The Fire Caste warrior, completely controlled by the Dark Side of the Force, moved like a precision mechanical puppet. Under Darth Vader's silent gaze through his crimson lenses, he led Vader aboard the transport.
However, the reconnaissance team's final alarm before its annihilation had already alerted Koala's orbital defense command.
"The transport is departing! No one is answering communications requests!" On the bridge, the Fire Caste fleet commander stared grimly at the Tacticus display. "The previous reconnaissance team... only one remains alive, and he is aboard that transport."
The commander made his decision at once. "Intercept it immediately! Deploy the Thunderclap strike squadron! Objective: disable its engines! I want to see what dares cause trouble within T'au Empire territory!"
Several sleek, sharply contoured light attack craft bearing the insignia of the T'au Empire—Thunderclaps—launched from the orbital defense platform like arrows loosed from a bow and swiftly closed on the transport.
"Target locked! Pulse cannon arrays charging! Prepare to disable its engines!" the attack squadron leader ordered over the comm channel.
However, just as the attack craft were about to enter effective range—
The windows of that supposedly unarmed transport suddenly glowed with an ominous dark-red light!
Crackle—BOOM!
Several dark-red energy beams radiating an aura of Destruction crossed the Void in an instant like Death's scythe, striking the two leading Thunderclap attack craft with perfect accuracy!
The attack craft's light armor was as fragile as paper before the dark-red beams, instantly pierced and torn apart!
Two brief blooms of fire erupted in the Void, and the Fire Caste warriors inside were reduced to ashes in an instant!
"What?!" The attack squadron leader was horrified. "Evade! Evade! The enemy has long-range firepower! Repeat, the enemy possesses powerful and unknown long-range firepower!"
The remaining Thunderclap attack craft scattered at once like a startled