The lower levels of Coruscant were always restless. Law enforcement officers visited here so rarely that the locals had long forgotten the very concept of law. Skirmishes and shootouts between small gangs were quite common, so no one paid attention to the sounds of shots and explosions, trying to stay as far away from the source as possible.
The security of the Kirshaah clan had also long grown accustomed to the local realities and sincerely believed that they were perfectly prepared to repel any threat.
Until today...
Twenty minutes ago, a distress signal came from the post near the barricade blocking the entrance to the sector where the Kirshaah Slask base was located. However, no details were provided. Communication was almost immediately cut off, as if the post had been destroyed in a matter of moments. Then, someone unknown swept through the sector like a hurricane, sweeping away security squads one after another. The sounds of shots, screams, and groans filled the base, causing fear even among experienced fighters. It was no joke; in less than five minutes, the enemy had killed three dozen guards, none of whom were novices.
Another twenty fighters were currently defending the building where the clan leader was housed. The Quarren himself had locked himself in a reinforced bunker three floors below, almost on the border with the neighboring level of Coruscant.
"For the higher powers, what kind of devilry is going on there?!" one of the clan soldiers asked, his voice cracking, trying in vain to overcome the nascent hysteria.
"I don't know!" his partner hissed back, pressing closer to the armored shield of the security post right in the lobby of Slask's residence. "But it's definitely those damn Hutts!"
Another series of shots from outside, and then something hit the armored entrance door with force... and, judging by the sound, it was someone's body.
"Great Spirits!" the Duros guard whispered, gripping his blaster rifle tighter.
The sounds of battle outside died down. Silence reigned.
The guards aimed their weapons at the door, trying to remain calm, but a sticky chill of primal fear of a helpless victim before a predator twisted their insides more and more.
And then, after a few seconds, the world exploded. Or rather, an explosion thundered outside the door, sending the last deadly projectile inside the building. Two were unlucky enough to be in its path.
The guards did not falter and opened fire into the doorway a moment later. However, no target was observed, which, however, was not a reason to cease fire.
In the confusion, no one noticed how, following the door, a small ball of a thermal detonator rolled into the lobby.
Instantly, a new explosion literally vaporized a dozen people along with the fortifications in a cloud of plasma. The rest, who were lucky enough to be further away and behind armored shields, were hit by the shockwave.
And in the next moment, a red whirlwind burst into the room, bringing death to all who fell in its path. Only a few managed to make out a bronze-colored, red-eyed droid in the new threat before a blaster charge was sent their way, or a metal hand knocked them unconscious with a powerful blow.
The assassin droid acted with deadly efficiency; each blaster shot ended someone's life or rendered the weapon in the guards' hands useless.
To the credit of the clan fighters, they returned fire only a few seconds later. One of the shooters even hit the target... almost. The charge passed by, ricocheting off HK's plating. If the lucky guard had been joined by his colleagues, the assassin droid might have suffered much more. However, it was too late. Those five guards who escaped HK's wrath earned a burnt hole in their skulls from the Mandalorian who followed the droid.
Twelve seconds! Exactly twelve seconds it took the mercenary and the assassin droid to deal with the guards defending the lobby.
"Contemptuously: Pathetic bags of meat," HK-47 snorted, scanning the room for signs of life. "It's even a waste to spend a shot on them."
"Well, considering how the Hutts have roughed up everyone even remotely connected to the Black Sun," Tira paused for a moment to send a blaster bolt into the skull of some half-dead Duros. "It's still not so bad."
"Sarcastically: Could it have been worse?" the droid clarified.
"We might not have been met at all," the Mandalorian shrugged.
"Agreed: Can't argue with that."
"And, by the way, you were hit," Nomad nodded at a scorch mark on HK's armor.
"Comment: Calculated risk. Clarification: Took the best firing sector," the droid explained, to which the mercenary merely shook her head.
Tira reloaded her blasters and checked the fuel level in her jetpack tanks. Oh, how much trouble it caused the fighters outside. The guards did not expect that from behind the droid, the mercenary would soar thirty meters up and then unleash hell on the Kirshaah clan soldiers' cover. Attacking from two directions, the droid and the Mandalorian were unstoppable. A symbiosis of the mercenary's professionalism and the calculated efficiency of the killer machine.
Ensuring that the fuel would be enough for another dozen jumps or horizontal dashes, Tira pumped out some fuel for use in a hand flamethrower. After all, you can't fly much in a room, but the flame would retain its effectiveness.
"Judging by the building's layout, there should be an elevator behind those doors," Nomad pointed to the far end of the room. "It should lead to Slask's bunker."
"Confident assumption: And Grizz Zahra should be with him," the droid added.
"If that pair of losers who gave us the clan base coordinates didn't make up fantasies out of fear," Tira shrugged, checking the reserve grenades on her belt.
"Objection: The coordinates turned out to be correct."
"That's the only comfort."
