Clack! Clack-clack!
Whoosh—whoosh—!
The metallic corridor was filled with a tense atmosphere of combat; soldiers moving with hurried steps intertwined with the interior of the Death Star to create a scene of chaos and intense fighting. The fierce flashes from Gauss and energy weapons intermingled as the deafening gunfire echoed relentlessly within the narrow passageway, like thunderclaps tearing through the air.
Wave after wave of Death Troopers surged from every direction, their black armor, illuminated by flickering warning lights, exuding an oppressive aura. Every Death Trooper, battle-hardened and moving with swift precision like cold, unfeeling machines, rapidly formed an encircling formation. Their coordinated, concentrated fire rained down on Ryan and his team, their tightly synchronized steps and seamless teamwork seemingly intent on utterly crushing their opponents.
However, standing against this group of Death Troopers were not only Ryan, Chirrut, and the others, but also three Special Forces squads that had come to reinforce them. The battle raged furiously; the corridor was permeated by the acrid smell of burning metal and the explosive sounds of high-energy discharges.
Even though the enemy outnumbered them several times over, the members of the Investigation Department's Special Forces did not flinch. In order to protect Ryan's team, they unhesitatingly activated the energy shield modules of their nano-combat suits.
Buzzz—buzzz—!
As the low hum began, a pale blue energy shield instantly spread out, blocking most of the energy beams fired by the Death Troopers. The powerful ripple of energy diffused outward, neutralizing and canceling the enemy's attacks.
However, this method came at a high cost. Each deployment of the energy shield meant a massive drain on battery power. As time passed, the batteries in the Special Forces' suits rapidly depleted, and the shield's strength and capacity gradually waned. Most critically, this energy consumption limited the use of other functions of the combat suits, such as stealth mode and life support systems for extreme environments. If the energy continued to be consumed at this rate, the Special Forces members could soon find themselves in dire straits, unable to cope with more complex combat situations.
Even so, the members of the Investigation Department's Special Forces held their ground, buying more time for Lucy, who was cracking the security gate, and for K-2SO, who was providing support. In fact, the pressure the Death Troopers faced at that moment was even greater than that on the Special Forces. They were not only carrying out their mission but also bearing enormous "strategic" pressure. The latest orders from higher command had just mentioned that a massive fleet had suddenly appeared in the Scariff sector, with firepower and defense systems so terrifying that they far exceeded the capabilities of any Rebel Alliance forces. Confronted with this new threat, both Scariff and the Death Star's defensive lines were under unprecedented strain.
The commanders of the Galactic Empire urgently needed to ensure the stability of the Death Star to cope with any potential emergencies. Against this backdrop, the mission of the Death Troopers became especially critical. The main control room in Sector 7 was one of the core command hubs of the Death Star; if it were infiltrated by enemy agents, the Death Star's firepower and defensive capabilities would be severely compromised. Should enemy spies breach the defenses, the entire control system of the Death Star would fall into chaos, and the overall defensive facilities in the lower hemisphere of the Death Star would become meaningless. Every second counted for the Death Troopers—they had to eliminate the infiltrators quickly to secure the core area and prevent the loss of the main control room. The ticking clock meant that even the slightest delay could change the course of the battle.
Thwack—!
At that moment, a fierce energy beam struck David's right shoulder with pinpoint accuracy. The tremendous impact force sent him flying violently, slamming him to the ground. The clatter of his armor scraping against metal filled the air as fragments ricocheted off. The energy weapon wielded by the Death Troopers was far more powerful than the standard weaponry of the assault teams, so the assault armor and power suit that David wore were no match for the attack.
"Little brother! Are you alright?!"
Whoosh! Whoosh—whoosh!!
Seeing the situation, Baze immediately deemed it critical and without hesitation, while suppressing enemy fire at the far end of the corridor, quickly dropped into a half-squat position, freeing his left arm and reaching out to help steady David.
"It's nothing."
Despite the tremor in his voice, David seemed relatively unscathed. He extended his left hand and firmly grasped the outstretched arm from Baze. Using his momentum, he managed to stand back up and, after catching his breath, continued, "Just a minor issue."
