Aiden had just reloaded his pistol with APFSDS rounds, the most non-lethal option he had all things considered, with his alternatives being able to set people ablaze and roast them alive in seconds, or complete and utterly violent disintegration of all but the heaviest of armor. Relatively the armor piercing darts moving past Mach speeds would do much less damage, but still a misplaced shot could utterly annihilate someone if he wasn't careful. He had just reloaded his pistol when a new threat presented itself to not only his X-ray vision, but auditory receptors on his helmet.
The first made a move with a grenade in hand like he was going to attack. Aiden holstered his pistol as he knew this man was just that, a man. He wouldn't have to resort to such extreme measures to keep him from doing something stupid, or to keep from killing him. He didn't want anyone else to die, he didn't want anyone else to have to perish before this day was over. He readied himself to stop the man before one of his cohorts must have seen reason and leaped out of his position to stop him, the two tangling before even getting close to Aiden.
<“Not like this, Boss! Not like this! There’s another way! We just have to find it!”>
<“Jaeger! Tyrell! Do something dammit!”> his own words matched his struggle in wrestling Irveric from his feet, calling for his comrades to do something to help him.
Aiden could just make out what he was saying. The pleading in his voice. The wish for them to stop this madness. Aiden wanted to help them. He wanted to stop all of this. But he had to see what Prazutis knew. He had to know if this man could help him avenge his father. To right the burden that Aiden now carried. The more people that got here, the more that would be put into danger. The more that would be put into harm's way for needless, thoughtless violence. And while Aiden knew these men were still allied with those that would use civilians like one used cheap droid combatants, he still didn't want to kill them. Sergei had the resolve to do such evil things, but Aiden had a respect for all life. Life that even in the darkest of times still might have noble intentions and aspirations. These men sought to fight a perceived evil, and while Aiden could at least respect the intent their way was still wrong because it was paid for and paved with innocent lives and blood. The Dire Wolves sought to end such evils. To show the rest of the galaxy that the proper fight was with the men, steel, and tenacity of those few who volunteered, trained, and chosen. It was through their sacrifices that many would survive, and even as mercenaries their code of honor forbid the use of non-combatants as living shields. The thought still sickened Aiden to the core that these men who claimed righteousness would condone these acts. This depravity.
And before he could settle into a more defensive posture the third man decided that he was more akin to the first's intentions. In that he would attempt something stupid, and even noting the pause to look down at something.
He was wounded.
Aiden paused as he mentally thought to himself, wishing for all he could that this man would hear his pleading thoughts.
Please. Please don't make me hurt you. I'm begging you, no more violence.
"There is no death. There is the force."
Tyrell's grip on the pin loosened. With a click, the Void Grenade primed.
He began to sprint.
The man had decided his course. Aiden calculated his trajectory and found that he'd run into the smoke before he got to his destination, and there he would intercept him and stop him. He had to stop him before this got out of hand and more people got hurt. Before even more got killed. It was then a transmission came in through Aiden's personal commlink.
"Aiden we have a problem,"
"What?"
"I've detected a massive barrage of artillery and missiles being sent to your location. Impact is soon, they will level the base,"
"I can't leave John, these men won't stop attacking. I have to stop them from killing someone else let alone themselves,"
"Negative, prime directive dictates that survival of Sergei Jachovich is paramount, either you must leave or I will intervene,"
"John what are you saying? My father is dead!"
A pause would happen over the comms as the droid made calculations, and the GS-77 Gunship would appear overhead of the garrison above all of them. The blast of the exhaust would dissipate the smoke, thankfully mostly towards the NIO's intruders but that wasn't what held Aiden's attention. John stated his prime directive in regards to Sergei. But Sergei was
dead.
"John what the HELL do you think you're doing!?!?!?!?!"
"Prime directive dictates that survival of Sergei Jachovich is paramount, you are his sole heir Aiden Wolf,"
"No. No no no! John! John don't do this!"
"It has been a pleasure young Wolf, you would have made Sergei very proud,"
"JOHN! JOHN PLEASE! JOHN DON'T-"
"Goodbye son of Sergei,"
With a wave of the conductor's hand the symphony began. Three seconds; the guns were at full charge, those instruments of death at the ready. Two more; the first of the MegaCaliber Six turbolaser blasts landed -- half forming a line at the beacon, the other half a line across the far edge of the garrison. By seven, a hail of disruptor torpedoes and brilliant missiles followed up the turbolaser barrage. The reverberations a terrible song by which they sent away so many souls.
The GS-77 Gunship would rocket forward on a predetermined intercept course. The initial barrage of turbolasers would be inaccurate enough that John wouldn't contend with them, as the
MegaCaliber Six was originally designed for only the most extreme of walker sizes to be accurate enough to engage targets with a good modicum of accuracy. His true targets were the missile barrage as he stopped just short of their projected impact zones. The GS-77 finally activated its weapon systems since it had been in the air this entire time, despite the NIO "no-fly zone". John brought the primary laser cannons and missile launchers to bear on the oncoming streak of missiles. The position he'd selected was strategic. Without extreme maneuvers the missiles would have to go through him before they would touch the garrison. A fact that while his programming to survive tried to rebel against, but his prime directive was much harder coded.