The droid, meanwhile, approached, looked around, and confidently headed for one of the side doors.
"Where are you going?"
"Observation: Behind these doors is the security room. Assumption: The security post should be equipped with a surveillance system."
"Hmm, reasonable."
The mercenary joined the droid. Before entering, both prepared their weapons. As soon as the door slid aside, Tira rolled into the room, taking a combat stance on one knee as she emerged from the roll and assessed the situation before her. HK entered behind her, controlling sectors outside the mercenary's field of vision.
"Clear," the Mandalorian reported.
"Confirmed," the droid replied.
In the room, besides a weapon rack, a doorway to a bathroom without a door, a protein converter, and a small refrigerator, there was also a video surveillance console.
HK-47 quickly approached the terminal and began hacking the security with inhuman speed.
It took the droid less than a minute to access the surveillance network.
A hologram opened above the console, displaying real-time camera recordings. 34 video streams, each in its own cell on the general holo-screen. Four cameras were disabled.
"Assumption: The enemy must have destroyed the surveillance equipment at their location."
"So, we won't be able to find out what's in the bunker."
"Confirmed," the droid agreed. "Remark: However, as I assume, I have found video from a camera located outside the bunker."
HK enlarged one of the images to demonstrate the massive sliding doors in a narrow passage.
"Damn, it's like they're locked in a safe," the mercenary snorted.
A plan to attack such a fortified room needed to be carefully thought out, but they had no time. Every minute of delay increases the chances that Kirshaah will call for help from his Black Sun patrons. And that's a different scale.
"Threat assessment: With a ninety-five percent probability, fierce resistance awaits us," HK noted. "Recommendation: Do not use the elevator, but descend through the shaft and blow up the doors with a thermal detonator."
"That won't work," the mercenary objected. "The shockwave will go up the shaft and hit us."
"Addendum: The thermal wave will also spread upwards through the shaft, but significantly weakened," the droid nodded in agreement. "Proposal: If the detonator is placed in the elevator car, its walls will help direct the explosion's energy towards the door. The part that breaks into the shaft will be insignificant and easily compensated for by my plating and your Mandalorian armor."
Nomad crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly to the side, considering the droid's proposal. In general, she was inclined to agree with the plan, as they knew no other way into the bunker. However... would the thermal detonator's power be enough to breach the bunker doors, which were likely reinforced with durasteel?
The mercenary voiced her concerns to her partner.
HK-47 calculated the specific strength of the movable durasteel door construction in a few seconds. Then he compared it with the calculated explosion power and took into account the effect of high temperatures.
"Information: The power of two M-5 detonators should be enough to partially destroy the structure," the droid reported.
"And the wave that will hit us?"
"Assessment: Acceptable power."
Taking a deep breath, Tira nodded in agreement.
"Then, we'll use your plan. Detonate, storm in, and sow chaos."
"Affirmative."
However, before the squad moved towards the elevator shaft, HK received a contact request from the Master.
"Joyful greeting: Good day, Master!" the droid began enthusiastically. "Report: The execution of your assignment is progressing successfully."
Tira rolled her eyes, but it couldn't be seen under her helmet.
"The assignment will have to be suspended," Revan informed. "I have a new task for you. Much more important at the moment."
The droid was somewhat taken aback and even a little upset, if the emotion simulation module was not malfunctioning. However, it could not disobey the Master's order.
"Acknowledged, Master," HK said humbly. "Request: May I inquire what kind of mission awaits me."
"Nothing special," the former Sith chuckled. "Just a restructuring of Coruscant's criminal underworld and the elimination of the leaders of one local gang to seize control of the entire organization."
The assassin droid was immensely pleased by this information. Of course! After all, it could shoot a couple more dozen of these useless bags of meat!
Nomad gently tapped the droid on the chest plate, attracting its attention.
When HK turned his scarlet optical sensors to her, the mercenary pointed at the surrounding mess, clearly hinting at something.
The droid immediately understood what the Mandalorian was trying to say.
"Joyful message: Master! We've already started!"
Silence hung in the open communication channel.
"What?" Revan finally asked in a quiet voice.
"Repeat message: We have already begun executing your order," the droid replied.
"May the Force save us..." the former Sith whispered barely audibly. "Explain what you said."
"Explanation: During the execution of the previous assignment, I, with the considerable help of a Mandalorian female..."
"HEY!" the mercenary exclaimed and threw a piece of an overturned table at HK.
Clang!
The assassin droid didn't even flinch when the duraplast shard hit the back of its head.
"The search led me and I..."
"Ahem!" Nomad reminded him of her presence.
"Correction: We," HK reluctantly agreed, glancing indifferently at the mercenary pointing a blaster at him.
"What next?" Revan urged.
"We managed to find a lead leading to two criminal structures cooperating with the Muuns."
Silence again in the channel...
"The explosion at the Hyperstar office and the shootout on the lower levels... Your doing?"
"Affirmative."
