Battle of Ganymede

The Battle of Ganymede was a 90-minute conflict on the surface of the Jovian moon between the MTO, allied with the defecting Director Phovus and some NCRI troops including Colonel Siklyon, and a Combine assault group led by General Grievous.

The Battle:

Phovus and the NCRI moved quickly to meet with the MTO as he had detected Grievous' ships launch only 25 minutes prior. The Combine forces would be hot on his trail, and he needed to move fast. When Phovus arrived on Ganymede, he was welcomed by MTO troops, among them Rick Hernia and Keith Cumshoes, and quickly set to unloading the Improbability Drive to be placed on the MTO ship. However, while the drive and some of the scientists were being loaded onto the ship, a massive blast of energy fell from space that destroyed Phovus’ transport ship instantly, which killed a large number of the troops he has brought with him. Once the dust kicked up by the blast had settled, the outline of a Combine Gunship began to take form. General Grievous and several dozen Combine troops spilled from the ship, all of them ready to execute Phovus, the remaining NCRI members, and the MTO troops. Both sides knew blood would be shed, but before the battle erupted an exchange between Grievous and Phovus began:

G: “So, Director, care to inform us as to what you’re doing handing over your ‘magnum opus’ to the enemy?”

P: “I am ensuring my own survival, Grievous. You would be wise to do the same, lest the Combine decide you are no longer valuable as well.”

G: “Does ‘survival’ mean the betrayal of your comrades to you, Phobos? Amonger was tried, convicted, and was set to be executed. We lost one of the most capable leaders of this operation, all because you were unable to procure anything of actual value."

P: “His death would have been a tragedy, yes, but a necessary one. What my research is accomplishing is the beginning of a new era in Omniversal history, Grievous. Soon we will be able to rewrite the very nature of our reality, become like gods.”

G: “You are not one of the Employers, Phobos.”

P: “I do not intend to become one of them, I only seek to benefit the lives of the people that inhabit this universe."

G: “I have not come to discuss righteousness with you, Phovus. I have come to spill the blood of a traitor and nothing more.”

P: “So be it.”

Once their conversation had ended, Phobos and Grievous both drew their blades, fully prepared to engage the other in a fight to the death. Neither wished to initiate the conflict, but a shot rang out (To which neither the Combine or MTO claim responsibility) which initiated a firefight and acted as the signal for Grievous and Phovus to begin their duel.

Grievous and Phovus locked blades, catching Grievous off guard as he had expected his lightsabers to simply pass right through the Binary Sword, being entirely unaware of Unobtainium’s existence. Phovus recognized the opportunity ahead of him, stepping to the side, and allowing Grievous’ lightsabers to meet the surface of Ganymede. Phovus swung the Binary Sword overhead in an attempt to behead Grievous, but the cyborg’s reaction speed was much higher than Phobos had anticipated and his lightsabers blocked the attack. Their blades locked again, Grievous took the opportunity to split his arm and draw a Kaleesh blaster pistol and landed a shot to Phovus’ lower abdomen. This weakened the Director enough for Grievous to be able to land a slash across Phovus’ eyes. Grievous then grabbed Phovus with one of his legs, impaling him with all 4 claws. Still within the General’s grasp, Phovus was slammed into the ground which crushed his ribcage. Believing him to be dead, Grievous threw the Director aside. For what felt like hours, Phovus laid there in immense pain, his thoughts racing and telling him to stand back up and kill Grievous. Despite this, Phovus could not muster the strength to even move, much less stand up. But as the last bit of his consciousness prepared itself to fade from his body, Phovus heard a voice telling him to “rise and shine”.

Despite his seemingly-inexplicable renewed strength, and the regaining of his sight, Phovus was still in immense pain, causing him to drag the Binary Sword behind him, scraping across the rocks making an ear-splitting sound, like that of nails on chalkboard. Grievous had already engaged the MTO and NCRI troops and was making quick work of them. When Phovus spotted Grievous, the sight he came across initially made his heart sink, but then he was filled with an even greater rage. Grievous stood over the corpse of Colonel Sikalyon, two freshly-burned holes in his chest indicated that he had been slain by lightsaber. Phovus remembered that fateful day, the day his life was forever changed with the discovery of the Nexus Core. Sikalyon was the one who brought it to him. He had remained one of his most loyal companions through this entire time. And now he was dead, because of Phovus' own failure. Phovus thought to himself for a moment, and then regained his resolve. Sikalyon was dead, but Grievous... Grievous was about to wish he were dead. He called out to the General from where he stood.

P: “I am not finished with you yet, Grievous.”

Grievous spun his head around, confused and disturbed how Phovus could even still stand after the damage he had sustained.

G: “Regardless of how it is you continue to live, this time will not end any differently, Director.”

After finishing his sentence, Grievous immediately launched himself towards Phovus, all four of his arms grasping a lightsaber. Just before Grievous could land a hit, Phovus dodged his attack. This resulted in Phovus quickly counterattacking by disarming Grievous’ two left arms. Grievous reeled in pain from this attack. He had not felt pain in a millennium, and this reminder made him fearful. Struggling to stand back up, Grievous managed to defend himself from all of Phovus’ attacks well enough to regain his footing. Grievous was not used to being this disabled during a fight, and found it hard to adapt to relying entirely on his right arms. Eventually, Grievous became desperate and set both of his sabers to spin, creating a plasmic whirlwind of death, and advanced towards Phovus. Despite the maneuver being renowned as Grievous’ most feared attack, Phovus did not move from his position. Once Grievous reached him, Phovus stabbed directly into the spinning blades, stopping both of them. He then swung his sword directly upwards, cutting off Grievous’ upper left arm. Seeing as he had lost most of his armaments, Grievous sought to retreat. Before he could, Phovus grabbed the General by his throat and somehow managed to lift him with one arm despite the weight of Grievous’ body and his own exhaustion. Leaning in, Phovus whispered carefully to Grievous:

“Let yourself remember this moment. Wherever you crawl away to after this war ends, I promise you that if I ever cross paths with you again I will not hesitate to kill you.”

With the last of his strength, he threw Grievous, who crashed into a nearby hill. Badly beaten, Grievous promptly ordered a retreat from Ganymede. Phovus collapsed shortly afterwards but was loaded onto the MTO ship alongside the surviving NCRI members and the Improbability Drive and all of them were flown back to Earth, thus concluding the battle.