Sergei Jachovich's sole living heir was on the ground below. That stupid son of a nerf herder. He hated violence, he hated hurting people and certainly abhorred the thought of killing them. John would at least ensure that no one else would be hurt by his actions. He owed Aiden that much.
The GS-77's main weapons would open fire, the laser cannons streaking out as they targeted missiles in the barrage, firing its own missiles to attempt to intercept the incoming hail of death. Explosions would rock the air between the two, and while the stand was valiant, the GS-77 was hopelessly outgunned. He had left much unsaid between them. A regret that he would not be able to fix. How the droid had inadvertently developed a deep bond with Aiden's adoptive father. How he felt he owed his entire existence to the man for saving him on that fateful day years ago, and despite all of the hell the two of them had been through. How Aiden had not only treated him the same, but would always ask the most delightful questions. How there were so many stories he had yet to tell the young boy. A shame that it wouldn't be so.
The ship would rock as the first missile finally slammed into its hull. It was quickly followed by a second, third, and fourth. John fought the controls of the vessel as the droid brain aboard the vessel tried to keep her steady, but it was a lost cause. First one of the cannons would be ripped off, then a second, missiles would rake the hull and absolutely tear into the vessel. Engine one failed in a massive explosion as John kept fighting the controls, kept firing the laser cannons, kept fighting for every second he could buy them. One of the brilliant missiles would locate the cockpit of the vessel and without a moment's hesitation slammed home into the weak point. Hell fire sprouted from the place where the canopy used to be, as the ship finally began rolling over mid flight and dropped from the sky. Its massive hulk would slam into the ground where
Djorn Bline
had been just moments ago, and everyone could hear Aiden's scream. Like a wounded animal he reached for the hull as he thought to save his friend. His only remaining friend. The ship however would detonate as its reactor and and weapons finally gave out under the stress of taking so much damage and launched Aiden back a few meters. Tears streamed down his face as he quickly got back up, and looked at the now burning carcass before him. To many they would see a ship lost. To many they would see lost valuables, including a priceless droid from one of the premier mercenary units in the galaxy, a small armory, and a great vessel for any spacer.
All Aiden could see was his last connection to his father go up in flames. Sacrificing himself to save him.
It was in this moment that Aiden would finally find his limit. When he finally lost the last thing he had left to a father that was no longer there. A father who had sacrificed almost everything to give the boy a second chance at life, and gave everything he had including his life to make the galaxy a truly safer place. A father that Aiden would do anything to get one more visit with, just five more minutes of his time to talk about school. To complain about how droll the professors are, how his training is going, and tell stories about trips he took with Aunt Gia and Uncle Locke. To see the look of absolute pride in his face as he would talk about school projects, how John Locke would help him with his science projects to make absolutely wonderful creations. How Aunt Gia would always keep him grounded and humble, with her absolutely kindest heart and caring soul. All of the things he desperately craved, and was able to at least sort of see again through a droid's retellings of old stories. Of how The Dire Wolves and their leader charging into the heart of the fight, sacrificing everything if only to save just one more life. How they somehow always managed to make it through even when the darkest of hours befell them and threatened to overtake all. How Sergei always had a plan, and gallantly lead these men from the front risking life and limb for not only brothers but even droids.
And all of it, was now
gone.
Aiden could feel the shade behind him, its dark tendrils seeping in as the boy wept openly. He didn't care that they could see him. He didn't care that he was exposed. He didn't care about that thing right now. What it said next would however cause a reality shift in the boy.
You know who did this right? It was them, in fact, I bet that man there, He spoke pointing to
Tyrell Paxxus
I bet he's the one who called it in. I bet he's the reason you're all alone now. So what do you say kiddo? Wanna make him pay?
"YOU!" He screamed pulling out his pistol as he started fast walking to this wounded man, firing a single shot aimed for his shoulder to get him to stumble. He wanted this man to suffer for his crimes.
"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! YOU STOLE EVERYTHING I HAD LEFT!"
"I SWEAR ON MY FATHER'S SOUL I'LL TEAR YOUR KARKING HEART OUT YOU MONSTER! I'LL KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"
Aiden had tried restraint. He had tried holding himself back and giving these people a chance to back down. He had tried being as peaceful as he could, using only the necessary level of violence needed to resolve matters. But now, these animals had taken what little from him that he had left. Aiden had no home, no ship, and now because of them the last vestige of his father that he clung to like life itself was now gone. Electricity would arc from his palms as he felt himself give into his rage. He would kill every last one of these savages himself if he had to. John had bought and paid for the time he'd given the rest to do whatever they had to. And in doing so unleashed the monster that Aiden had kept hidden and at bay for so long. He would keep firing on the man, hell bent to kill him if that was the last thing he did.
Okkeus Dainlei
| Ulkahall Svaraghaun | Var Koon |
Naier Rambeigh
|
Kormov Alten
| @Jos
Kiff Brayde
|
Kyyrk
|
Verin Oldo
|
Onrai
|
Taeli Raaf
|
Thaelius