"Damn bantha dung," Revan hissed. "Where are you now and who are you tangled with?"
"Explanation: We are at the Kirshaah clan base, sending coordinates."
"Kirshaah? Sounds familiar..." the former Sith mused.
Maul intervened in the conversation. Apparently, Revan was in the cubicle on board the Eagle.
"Master, the Kirshaah clan actively cooperates with the Black Sun," the Zabrak reported.
"Hmm, the situation might be useful," Revan concluded. "Kirshaah will help us find the Sun's main hideout."
"Exactly, my Lord."
"Excellent," the former Sith snapped his fingers, "HK needs to interrogate the Kirshaaх fighters and find out everything they know about the Black Sun."
The droid surveyed the carnage around him.
"HK?" Revan called, not waiting for an answer.
Tira merely hummed, observing the droid whose computational power was dedicated to somehow explaining to the Master that... there was no one to interrogate yet.
"Is anyone alive?" Revan asked, guessing the reason for the droid's hesitation.
"Uncertain remark: Yes... probably," HK finally replied, "Observation: It seems those two guards are still alive."
"Nope," Tira shook her head, checking her armor's sensor readings, "One has a cracked skull and is in a deep coma, and the other... hmm, interesting, his head is separated from his body, but his heart is beating due to residual impulses from the secondary nervous system... an interesting race. Too bad it's unclear which one. Couldn't you shoot more accurately?"
"Irritated response: Actually, those are scorch marks from your flamethrower."
"And your thermal detonator," the mercenary parried.
"That's it!" Revan interrupted their bickering, "As I understand it, there's no one to interrogate?"
HK faltered. Protocols of loyalty compelled the emotion simulation module to mimic regret and guilt.
"Clarification: Not exactly, Master."
"Explain?"
"Explanation: We haven't captured the clan leader yet. He might have the necessary information."
This information somewhat softened Revan's mood.
"Well, in that case, finish what you started. Capture the clan leader and bring him to me. We'll meet at the coordinates I'm about to send. We have a lot more to do, so don't waste time."
"Yes, Master."
The connection broke.
"Blasters set to stun?" Nomad chuckled.
The droid nodded sadly.
Sometimes he hated the Master's orders... but he couldn't disobey.
Well, he'd have to restrain himself.
However, the logic unit offered an interesting thought: Only the leader needed to be delivered alive.
The mission had just regained its colors!
Meanwhile, Revan.
Dawn Eagle.
Public landing pad DB-2313.
Sector 2310, Level 1011.
Coruscant.
The ship's master was deep in thought. In the few hours since his conversation with Jabba, Revan, with the help of Maul, had devised a perfectly viable plan for a small coup in Coruscant's criminal circles. It should also be noted that the former Sith spent most of his time negotiating via holocomm. After all, according to Revan's plan, the Black Sun would cease to exist in the coming days. And the Blood Claws would take its place.
First, the owner of the Dawn Eagle contacted Ziro Hutt, the Cartel's representative on Coruscant. The overgrown slug was... slippery. If Jabba, in most cases, kept his word, thus earning his reputation and respect on Tatooine, then his cousin was known for always coming out on top, regardless of the initial terms of the deal. Blackmail, extortion, and betrayal were the main tools of influence for the local crime boss. This gave rise to alarming thoughts and bred distrust of the Coruscant Hutt.
According to the original plan, Revan would eliminate the Black Sun's leadership and reveal the coordinates of their main strongholds, and then Ziro would take control of the designated territory. The decapitated gang would be unable to resist the Hutt's fighters. According to Maul, who had studied the local factions thoroughly in his time, the Black Sun would not resist for long. Someone from the top might stick to principles, but the rank-and-file fighters and enforcers wouldn't wait to be slaughtered. Upon learning that the gang's leadership, meaning everyone with real power, connections, and the ability to fend off the law or the Cartel, was dead, the small fry would scatter to find new patrons.
And that's where Ziro Hutt would step in to offer the Black Sun a place in the Cartel.
However, after studying information about Ziro and talking to him personally, Revan changed the plan.
The former Sith spent about an hour talking to Tatooine. The shadowy leader of the Blood Claws had attracted a local gang leader to his scheme - Tihc Dorma. He was overjoyed to serve the one who had pulled him out of Jabba's palace alive and unharmed. However, perhaps it was all due to the former Sith's slight mental influence.
Revan hadn't left a controlled gang on the desert planet for no reason. The leader had been carefully processed with the Force, forming a bond with the former Sith. Revan had learned this trick from Vitiate while he was connected to his mind for three hundred years.
Dorma was making a strong pretense of the Claws serving the Cartel, while in reality, he remained a slave to the Lord, as Revan had introduced himself during his first visit to the gang's lair.
During the holocomm session, the Tatooine leader of the Claws said that, in accordance with their master's orders, Revan himself, they had begun to create an intelligence network in the Core Worlds. To form fully autonomous cells, the Claws lacked resources, both financial and human. But sending a dozen capable guys to key Republic planets was within their power.