At that moment, David's tone lightened. Indeed, as he had said, although that energy beam nearly melted his armor and pierced his power suit, most of his body had already been heavily augmented with prosthetics. Unless a vital area was critically damaged, ordinary injuries did not affect him as fatally as they would a normal human. Even if his right shoulder were to be rendered completely "nonfunctional," it would merely register as an intense shock that could be remedied with routine maintenance and repairs later.
Then David readjusted himself, releasing Baze's support. He turned to face Lucy, who was working behind him, and called out loudly, "Lucy! How's it coming along?!"
Silence.
Lucy's electronic eyes flickered softly as she remained focused on her task. For several agonizing seconds that felt elongated, her nerves were on high alert. Connected through the interface of her prosthetic limb to the terminal on the security gate, she was swiftly breaking through layer after layer of firewalls and encryption. Data scrolled rapidly across her screen, yet her expression remained as calm and composed as ever.
After a few seconds—
Qi~!
A subtle pressure wave spread quietly as the metallic security gate slowly slid open, accompanied by a faint clicking sound. At that moment, Lucy's electronic eyes returned to their usual soft glow, signaling that she had successfully breached the heavy defenses of the security system. She turned her head slightly, glancing at David with a hint of proud satisfaction on her face. Completing the most critical step of her task, she silently exhaled before turning to report to Ryan, "Sir, we can proceed to the next step."
"Excellent!"
Hearing this, Ryan swiftly shifted his gaze from the Death Troopers at the far end of the corridor to the widening gap in the security gate. With the gate opening, the next phase of the operation would determine whether they could break through and seize control of the main control room. The eyes of the four Special Forces members, along with those of Chirrut, Baze, and David, were all fixed intently on the slowly opening gate, ready to counter any threat that might emerge from inside the control room and to keep a close watch on the personnel within to prevent any rash actions that could lead to unnecessary losses.
When the security gate finally swung open completely, its jarring mechanical sounds gradually subsided, revealing the interior of the main control room—
Whoosh—whoosh!!
The Death Troopers assigned to internal security immediately unleashed a barrage of suppressive fire. Almost as soon as the gate fully split apart, lethal energy projectiles were fired directly outwards. High-energy beams streaked through the air toward the door, but the Special Forces' reactions were equally swift and deadly.
Clack—clack!!
Before the retaliatory fire from the Death Troopers could even form an effective threat, the Special Forces members rapidly squeezed the triggers of their Gauss rifles. A series of precise armor-piercing, spike rounds rang out crisply through the corridor and into the control room. Each shot hit its intended target with unerring accuracy.
Several Death Troopers' helmets exploded instantly—blood, brain matter, and fragments of metal splattered in a deadly spray as they fell without a chance to recover. There was no shelter available for these troopers, while Ryan and his team, positioned at a relatively safe distance and leveraging tactical advantages, quickly seized the initiative. The overwhelming and precise fire from the Special Forces left the Death Troopers with virtually no time to react.
As they fell, the previously tense situation was completely reversed. Meanwhile, the dozens of personnel remaining in the main control room—including a colonel whose uniform bore an air of "calm" and "decisiveness"—had long been monitoring the external situation through various live feeds. At that moment, the Scariff sector had again plunged into an all-out firefight, with the balance of power shifting continuously. Both the Death Star and the reinforcing fleet were facing unprecedented pressure. In such a precarious situation, survival had become the only concern.
The main control room in Sector 7 was one of the core command hubs of the Death Star; if enemy infiltrators breached it, the Death Star's firepower output and defense capabilities would suffer devastating losses. According to the latest orders, the situation was dire. The Death Troopers had done exactly as expected when, under overwhelming odds, they resorted to traditional measures employed by lower-ranking Imperial soldiers and officers.
"We surrender!"
"Don't shoot!!"
With a rousing shout, all of the control room personnel—including the colonel—raised their hands in surrender. Their decision was understandable; in a conflict of ever-escalating scale and duration, preserving one's own life became paramount. Their desperate defense of the main control room would only delay the inevitable by a few seconds, having little overall impact on the broader battle.
