Wag Too: - That was radical. - He said enthusiastically after the battle. - Something wrong? -

Despite the overwhelming victory, Icarus kept looking into the Munificent. Something was bothering him, and after so much time together, Wag Too already knew when the droid had something on his mind.

Icarus: - The battle at this point was somewhat superficial. In fact, I personally wouldn't even consider it a battle. -

Wag Too: - No way. The Pykes couldn't even know what was going on. So. What is the problem? -

Icarus: - Once we enter the interior of the frigate we won't know what to find. We will be blind, and it is possible that they will find traps everywhere. Not to mention that we don't even know the position of the enemies or how many they are. -

Wag Too: - Any ideas? -

Ícaro: - No. I don't know many variants to be able to calculate an accepted action plan. -

Wag Too: - Well... What would you do if you had to defend this place? -

Ícaro: - What's the point of computing that? -

Wag Too: - Just try it. - The droid hesitated for a few seconds, but finally agreed to follow the suggestion.

Ícaro: - First, I would establish the command cabin as a control post where all my units operate. Second, I would reinforce the main road from the entry point to the command post with the main body of the troops. Third, I would plant explosives along possible access routes to obstruct any flanking attempts. Fourth, I would organize an elite force to move to different points without affecting the defenses. In this way I can guarantee security in some key sectors. The rest would depend on how the battle unfolded. -

Wag Too: - Very good. Now try to create a countermeasure plan on top of your own strategy. - It was then when a short circuit shook the interior of the droid, because he would never have thought in such a way. It seems that he still had a lot to learn from the organics and their unorthodox ways after all.

Icarus: - I already have something. - He said after a few minutes. - Follow me. -

The small group entered the interior of the frigate Munificent very cautiously. Icarus's plan was simple, but effective. One of the commando droids would advance a hundred meters in front, with the objective of identifying possible enemies before engaging in combat. The other commando droid would bring up the rear, separated by about fifty meters. Far enough away to avoid possible flanking, and close enough to join the battle if they were surprised. The rest would move down the halls in a file of four, with Icarus and Wag Too in the center, and the two droidekas at the tips, ready to immediately activate shields to protect their superiors. They would all carry their flashlights on, since inside the ship there was not a drop of light.

Delta: - Commander. I got to the elevators. As expected, it has no power. - He was speaking on the comm.

Icarus: - Very good. Take the stairs and keep a safe distance. -

Delta: - Roger. Roger. -

Wag Too: - It's strange. We've come a long way, but there seems to be no sign of anyone in here. -

Ícaro: - The plan I proposed would be something I would do. It does not mean that our opponent thinks the same. In fact, it is possible that our adversary is smarter than us, and we are walking right into their trap. - Those words caused Wag Too to swallow dry, somewhat worried.

After a reasonable amount of time, the commander's subgroup reached the elevators and, indeed, they were disabled. With no other choice, they had to go up the emergency stairs, following the path that Delta had secured beforehand. It is worth noting that such a feat could be compared to climbing the Empire State Building from the base to the top of the tower by stairs. Which caused Wag Too to have to stop numerous times to catch his breath, and change his carbon filter to avoid contaminating the area. But the funniest thing was to see the two commando droids barely carrying the heavy droidekas on their backs up the huge stairs of the ship.

Icarus: - Alpha Unit. Something new? - He said when he reached the top of the ship.

Alpha: - Negative. No sign of anyone at our six. -

Icarus: - Understood. Delta unit? -

Delta: - Affirmative. I am in the corridor that leads to the command center. Apparently there are two targets guarding the door. - He said after going ahead to explore.

Icarus: - Understood. Hold position and await our arrival. -

Delta: - Understood. -

Within a few minutes, the subgroup met up with the commando droid, and waited until the last member arrived. And once they all regrouped in the vicinity of the cockpit, they began to plan their moves.

Icarus: - Vulture units. Come to the position and reconnoiter the command post from the outside. It doesn't matter if there are blind spots on the windows in the room, I just want to get a rough idea of ​​the number of targets. - He spoke on the private channel. - Very good. To the rest. Wag Too will use his rifle to take down the guard on the right, the commando droids will take down the one on the left. Once the guards are down, the droidekas will position themselves in front and deploy the shield to make a barricade. Some of the targets inside the cabin may come out to investigate, but we'll be ready to counterattack. If this is not the case, we will simply enter by force. Watch your shots. We want to damage the controls as little as possible if we want to get this ship back.

Droids: - Roger. Roger. -

Icarus: - Very well. Turn off the lanterns. Wag Too, we await your signal. -

The lurmen nodded as he lay down on the ground to ensure an accurate shot. The commando droids moved slowly down the corridor, until they were at a safe enough distance to warrant an accurate shot. Then Wag Too gave the signal.

https://youtu.be/lUdzLU7svSk

A powerful red blaster tore through the hallway, passed close to the commando droids, and slammed directly over the Pyke's head. And without the other being able to react, the commando droids shot him down with a couple of shots.

With both bandits down, the droidekas rolled to the front and spread out alongside their powerful protective shield. They were all staring at the cockpit door, fingers on triggers, ready to fire as fast as the doors opened and the rest of the Pykes came out to start a firefight. But that never happened.