For several weeks now, a certain Ran Fevro had been on Coruscant. The enterprising young man was gathering information about the real rulers of the Republic's Heart. The Senate below the third level of the megacity planet meant absolutely nothing. Everything was controlled by several large factions that had divided the lower levels among themselves. Among them were the Hutts, the Black Sun, which had lost some of its position, and the Forsaken. The latter did not rise above the thirteen hundredth level, and therefore rarely crossed paths with other major players. Also, Fevro had heard rumors about a couple of strange types in black robes, who were responsible for the Sun's downfall. Some even suggested the idiotic assumption that these two were Jedi. They had even seen Jedi weapons of red color on one of them.
To find out more, Ran joined the Black Sun. The gang was actively recruiting new members, trying to recover after the swift war with the Cartel.
And now the Lord himself had contacted him! The very one who, just over a month ago, had turned the Claws from an ordinary port gang into full-fledged representatives of the Cartel in Mos Espa and was on friendly terms with Jabba himself!
And now the mysterious Lord was offering Fevro the leadership of the Claws here, on Coruscant. To Ran's surprised question about where the Claws would come from here, the leader hinted that the Claws would soon grow on the Sun.
"My Lord," Maul's voice pulled Revan from his thoughts.
"Apprentice?" the ship's master responded, emerging from the meditative trance into which the former Jedi had unconsciously fallen while devising the plan to seize control of Coruscant's criminal underworld.
"We received a message from Ziro Hutt," the Zabrak replied, kneeling, "We have the coordinates of all the Black Sun hideouts known to the Cartel."
"Good," Revan nodded, "We'll get the missing part after HK and Tira finish their mission."
The former Sith stood up and, with the Force, straightened his cloak, causing its folds to billow back as if caught by a hurricane gust.
The Mandalorian mask, which had been lying on the table until then, obediently floated through the air to its owner.
"As for you, Maul," Revan continued, "I have a task for you."
"What is your will, my Lord?" the Zabrak lowered his head in humility and anticipation.
Although the former Sith was not a proponent of such address, with Maul, it was impossible otherwise. His previous mentor had drilled the Sith etiquette too deeply into his apprentice.
"You will go to the coordinates we received from the Hutts and ensure the necessary conditions for the Sun's rebirth into the Claws," Revan commanded imperiously, "Destroy their leaders, show our strength, give them fear, bring them pain."
As the former Sith spoke these words, his eyes increasingly took on a golden hue. Maul's body trembled slightly, caused by the feeling of unstoppable power emanating from his mentor.
Revan, meanwhile, felt the Dark Side envelop him like a soft shroud. Its indistinct whisper, somewhere on the edge of consciousness, became clearer and clearer. It wasn't a voice, no... but a thought... an intention... a desire.
The former Sith remembered this feeling very well. The Force was guiding him again, but now it was fulfilling his desire, not dictating its will. Sith used the Dark Side of the Force, subjugating it to their will, taming its power with their consciousness, their feelings, and emotions, using this power to achieve what they desired.
"And when they know horror and despair," Revan continued, his voice growing colder, "Give them hope. Tell them about your Lord. Let them learn about the Lord who leads the Blood Claws. And bring them to me."
The Zabrak could barely find the strength to breathe. The mentor's power was overwhelming, scorching him with the heat of power. Maul suddenly felt as if he were not on a ship, but standing on the very edge of a cliff, with raging molten magma of never-sleeping Mustafar volcanoes below.
And then, this power stopped pressing on the Zabrak's shoulders. Instead, he felt a wave of heat pass through him as if, leaving behind... strength! Power!
"Rise, apprentice," Revan commanded.
Maul obeyed.
A real storm raged in his soul. The Force intoxicated him, awakening emotions that the Zabrak tried desperately to control. Fear, anger, respect for his mentor, thirst for power – everything mixed into a single hurricane.
Maul could barely stand on trembling legs and, with superhuman effort, forced himself to look at his mentor.
Revan looked at him with a studying gaze. Golden fire blazed in the ancient lord's eyes, reflecting the power of the Dark Side that this truly unique Force adept now controlled.
"Master your emotions, apprentice," Revan said in a steady tone, "Don't try to suppress them. It's impossible."
The Zabrak's eyes widened in surprise. If he couldn't control his emotions, then how the hell could he take them under control.
The mentor chuckled, sensing the apprentice's emotions.
"Don't hold them, but control them. Direct your fear, become faster! Master your rage, turn it into strength! Don't strive to be like me – be better!"
With each phrase, a new wave of Force passed through Maul's body. He felt his emotions seem to move, sometimes flaring up, sometimes fading. They seemed to strive to reach the energy that the Great Force contained.
Maul felt how, with an effort of will, the mentor, through the barely strengthened Force Bond, directed a barely perceptible cluster of energy, followed by the Zabrak's fear. Revan demonstrated by example how one could control oneself, and if necessary, the interlocutor.