Step, step!
The steady, rapid footsteps of Ryan and his team echoed through the control room as they swiftly charged inside. Immediately following, several Special Forces members, without waiting for Ryan's command, used disposable binding straps to secure the wrists of the captured personnel, completely restricting their movements. Such efficient cooperation and tacit coordination were just part of their daily routine.
"Lucy, continue the hack!"
At that moment, Ryan's calm and commanding order resonated throughout the control room.
"Yes."
Lucy's response was as brief as ever. She strode toward the colonel's control console and, using tools integrated into her prosthetic, connected to the operating system in the blink of an eye, as if every nerve in her body were one with the digital control system of the area. Her eyes glowed faintly once more, their light seemingly engaging in silent dialogue with the digital world.
Outside the main control room, the battle still raged fiercely, but the Death Troopers had been neutralized. The security gate was not reclosed because two more teams of Special Forces had arrived on the floor, quickly surrounding the area. Together with their comrades in the control room, they formed a pincer movement against any remaining Death Troopers. This had almost been a perfectly orchestrated plan; the Death Troopers had no capacity to mount any effective counterattack.
Still, everyone remained vigilant. Should a skilled Sith warrior appear, the rhythm of the battle could be shattered in an instant. After all, any qualified Force wielder could swing a lightsaber, deflecting and countering high-energy beams with remarkable speed. Unless one was as adept with the Force as an Astartes, even the enhanced physiques of the Special Forces and investigators would not be enough to directly counter a Sith warrior in a head-on confrontation.
Once the situation outside had stabilized and the Special Forces had secured a clear advantage, Ryan chose a favorable position to observe, keeping a wary eye on the corridor outside the gate. Confirming that the Special Forces held an absolute advantage, he raised his voice to break the silence and issued an order to Lucy, "Report status!"
Standing in the center of the main control room, Lucy did not immediately report. Instead, she murmured softly to herself, "The plasma valve permissions at the docking bay have been changed. The tractor beam in Sector 7 has been shut down. The shield in Sector 7 has been successfully deactivated." She then looked up at Ryan and reported urgently, "Sir, you may now notify Curze of the original entity and his Glory Guard to commence a jump operation at the docking bay of Sector 7 on the Death Star!"
At that, Ryan's eyes flashed, and he immediately turned to look at David.
David responded succinctly and loudly, "Report complete, sir! All necessary data has been transmitted to the flagship of the Blood Raven Company!"
"Excellent!" Ryan nodded with satisfaction and then, in a steady tone, addressed all personnel, "Hold on, everyone. Our reinforcements will be arriving soon, and the original entity will take command of the ensuing operation. All we need to do is hold this control room!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Special Forces, along with David and Lucy, responded in unison, their voices loud and resolute.
Even K-2SO's response was tinged with a dramatic flair, as if he too had been swept up by the fervor; his mechanical voice, rare in its excitement, replied, "Yes! Agent Kennedy!"—hinting at a human-like passion and an undeniable determination.
Meanwhile, Baze removed his "inconvenient" helmet, revealing a face that, though showing signs of fatigue, was determined and resolute. He casually tossed his helmet aside and rested his left hand on Chirrut's shoulder plate, his eyes reflecting a sense of relief as he said in a low, thoughtful tone, "Old buddy, at last we can turn things around."
Chirrut did not rush to reply; instead, he quietly removed his helmet as well, revealing a face marked by exhaustion yet softened by a relieved smile. It was the smile of someone who, after enduring countless perils, had finally seen a glimmer of hope.
As the two stood side by side, perhaps in that moment they were no longer merely fearless warriors fighting for ideals and convictions—they had become survivors who, after weathering a storm of despair, finally saw the first light of dawn.
As for the docking bay of Sector 7 on the Death Star…
Clang—clang-clang!!
Ri~whoosh—!!
The sounds of explosive projectiles and plasma cannons rang out through the vast space. Hidden veteran members of the Blood Raven Company, having received the signal that "action was authorized," began leaping over the plasma valves one after another, launching a crushing assault against the bewildered assault troopers.
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]