Icarus: - Vulture units confirm the presence of more than twenty individuals inside. - He said as he advanced in front of the group. - Apparently, they set up a barricade and sealed the doors. Apparently, they do not plan to come out to meet us. -

Wag Too: - Good. Those put us in a bind. If they sealed the door from the inside... How will we get in? -

The droid did not answer the question. He simply passed through the droidekas' shields and positioned himself in front of the huge metal door. He stretched out his right hand, and ignited the lightsaber he was carrying in his hand.

https://youtu.be/alLZn0cDcvg

Meanwhile, inside the cockpit, Pyke's small group waited in terror. They hoped that their attempts to seal the doors would work, since they were hiding from their inevitable death.

Pyke 1: - Damn. They killed all our men in an instant. -

Pyke 2: - We don't even know how many there are. -

Pyke 3: - What are we going to do? -

Pyke 4: - Sir. What are we going to do? - They asked terrified.

Pyke Leader: - We'll wait here. - He said trying to appear serene, but the truth, he was as scared as the rest. - They won't be able to get through those barriers. Any progress on the distress signal? -

Pyke 5: - No, sir. Looks like they destroyed the communications antenna. -

Pyke Leader: - Those bastards have us cornered. But the Pyke Syndicate will kneel to no one. -

At that, the lightsaber's blue light pierced through the thick layer of metal that kept them safe from their assailants, and as the hard metal yielded slowly like butter to a hot knife, tempers within grew sour.

Pyke 2: - ¡Are a Jedi! You are a Jedi! -

Pyke 4: - We're finished! - They screamed in despair.

Pyke Leader: - Silence! Stand your ground! We won't leave without putting up a good fight! - But the expectations of this individual would collapse in a second.

The lightsaber cut a huge incision over the metal door, making a hole big enough for a droideka to get through without having to shut down her shield. The Pykes could only watch from within in terror, waiting to open fire to try and save their miserable lives. And when the light from the saber disappeared once the shape of the hole was marked, the metal plates began to give way and the huge metal door crashed into the cockpit.

¡BAM!

The noise shook that part of the ship, and a thick curtain of smoke and pollution covered the area, preventing visibility beyond ten meters. The Pykes covered themselves to prevent all that smoke from covering the crystals of their masks and impeding their visibility, but when they looked up, they could only see a strange sphere of energy slowly entering the interior of the cabin.

Pyke Leader: - FIRE! - He yelled with all his might.

The members of the Pyke Syndicate began shooting in a desperate move to save their lives. But there was little they could do against the power of the droidekas. The Paladin unit was in the front taking the most shots, while moving to the side so that the Fifi unit could enter as well, thus establishing a defensive wall. Once in position, the commando droids entered and positioned themselves behind the turrets, firing accurately at the distracted targets.

The battle at that distance was brutal. Not like the butcher shop just outside of Munificent. This was a real battle. One front against the other, exchanging shots in a frantic fight for survival. Something that went against the principles of Icarus, but not always a good strategy could solve a war situation.

The blasters bounced everywhere and one by one the Pykes began to fall as they found themselves overwhelmed by the firepower and impenetrable defense of the droidekas. And so, after several seconds of intense battle, the last of the Pykes fell to the ground, struck down by several shots from their opponents.

A sepulchral silence invaded the entire ship once the shots stopped. But before they could celebrate their perfect victory, a strange noise caught the attention of the droids. Turning around, they could see Wag Too, who was kneeling on the ground, while an uncontrollable cough shook him violently.

Icarus and the commandos rushed to help him, believing that he had been shot by the enemy, but when they got closer and saw him up close, the scene was as terrifying as death itself.

Wag Too's mask suffered an irreparable breakdown. A huge hole as big as a thumb lets all the polluted air from the planet pass into the lungs of the lurmen. Without thinking twice, the super tactical droid scooped up the little being in his arms and began running towards the stairs without even checking for any survivors in his fray. Icarus descended as fast as possible followed by the commando droids close behind. At the same time, he ordered the Vulture droids to leave the atmosphere and contact the Kestrel Nova urgently for an emergency evacuation, but he knew in advance that he did not have enough time. Behind him, the roar of droidekas rolling down the stairs could be heard.

Several minutes after the crash, the three bipedal droids were outside the ship, their comrade's life hanging by a thread. The droidekas were still inside trying to find their way out of the ship. Wag Too had already lost consciousness from lack of oxygen, and it was only a matter of time before his life was in danger. The commando droids tried to find something in the burning camp to save their comrade, but the Pyke's masks and air filters simply didn't fit the shape of the lurmen's skull. And to make matters worse, Icarus had lost all communication with the Vulture droids, and could not tell the status of the evacuation. Never before had the droid experienced despair, and the truth was a sensation that seemed to tear at his circuitry from within.

Everything seemed lost for the little lurmen, until:

????: - Follow me. If they want the little one to survive. -

The droids turned around, and saw a strange humanoid silhouette that could be distinguished between the light of the flames and the heavy cloud of dust that covered the place.