Maul cautiously let the raging stream of Force, brought by the Dark Side, flow into his body. Following the mentor's silent instructions, the Zabrak got rid of his fear, using it to strengthen his body. After fear came rage, which threatened to cloud his mind. It wasn't easy, but Maul understood the basics that Revan was trying to convey to him.
The apprentice suddenly realized that the surrounding Force no longer pressed, burned, or caused discomfort. No. It enveloped the Zabrak from head to toe, giving him a sense of freedom and boundless power.
"Remember this feeling, apprentice," Revan said with an approving smile, "You are still at the beginning of the Dark Side's path. But today you have taken your first conscious steps on it."
"Thank you, my Lord," Maul bowed.
"Now, go. Complete your mission."
"Yes, my Lord."
The Zabrak rose and silently left the ship.
Revan took a few deep breaths, calming his emotions and shielding himself from the power of the Dark Side, which was increasingly pushing the Sith towards action.
Having calmed his mind, Revan rubbed his temples and sank into a chair near the holoprojector. He hadn't planned to conduct this short lesson for Maul any sooner. The Zabrak had only just begun to grasp the true power of the Dark Side. And yet, the Force thought otherwise. And when it came to training, Revan tried to listen to its will. Especially since Maul's training was now necessary for the plan to succeed. An insecure Zabrak, overwhelmed by fear and anger, could fail the mission. And that could not be allowed.
One day, Anakin would undergo the same training. But first, the boy had to learn to deal with the Light.
But all later. Now, he had to carry out his part of the plan. And perhaps not the most difficult part.
Twirling the mask in his hands, Revan secured it on his face and left the Dawn Eagle. HK was supposed to deliver Kirshaaх to the designated location soon. The former Sith had no doubt that the droid would follow the order.
Three hours later.
Abandoned cantina.
Sector 2311, Level 1011.
Revan was in a semi-meditative state, spinning the hilt of his lightsaber in the air with the Force. He sensed the approach of Tira and HK long before they arrived, and therefore prepared to conduct the interrogation.
However, he didn't have to exert any effort to obtain the required information. The beaten and scorched Quarren, who had lost half of his vibrissae tentacles, was ready to do anything to be saved from the "droid maniac" and the "crazy mercenary."
"Observation: we processed him a bit, Master," HK explained, "So as not to waste time."
"The knife will smell like fish for a week now," Tira added with contempt.
Realizing that he was facing the master and employer of his tormentors, Slask began to howl naturally and beg for mercy. He answered questions enthusiastically and tried in every way to please the man standing before him in the mask.
From the first minute, Revan sensed the Quarren's emotions and intentions through the Force's influence. Slask wanted to live and was terrified to death.
The head of the Kirshaaх clan was ready to do anything to stay alive. And this gave Revan an idea.
"Well, if this is all you can be useful for," the former Sith began in Slask's native language, demonstratively adjusting his grip on the deactivated lightsaber hilt.
The Quarren flared with pure terror in the Force.
"No! I can still be useful!" Slask pleaded.
"Oh? And how?" Revan feigned interest.
"I... I have many connections! Very many! I work with many black market traders! I have access to the Judicial Forces servers!" the Quarren shrieked, "I can get anything! And fast! The best smugglers in the galaxy work for me!"
The latter was an exaggeration, but overall, Revan was pleased with such... enthusiasm from his interlocutor.
"Well, Kirshaaх Slask," the former Sith said, touching the Quarren's mind with the Force, "From now on, you will serve me and only me. Your clan will join the Blood Claws and will carry out my will."
"Yes, of course," Slask replied, nodding vigorously.
"If you try to betray me, you will disappear from this world, dissolved in an ocean of pain," Revan continued, reinforcing the influence on the Quarren's mind, "From now on, I am your master. And my name is Lord."
Like Dorma, Kirshaaх would now follow his Lord's will, sincerely believing that he was doing it of his own free will.
"Yes, my Lord," was the last thing Kirshaaх Slask said before losing consciousness.
The mercenary walked over and poked the unconscious body with the toe of her boot.
"Without all this," Tira gestured vaguely in the air, "Couldn't you have done without the high-flown nonsense?"
Revan shrugged.
"You could have, but in some situations, you have to. Suggestion affects each individual's mind differently. And strangely enough, those who strive for power have minds that are susceptible to such... theatricality."
The former Sith was sure the Mandalorian rolled her eyes. Unfortunately, her face was hidden under her helmet.
"Impatient request: Master, do we have a next target?" the droid interjected.
"Oh, yes," Revan drawled with satisfaction, "Slask kindly gave us the possible coordinates of the Black Sun's main hideout. According to him, Dal Peri himself is hiding there."
The communicator beeped, signaling an incoming call.
The former Sith took out a portable holocommunicator and activated it.
A hologram of Maul appeared above the disc held in his palm.
"My Lord," the Zabrak greeted Revan with a bow.
