"Kal'buir! Over here!"
Ahsoka used the blue saber that was lent to her by Master Yoda to cut the jetpack of a supercommando as she overheard Aden call out to the incoming Mandalorian jetpack trooper, flying alongside the dagger-shaped freighter that was incoming. Judging by the conversations she overheard from the clones earlier in the day, the rusty-armored Mandalorian was the man that they were after the whole time: Kal Skirata.
Does that mean that they found who they are looking for? Will we be forced to turn back now that the Nulls completed their objectives? I still haven't located Rex yet!
Desperate to fight on until her old mentor and friend was located, Ahsoka made her way to the closer to the city of Ronion, deflecting blaster fire, slashing the endless amount of Mandalorians pouring in like ants, as well as using her Force abilities to slam low-flying supercommandos to the ground. Soon, she came upon a burning steel gray building and glanced around the vicinity as a squad of former DeathWatch commandos zeroed in on her like a Condor Dragon swooping down on some Ewoks, firing their Waster-35 lasers at her. The Togruta was able to deflect most, but slowly grew weary as the enemy pressed their attack onto her. Several rockets, fired from the shoulders or wrists of the supercommandos, landed either close to her or behind her, blowing up steel and sending dust into her eyes and mouth. Coughing up the dry dirt, Ahsoka felt an intense pain in her left shoulder where debris had cut through her shirt as she looked up at the Saxon troops flying in to finish her off.
It's over. I don't have the strength or stamina to counter them all. A swarm is a bit much for me. The least I can do is go down fighting like a hero.
"For the Republic! For the Jedi!"
The shrieking sound of a rocket tore through the air before an explosion took out most of the enemy combatants closing in on her. Alarmed by this new turn of events, Ahsoka glanced up to see up to five individuals in Republic battle armor slide down from the roof of the battle-scarred building and join her side. She recognized four of them as being commandos like Delta Squad, but the fifth was an ARC that bore a blue color scheme similar to the Null Prudii, but he bore the familiar jaig eyes that she admired ever since she first met him that day on Christophsis.
"Commander Tano, great to be serving alongside you once again. May I ask why you are back on the planet I helped you escape after we brought down that ship to spare you the fate that the rest of the Jedi were experiencing around the galaxy?"
Ahsoka couldn't help but giggle at the way the clone captain, who briefly served as the commander of the newly formed 332nd Company, referred to her as 'commander' as he fired his blaster bolts at the assaulting force. "I am grateful for the assistance you gave me during my escapade. I didn't expect what happened, but at least I am glad to have escaped albeit at the cost of Maul getting away and the rest of the 332nd getting wiped out. As to why I am here." The Togruta Force wielder deflected a few blaster bolts before speaking once more. "I can't leave you to your fate here after you got me off-world. We hadn't even made the jump when it happened."
"I'm flattered you haven't forgotten about me, but it was for your safety that I sent you off-planet and stayed here to hide out from the possible retribution that would ensue." He fired his blaster pistols upward before turning to face her. "Besides, Niner, Darman, Atin, Fi, and Corr up there have looked out for me since we linked up after the Siege of Mandalore." He motioned with his arm toward the roof where a black commando with a glowing blue t-visor fired onto the advancing Mandalorians.
"Rex! Is that you?"
Fordo arrived to assist the group, along with the Nulls and Delta squad. The former leader of the 501st turned and spotted his fellow trainee from the first batch of Fett clones on Kamino tailed by Delta Squad and the Nulls.
"Fordo! Our paths seem to have crossed once again. I haven't seen you since Geonosis."
Before the other ARC could respond to his long-lost brother, whooshing sounds were heard as several dark blue or silver shapes shot overhead like comets and engaged the enemy. Ahsoka and Rex glanced upward and recognized the newcomers as the Nite Owls, evident by the armor they wore which contrasted greatly with the supercommandos. The duo exchanged glances, she was sure Rex had a relieved expression on his face hidden behind his ornamented mask, as they took in the sight. One of the Nite Owls swooped in, landing in front of the clones and the former Jedi apprentice. The Mandalorian warrior turned and acknowledged Ahsoka.
"Nice to see you again, Jedi. I thought we seen the last of you."
Ahsoka gasped in recognition as the Nite Owl leader removed her helmet.
"Lady Bo-Katan, nice of you to drop by. What took you so long? It's a pleasure as well."
---
"Kenobi, " Maul hissed as he made his way toward the cornered Jedi. "I've waited so long for this. You don't know what a pleasant surprise it is that you happened to enter my hideout. You saved me the trouble of coming after you. Once we are through, I'll find the Padawan that caused me to lose everything and mete out the same punishment to her."
