Just knowing that... I will be the one to put an end to your pathetic existence. -

Then, the being in black took his first step forward. Nobody did anything, nobody moved anything. Icarus put himself on guard, doubting he would even be able to stop that thing, while the magnaguard placed himself between them. The Sith apparently had no intention of using the force again, and planned to end this using his lightsaber. So... Icarus accepted the challenge.

Knowing that there was already a possible escape, the super tactical droid launched itself at its opponent, supported by its magnaguard. The being in black had already proven to be able to defeat it using the Force alone, but even something as dark as that thing seemed to enjoy a pride ingrained in its consciousness.

Did this entity participate in the Clone Wars? Does he have some kind of hatred for battle droids inside him? Or towards the Separatist Alliance? Questions that would not have solid answers, but that could be slightly intuited by the sudden change in attitude. Or perhaps he was angry at having executed the inquisitor? An answer that would never be given.

The IG droid was the first to attack, but its electrostaff was repelled with little effort, as if such an attack were a bad joke for the being in black. The crimson saber was swung in his direction, but the droid's quick reaction allowed him to evade a decisive blow.

But Icarus tried to attack him, but his sword was stopped with particular firmness. This mortal had the strength of a machine, and his arms did not even tremble from the strength that Icarus placed in his grip.

The swords crackled upon impact. The light in the room was dimmed, and the facial features of both metal entities took on a peculiar violet color, a product of the fusion of the light from both red and light blue sabers. Beams of energy that were dangerous centimeters from his face, even though fear seemed to affect the droid more than being half flesh and half machine.

Darth Vader and Icarus exchanged some thrusts, circular attacks in all directions, and forceful thrusts. Neither of them was a fast fighter, but both showed their gifts of physical strength. Or that's how those who didn't know the grace of the fifth style of combat saw it. Focused on powerful and aggressive attacks, with the aim of overcoming the opponent through the use of brute force.

Vader: - That form... Where did you learn it? -

Icarus: - That... You don't need to know. -

An angry enemy is prone to making mistakes... But such a concept does not apply in the same way to users of the dark side. The rage generated by such audacity gave the Sith Lord enormous strength, and the heavy metal droid flew until it collided with the fuselage of the Phantom behind him.

Darth Vade channeled his rage into a powerful blow, which was barely blocked by Ki-Adi-Mundi's lightsaber. The magnaguard tried to confront the angry monster in black, but his electrostaff could not withstand the Sith Lord's fury, and his body ended up severed in a brutal horizontal cut that split it in half. That thing was... invincible.

Foxley: - ICARUS! WE HAVE TO FLEE! NOW! -

Icarus: - No... There is no way we can escape from that thing. -

Hera: - You can't defeat him! -

Icarus: - Must... Must be another way... -