"Tell me, apprentice."
"I have eliminated the first of the three Black Sun hideouts and discovered something important."
"Efficient," Revan was surprised by his subordinate's promptness, "In just a few hours, you dealt with a guarded target, and without preparation."
"That's not entirely true, my Lord," the Zabrak bowed his head, "I chose the least fortified object. Moreover, I had been in this building before and knew its layout. I managed to eliminate most of the guards before I was discovered."
"Commendable," Revan nodded.
The mercenary and HK snorted simultaneously.
"Amateur," Tira muttered barely audibly.
"Assessment of actions: below average," the droid echoed her.
The former Sith hissed irritably at them, telling them to shut up.
"What did you find out, apprentice?" Revan returned to the conversation.
"This place turned out to be something like a brothel for a select circle of clients. I was lucky. Among today's visitors was one of the Black Sun's deputy leaders."
"There is no luck, only the Force," Revan said automatically, "What did you manage to find out from this person?"
"His name was Ho Rawa-Rawa. He gave the coordinates of Dal Peri's hideout," Maul replied with barely concealed pride.
The communicator beeped, confirming receipt of the coordinates file.
"HK," Revan tossed the datapad to the droid, "Check it."
It only took the mechanical killer a few seconds to compare the two sets of coordinates.
"Conclusion: Master, the information obtained from Slask and Rawa-Rawa completely matches."
It was a success! By sending Maul on a mission to intimidate the Black Sun so they would more easily transition under the Hutts' wing, and in fact, into direct subordination to himself, Revan hadn't expected the Zabrak to obtain valuable information as well. Now, Slask's words carried more weight. Despite the fact that the Quarren couldn't lie to the gifted, there was still a possibility that the coordinates he provided only led to a meeting place between intermediaries. However, the information from the Sun's deputy leader pointed to the same place. Maul might not have sensed a lie. However, his interrogation methods... Let's just say that Revan had managed to find out during the three hours of waiting how exactly the Black Sun leaders had been eliminated last time.
"Excellent work, apprentice," the mentor praised the Zabrak.
"Thank you, my Lord."
"Continue your mission. We will verify the information received."
"Yes, my Lord."
The hologram disappeared.
Nomad demonstratively clicked on the blaster's grip, reinserting the power cell. HK-47 stood motionless, his optical sensors fixed on his creator.
"Well, then," Revan put the communicator back in his pouch, "Shall we go visit Mr. Peri?"
"Request with hope for a positive answer: Should I take grenades?" HK asked.
Revan sighed and rubbed his mask.
"Take them," he agreed.
The droid almost sparked with joy, which even Tira noticed.
"Don't burn yourself out," the mercenary chuckled.
"Anticipating: Oh, someone will definitely burn today," HK said dreamily, "And it certainly won't be me."
"Moving out," Revan ordered, heading for the exit.
The droid and the mercenary followed.
Just twenty minutes later, three representatives of the Blood Claws, including a Mandalorian, a former Jedi, and a killer droid, were ready to attack some cantina building. However, despite the building's appearance, this was where the Black Sun leader's hideout was located.
There was a lot of security, even at first glance.
Four fighters at the entrance next to the bouncer, five on the roof, four patrols of four fighters patrolling around the building, and God knows how many inside. And God really knew. And he suggested it to his adept. Revan clearly felt the presence of almost fifty sentient beings, whose emotions were dominated by fear.
Apparently, the local inhabitants had heard news of the destroyed base. And by this time, Maul might have started on the next one. The security must have been reinforced. This complicated matters.
HK also detected a video surveillance network, an emergency lockdown system with automatic armored shutters on windows and doors, and several connected turrets.
It was decided to attack from three directions.
Tira went through the roof. With her jetpack, reaching the target would be a matter of seconds. HK attacked from the back entrance, as noisily as possible, drawing the main forces of the defenders on the lower floors to himself. Revan, meanwhile, infiltrated the building through a side window on the second floor. It was necessary to get inside before the lockdown activated, isolating the building.
At the moment a grenade detonated at the back door, and one of the guards fell from the roof, the former Sith was already rushing towards the window. An inconveniently placed patrol could do nothing against the gifted, using the Force to accelerate and strengthen his body. He passed through the squad like a hot knife through butter. The black lightsaber traced two short arcs, ending four lives at once. The swordsman himself, without slowing down, jumped six meters up and, sending a shockwave ahead of him that shattered the fiberglass window, flew into the corridor of the second floor of the Black Sun hideout.
The security turret that reacted to the appearance of the stranger was immediately crushed by the Force. And the couple of guards who got in his way were instantly pulled towards the former Sith and impaled with a plasma blade.
Sounds of fighting and someone's screams could be heard below. The building shook from explosions several times. HK was having a blast.
"I'm inside," Revan reported on the encrypted channel.
"Me too," Tira's voice came, "Roof clear, moving to the fourth floor. Minimal resistance."
