Battle of the Revelator

The Battle of the Revelator was a major battle in the Akiva system during the Galactic Civil War in 3 ABY. The battle saw the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Revelator infiltrated by a small crew of outlaws, and subsequently attacked by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, which were later aided by criminal syndicate forces against the Galactic Empire.

Prelude

Kay Vess had been hired by Dennion to break into Sliro Barsha's high security vault in Westhill Palace on Canto Bight. After successfully infiltrating the vault, Kay discovered there was no loot in the vault, but instead it was holding a prisoner, Alliance to Restore the Republic leader Asara Deyn. While Asara attempted to convince Kay to join the Rebellion, Dennion lost patience and shot Kay with a stun ray. Kay was subsequently caught by Sliro's guards, but managed to escape by stealing a EML-850 light freighter, the Trailblazer. Sliro retaliated by placing a bounty on Kay's head. Kay was subsequently approached by Jaylen Vrax, who attempted to recruit Kay for a second attempt to rob the vault, this time with better support and technical schematics of the vault's security system. Kay agreed, believing that the payday from the heist would be enough to call off the bounty. Jaylen loans Kay his droid enforcer, ND-5, to provide extra muscle on the mission. The two of them assemble a team that included Asara, Chadra-Fan explosive expert Ank Parako, Rodian droidsmith Gedeek Obaz, and Kay's estranged mother Riko Vess as their Master Codebreaker. ^[1]

Once the heist was completed, Kay discovered that Jaylen had lied to her about the vault's contents. Instead of unmarked Beskar ingots with a value of 157,000,000 credits, the vault instead contained a Codex containing a vast treasure trove of Imperial Security Bureau files, including data that Sliro was using to blackmail his fellow Imperials. Imperial High Command would be angry enough at Sliro accumulating these files behind their backs, but him losing them would be the last straw for him. It was also discovered that Jaylen and Sliro were brothers. Sliro had robbed Jaylen of his birthright, and Jaylen is seeking his revenge by usurping leadership of Zerek Besh.^[1]

With the heist a success, Jaylen tells Kay this is where they part company, as ND-5 (who has been fitted with a restraining bolt that forces him to obey Jaylen's orders) stuns Asara. Jaylen tells Kay that she no longer has a price on her head and she can start over on any planet she wishes, but ND-5, Asara, and the Codex are coming with him. While Kay got the clean slate she wanted, she refuses to abandon her companions. Annoyed by Kay's persistence, Jaylen has ND-5 stun her. Jaylen and ND-5 then flee to the Revelator with Asara as their prisoner.^[1]

Once on board the Revelator, Jaylen contacts Darth Vader and tells him about the Codex and Asara's Rebel cell on Akiva. He offers to return the Codex to the Empire, and destroy the Rebel base on Akiva, if he is given command of the Zerek Besh. Sliro is promptly ordered to report to the Revelator and explain himself.^[1]

The battle

Infiltration

Kay and Nix awaken locked in an escape pod, but are freed by Ank and Gedeek. Kay again asserts that she is not leaving without ND-5 and Asara, reminding Ank and Gedeek that both of them owe ND-5 their lives. Knowing that they will likely be met with heavy resistance once they are ready to return to the Trailblazer, Kay gives her VM-19 heavy blaster pistol to Nix and tells him to stay out of sight, then suggests that Ank plant some explosive traps to deter any pursuers. Ank gleefully assures Kay that she was planning to do that anyway. Kay then proceeds to steal the armor of a stormtrooper that Ank and Gedeek had knocked out in the course of freeing her. ^[1]

Disguised as a stormtrooper, Kay infiltrates the bridge of the Revelator and witnesses a hologram of Vader angrily berating Sliro for gross incompetence. Jaylen and ND-5 appear with Asara, who they're holding prisoner. Vader tells Jaylen that the Empire accepts his offer. As Vader's hologram disappears, ND-5 executes Sliro by shooting him in the chest. It is at this point that Kay removes her helmet, expressing disappointment that all of Jaylen's plans were motivated by petty vengeance, and asserting that she is there to free ND-5 and Asara. After ordering the crew of the Revelator to set a course for Akiva, Jaylen orders ND-5 to kill Kay.^[1]

Fighting in the Lower Decks

Although ND-5 does not wish to attack Kay, the programming of the restraining bolt is too strong for him to resist. Heeding ND-5's warning to run, Kay flees to the maintenance tunnels. Gedeek contacts Kay via comlink and explains that the Revelator's deflector shields are powered by twin ion power cores. If Kay can manually cycle up both the primary and secondary power cores, they will trigger an energy discharge through a central emitter. If Kay can lure ND-5 to the emitter, the discharge may disable the restraining bolt. Gedeek warns Kay that it's a long shot, but it's her best chance of stopping ND-5 without killing him.^[1]