"Not if I can help it."
As Obi-Wan moved to confront his longtime arch-nemesis, blaster fire erupted from the Shadow Collective on the railing, resulting in him turning his attention to deflecting the bolts back to their flingers. Enraged, Darth Maul clenched his fists, causing his crime syndicate followers to clutch at their throats as they levitated.
"Stay out of this!" the Zabrak snarled. "This one is between me and Kenobi. Keep watch on the doors to make sure no one interferes. I'll have the head of anyone who gets involved in this. Kenobi is mine to kill."
Just what I needed. Another duel with my grand adversary. I never lack for foes. First Grievous, then the whole Imperial army and my former apprentice who I loved like a brother, and now I have an old enemy who lives to seek my tribulation.
Obi-Wan and Maul paced around the black metallic floor, eyeing each other warily and waiting to see who strikes first. It was Maul who made the first move, just as Obi-Wan predicted.
The Dark Sider really lacks patience. He is almost too predictable, if not unstable.
Shouting in rage, Maul launched himself at his most hated nemesis, twirling his red double-bladed weapon, glowing like spinning scarlet lights in the darkness. Obi-Wan, having anticipated this move, raised his blue saber in a defensive Soresu stance as he met the Nightbrother's attack. The two parried and ducked each other's blows before Obi-Wan made a cut through Maul's left upper rib. Growling with frustration and anger, the Zabrak lunged at Obi-Wan once more, intensifying his blows until Obi-Wan felt a searing pain in his left shoulder. Gritting his teeth in pain, the witty Jedi Master glanced at Maul who approached him, gloating.
"Fatigue hampering you, Kenobi? Fear no more for you will no longer feel any fatigue or pain once I'm done with you. Now die, Jedi scum!"
Before Maul could take another step toward his prey, the doors were shot in. The blow sent Obi-Wan and Maul hurtling to the side of the building, the former slamming into a support pillar of the railings, nearly knocking him breathless. Rising slowly from the ground, Obi-Wan spied a few clones, ARCs and commandos, as well as some Mandalorians donned in armor that wasn't complicit of the Maul loyalists. His eyes then grew wide as he saw Ahsoka, Fordo and Rex pop in and trade fire with the criminals on the railings, screams here and there indicated where shots hit home. Ahsoka, Fordo, Rex, and one of the Nite Owls flew over to him.
"Are you ok, Master Kenobi?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'm fine," Obi-Wan stammered, holding his pained arm. He glanced behind him to see how Maul was faring, but the Darksider had fled. He glanced at the group. "He was just there a second ago."
"Who?" Ahsoka frowned.
"Maul." The Mandalorian removed her helmet to reveal herself as Lady Bo-Katan, Satine's sister. "It should be obvious with his cronies up there." She then spoke into her comm. "Ursa, set up a search around the perimeter. I believe Maul is back on Mandalore. This time he won't escape us."
Obi-Wan turned to Rex. "Nice to see you again, Captain."
---
"Ugh, where am I?"
Captain Kardo, the leader of the special ops unit under Admiral Yularen, woke up in what seemed like a ship's medical bay and surveyed his current atmosphere. The bright lights did little to assist his wooziness as he took in the sterile cobalt blue and white room. His comrades lay prone on similar cots as he had, their helmets set on the trays beside them. He glanced downward and saw his blue and silver reinforced helmet beside a small transparent rectangular object that resembled a microscopic slide. Frowning, the clone picked it up and frowned, trying to discern what it or it or its purpose was. He noticed an enlarged skin-colored specimen plastered in its center.
"I see that you have your chip removed now. You should know that the Sith had the fishheads implant those into our noggins since birth to turn us against the Jedi. Fortunately, we were able to have ours removed in time or we would have partaken in the Emperor's directive as a mind slave to the Empire. Consider yourself fortunate."
Kardo glanced up to see Commander Doom, Commander Wolffe, a yellow commando, and a few clones he didn't recognize stand at the side, observing him. He then glanced over at his boys, especially his lieutenant, Flexx, before glancing out of the window into space as the bright lights shined upon him.
"I guess I could," the Fett clone murmured. "It was always ingrained in my head that it's a soldier's duty to follow orders and now I realize that I wasn't in control of my mind and actions. I was lied to during the whole duration of my service to the Republic and now I'm not sure where my loyalties lie. "
As tears clouded Kardo's vision, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up to see one of the kelly green and forest green clones, similar to a 41st elite Corps trooper, stare down at him as he removed his helmet.
"Brother, look at me, tell me what you see."
Kardo glanced up at the light-skinned clone with his shaggy unkempt dark hair, then at the other clones who accompanied him, before glancing at his own reflection in the mirror. The point driven into his head, the Special Ops trooper glanced back at the soldier that came from the same template as he did.