"Report on status: First floor almost cleared," HK-47 responded, "Resistance is fierce, however, only light firearms are being used."
"Received," Revan replied, "According to the information obtained, Peri is holed up somewhere on the third floor."
"I've hacked the internal surveillance network," Nomad immediately reported, "There's a reinforced hall on the third floor, isolated from the general network. I'm putting on my helmet, he's there. However, it's also a great place for an ambush."
"Excellent. Meet us there."
"Received."
"Confirmed."
The next second, the lockdown activated. The windows were covered by armored shutters, and the lighting switched to emergency mode, plunging the building into darkness.
In the corridor, through which Revan was moving, a squad of six people burst in. The former Jedi reacted, jumping aside, hiding behind a wall protrusion. Several blaster bolts, fired by particularly quick-witted fighters, were deflected by the lightsaber blade. The black blade barely created any glare, which was convenient in the dimly lit corridor. Nevertheless, it was difficult to confuse the weapon of the Force adepts with anything else.
"It's a Jedi!" someone from the guards shouted.
The squad took up positions at the far exit of the corridor. The Force suggested that fighters from the Black Sun would soon arrive from the rear as well.
Focusing for a moment, Revan struck the mind of that very shouting guard with a deception of the mind.
"Spiders! Spiders everywhere! They'll devour you from the inside alive!" the former Jedi mentally projected.
The man on whom the blow was directed suddenly jumped up and spun around.
"AAAAAAH!!! Help! Get them off me!" he shrieked.
Dropping his blaster, the poor fellow began to try to shake off the horrible-looking arthropods visible only to him.
"Val, shut up and get back to cover!" the squad commander roared.
However, the man driven mad by fear didn't care about anyone's words. The Force fueled his fear, burning out the victim's mind.
Val Ratka, as the poor fellow was called, didn't even notice how, in his attempt to escape the illusion, he snagged the detonator of a grenade attached to his belt.
The explosion claimed the lives of the entire squad, as there was nowhere to go in the narrow corridor.
Revan covered himself with a Force barrier, deflecting the shockwave towards the window. The armored shutter withstood the impact, but the wall next to it did not. Part of the structure could not withstand the force of the explosion and was thrown outward.
The Force warned of danger, and Revan sharply turned towards the nearest exit from the corridor, taking a Soresu stance. The blade, close to his head, pointed its tip towards the enemy, ready to protect its owner.
The fighters who burst into the corridor immediately opened fire on the stranger, but encountered an impenetrable shield of a lightsaber. The quick and precise movements of the blade deflected shot after shot, often redirecting the blaster bolts back at the shooters. The density of fire was clearly insufficient to cause concern for an experienced swordsman, but Revan decided not to prolong the fight. He needed to move on to his goal.
After deflecting another shot, the former Jedi pulled a second blade from his belt and threw it towards the surviving fighters. The sword, controlled by telekinesis, struck two more shooters along a complex trajectory. The remaining one was coldly strangled.
Adjusting his cloak, Revan moved towards the transition to the third floor.
On the stairs, he encountered three more fighters. However, something unexpected happened. One of the trio pulled out a blaster and shot his comrades in the back, killing both before they could raise their weapons. The former Jedi disarmed the shooter with the Force and pinned him against the wall.
"Master, I'm on your side!" the guard pleaded, as the lightsaber blade slightly scorched his neck. "I serve the Claws faithfully!"
"Who are you?" Revan asked in an icy voice, already guessing the answer.
"Ran Fevro! I am Ran Fevro!"
The former Sith stepped back and lowered his blade.
"I can help," the Claw scout informed him. "I've managed to secure the support of several commanders who are tired of butting heads with the Cartel. They want money and power, and therefore are ready to join the Claws."
The man wasn't lying. Revan would have felt it.
"Where is Dal Peri?" he asked.
"In his 'throne room,' as he calls this place," Ran snorted. "The room is reinforced with plate armor and well guarded. But there are people inside who are ready to help."
"Excellent. Can you contact them?"
"Of course!"
"Then warn them that we're coming."
"Right away."
Letting the scout go ahead of him, the former Jedi headed for the "throne room."
The hall on the third floor greeted Revan with a scene from the chronicles of the Mandalorian Wars. Bullet marks on the walls, broken furniture, smoldering debris, and two colorful characters finishing off the wounded. HK and Tyra acted surprisingly in sync, as if they had been working together for many years. However, Revan guessed the reason. The assassin droid had exhaustive information about Mandalorian combat methods and tactics. Adapting to the mercenary was not difficult.
"You're slow," Nomad grinned, turning to those who entered. "Who is this with you?"
"Our spy in the enemy camp," the former Sith nodded at Ran.
"Observation: Unimpressive for a spy," HK summarized.
"And yet."
"How will we crack this 'safe'?" Tyra asked, interrupting the scout's discussion with a reasonable question.