ND-5 continued to stalk Kay through the bowels of the Revelator, while secretly hoping she would cut her losses and flee on the Trailblazer so he would not be forced to destroy her. He catches up to her in the reactor chamber as Kay is jerry-rigging the first power core. Kay narrowly dodges ND-5's blaster fire and uses a maintenance shaft to sneak to the second power core. After activating the second core, Kay runs to the emitter with ND-5 in hot pursuit. The emitter discharge stuns ND-5, but it is not enough to disable the restraining bolt, and Kay is quickly overpowered. As ND-5 proceeds to choke the life out of Kay, Nix scurries along the catwalk with Kay's blaster still in his mouth. Positioning himself directly above Kay, he drops the blaster pistol so it lands in her grasp. Kay proceeds to point the blaster at the restraining bolt and pulls the trigger. With the restraining bolt finally disabled, ND-5 crumples to the ground as his systems reboot.^[1]

Showdown

After freeing ND-5, Kay was confronted by Jaylen, who was holding Asara as a hostage. Thinking ND-5 was still under control of the restraining bolt, Jaylen ordered the droid to kill Kay. Free of the restraining bolt's influence, ND-5 refused. Jaylen promptly shoved Asara aside and took aim at Kay with his own blaster. Before Jaylen could shoot Kay, however, ND-5 raised his blaster and shot Jaylen in the chest, killing him. With both of the men that had enslaved him now dead, the old droid was now truly free.^[1]

Fall of the Revelator

After retrieving the Codex from Jaylen's corpse, Kay, Nix, ND-5, and Asara race toward the hanger where the Trailblazer had been impounded. By this time security had been alerted to their escape, resulting in a pitched battle with a mixed platoon of Imperial Troops. While the quartet are initially greatly outnumbered, Ank's promised "explosive surprise" thins the numbers of their opposition. After dispatching the platoon and rendezvousing with Ank and Gedeek, all six of them escape on the Trailblazer.^[1]

While the Trailblazer crew had escaped from the Revelator, the Revelator was approaching Akiva and was preparing to destroy the Rebel base. While Dennion had radioed the Rebel Fleet requesting backup, it would be some time before these reinforcements would arrive. After Kay sends out a distress signal of her own, the Trailblazer performs a holding action to buy time for the Rebels until help arrives. The Trailblazer's speed and maneuverability enable it to narrowly avoid the artillery of the Revelator, and they are able to destroy several TIE Fighters in the ensuing battle. Just as the Trailblazer is on the verge of being overwhelmed, much needed backup arrives in the form of a squadron of X-wing starfighters. The X-Wings help the Trailblazer dispatch the remaining TIE Fighters, but they still do not possess enough numbers to stop the Revelator. Fortunately, Kay had made some powerful allies in the Underworld during her travels. As the Revelator prepared to commence her orbital bombardment of Akiva, the Trailblazer and the Rebel Alliance were joined in battle by one of the syndicates Kay had worked with during her journey, in exchange for access to the Codex. Together, the three factions managed to destroy the Revelator.^[1]

Aftermath

Immediately following the Revelator's destruction, both the Trailblazer and the X-Wings jumped into hyperspace. Kay Vess' crew returned to The Broken Hoof on Canto Bight, where they celebrated their victory. Having copied Sliro's information from the Codex to give to the Rebel Alliance, Asara extended another offer to recruit Kay which she politely declined, after which he parted their company. Ank initially desired to retire only to reconsider once Gedeek suggested they partner up for casino heists. Kay declined to join them but promised to bail them out if need be.^[1]

After shared a farewell hug with Bram Shano, Kay returned to the Trailblazer to find Vail Tormin waiting for her share of the score. Kay passed her to the Codex, which everyone else believed to be lost in battle, and suggested that its information might provide enough leverage for Vail to start her own business. She also declined Vail's offer at a partnership, before departing Cantonica with ND-5 and Nix to seek new adventures.^[1]

Kay would later infiltrate an Imperial detainment facility disguised as an officer to rescue Riko, who was arrested after using marked credits that Jaylen paid her with, and passed her the Freedom Spike so she could escape on her own.^[1]

Behind the scenes

Depending on the player's choices, the syndicate forces who will join Kay Vess' crew in battle might be Crimson Dawn (led by Lady Qi'ra), the Pyke Syndicate (led by Gorak Palas), the Ashiga Clan (led by Ashiga), or the Hutt Cartel (led by Jabba the Hutt).^[1]

Appearances

• Star Wars Outlaws (First appearance)

Sources

• Star Wars Outlaws (Original Video Game Soundtrack) (First identified as Battle of the Revelator)

Notes and references