"Assessment: Almost half a meter of durasteel instead of a door and about the same amount of armor on the walls," the droid calculated. "The current combat load will not be enough to destroy the obstacles. However, the weight of the structure exceeds the maximum load of the floors. Everything is held by additional supports on the second floor. Proposal: Blow up the supports and collapse the shelter onto the first floor."
"It's not a fact that it will damage him," Tyra objected. "We need to get inside, not shake the contents like a cocktail in a cantina."
"I can help," Ran Fevro joined the discussion.
"How?" the Mandalorian turned to him.
"There are people loyal to the Claws inside. They can open the door."
"Or I can just cut a passage," Revan tossed the hilt of his lightsaber in his palm.
"As an option," the mercenary agreed.
However, there was no need to cut anything. Ran received confirmation from his associates that they were ready to open the door.
As soon as the trio of intruders took their positions, Fevro gave the signal.
The guards clearly did not expect the attack to come not only from outside, but also from within. The brief battle passed without serious consequences for Revan and his squad. A couple of scorch marks on the armor didn't count. Four out of six loyal Claw gang members survived the attack. The Black Sun fighters could not counter the Jedi, the assassin droid, and the Mandalorian mercenary, especially when their own comrades were shooting them in the back. Revan led the vanguard, covering his companions with his blade, while HK and Tyra reduced the enemy's numbers at a frightening pace. Stationary turrets were destroyed, and security droids were disabled by the Force.
The Sun leader sat on a peculiar throne made of crates for transporting weapons and explosives. And despite the fact that his guard was cut down in seconds, he looked too self-confident. Apparently, the barely visible force shield surrounding the "throne" gave him courage.
HK growled in displeasure when a shot aimed directly at the forehead of the self-confident upstart was absorbed by the force field.
"How much did the Hutt spend to hire a Jedi?" Dal Peri sneered defiantly.
Revan slowly moved towards the throne.
"Oh, how fierce we are," Peri drawled. "Just don't go any further."
The leader of the Black Sun demonstratively raised his right hand with a detonator clenched in his fist and kicked one of the crates at the foot of his throne. The crate opened, revealing hidden explosives inside. The detonation button on the detonator was already pressed.
"There's enough here to blow up half the block, so don't move if you value your life," Peri said brazenly.
Revan froze in place, but the former Jedi was far from idle. He concentrated and tried to penetrate the barrier and reach the enemy. It was not going well. The force field interfered with directing the Force.
"Observation: Master, the barrier is powered by two generators. A main and a backup. The main one is hidden behind a panel under the ceiling directly above the throne. The backup is under the dome and currently inaccessible," HK reported on a secure channel.
Since the droid did not use its vocoder, and Revan was silent, no one could hear their conversation.
"So now you will listen to me," the Sun leader said, rising from his throne.
"Recommendation: The shield is not powered by both generators simultaneously. The backup only turns on forty-five hundredths of a second later, which causes the shield to deactivate for the same period," the droid continued. "Recommendation: Simultaneous attack on both generators. One accurate hit will be enough to destroy the backup. Nomad shoots first at the main generator, I follow at the backup."
The plan was risky. But the alternative was to obey Peri.
Revan slowly nodded. Tyra did the same.
"I must admit, you surprised me," Dal Peri was still rambling. "To come to my home and break into the throne room with just three of you? You have talent."
The mercenary and the assassin droid, meanwhile, cautiously prepared to shoot.
"Notification: Waiting for the command, Master," the droid reported.
Revan nodded again, which did not escape the gang leader's attention.
"I see you nodding," Peri smirked. "So you're the leader? Of course! Who else but a Jedi! Tell me, Jedi, how much does it cost to buy a knight of the Republic?"
"I am not a Jedi," Revan replied, simultaneously raising his hand towards the leader of the Black Sun.
At that moment, two shots rang out, almost merging into one. The force field protecting Dal Peri flickered and disappeared.
Shocked by what had happened, the gang leader remembered the detonator and, with a malicious grin, was about to release the detonation button when he discovered he couldn't move.
Revan slowly approached the throne, holding the enemy with the Force. Dal Peri's mind proved surprisingly resistant to suggestion. It was a shame to lose such a determined operative, but enemies were not left behind. Revan had learned this lesson a long time ago... and at a very high price.
The former Sith approached the panting, former leader of the Black Sun and looked into his eyes. Hatred mixed with... joy? All of this was clearly readable in his gaze.
Without a word, the former Sith plunged his lightsaber into the chest of the paralyzed opponent.
Only when the last echo of Dal Peri's life disappeared from the Force did Revan deactivate the blade and loosen his grip with the Force, leaving only the hand with the clenched detonator motionless.
"HK, deal with the bombs," he ordered. "Tyra, dig through their terminals. Maybe we'll find something useful."
The droid and the mercenary, without a word, began to carry out the instructions.
Revan then turned to Ran Fevro.
"We have a lot to discuss with you," the former Jedi said tiredly. "It's time for the Blood Claws to replace the Black Sun."