"No matter how we adorn our armor or style our bodies, we still bear the same looks."
It was Wolffe's turn to speak. The one-eyed clone removed his gray BARC helmet to reveal a face similar to his and the other clones save for a cybernetic eye staring back at them like the soulless eyes of a droid.
"That's right. We have been bred to be loyal to a Republic that sees us not as human but as tools and weapons. We are no different than blasters to criminals or lightsabers to Jedi. The Republic, Empire, nor the Sith see us anything more than expendable. That's why our loyalties shouldn't lie with anyone but our brothers. We are all in this together."
"That's right!" The commando with a goofy expression on his face blurted. "We are brothers and brothers always look out for each other!"
The Special Forces captain stared amused at the yellow commando before the green clone butt in.
"That's Gregor. He is a capable trooper. He proved himself in Saleucami, which by far was a costly battle for the Grand Army of the Republic although he may have taken one too many laser bolts to the noggin."
Kardo glanced at Gregor, who nodded quickly in succession, his eyes as wide as a bugs, before returning his attention to the other clones.
"I suppose you have a point. I can't argue with the logic that clones need to look out for their brothers. Sadly, the chip that was placed inside our heads clouded our judgement, allowing the Emperor to take control of our actions. From here on out, we will work in tandem to liberate more of our brothers from the Empire's grip. Anyhow, may I have the pleasure of knowing you guys? I am CC-4992, but you can refer to me as Kardo."
The clone with the hodgepodge green armor raised his left arm in salute. "I am CS-1294, but I am known as Sgt. Toad of the Dragon Brood. To my right is my colleague, Frog and to my left is Major King of the 187th."
Before Kardo could respond to them, the alarms started to blare in the ship. The clones readied their weapons, glancing around their environment, preparing to take action should they be boarded. Flexx rose from where he lay, grabbing for his minigun.
"What's happening? Are the Seps boarding us?"
Doom readied his DC-15A. "That's what I'd like to know."
The door flashed open and the Jedi Mace Windu appeared. Behind the dark-skinned Jedi, several Alderaanian or Naboo guards were scrambling about. King turned to address him.
"Sir, what's the issue? Are we under attack or being boarded?"
The high-ranking Jedi Master raised a hand.
"We are not sure a of now. Senator Organa is trying to determine that right now. An Imperial ship has come out of hyperspace and is honing in on the planet of Mandalore. We are taking evasive maneuvers to make sure not to come in contact with it or engage in any confrontation as we are ill-equipped to engage in a space battle."
Kardo glanced out the window once more to see a Kleex-shaped starship drift across their viewport and into the yellow planet. His eyes widened as he recognized it as a Praetor-class battlecruiser. So the Empire is employing everything in its arsenal now?
"Warn Obi-Wan and the others, we must. Stay out of this, we shall. Make haste, we should."
Kardo glanced downward to see a small green alien in dusty Jedi robes appear beside Master Windu.
"How long were you there?"
---
"It was a pleasure working with you again, Jedi. I believe we can take it from here."
As Bo-Katan started to part with Ahoska, Rex heard a explosions in the distance as well as the humming sounds of LAATs. Startled, he turned to face the city. In the sky above, the pie-shaped outline of an Imperial ship was apparent while under it ,the frog shapes of LAATs and the Shrike shapes of the V-wings and the Torrents poured out of the capital ship like arachnids spilling out of an egg.
"We are under attack!" One of the Nite Owls flew over to them.
"Ain't that the truth." General Kota, whom Rex found distasteful not only for his dislike of clones, took a swig of his whiskey before clutching his lightsaber close to him. "It appears that the Empire has set its sights upon Mandalore at last although I won't leave out the possibility of them having tracked us here. Those Sithspits are sure relentless."
"It seems that we have an inevitable fight in our hands." Bo-Katan turned to the Nite Owl. "Perhaps we can make common cause with Saxon and his warriors to pause our scuffle and take it to the invaders, assuming he is able to be reasoned with. Go and relay this message to the Death Watch. "
As the blue and silver Mandalorian flew off, a massive explosion sent waves of dust and dirt dispersing in the air. Rex glanced ahead, using his antenna to scan, and noticed that an AT-TE as well as few TX-130s zeroed in on them, while a group of black and orange-clad clones as well as maroon and salmon-armored ones took cover beside them. He instantly recognized them as part of the 761st Task Force. The darker ones were a part of the Gundark Division while the red clones belonged to the Dragonsnake Division. The ARC turned to the rest of his group.
"The Imps have brought in an invasion force. They mean business so we need to pull out ASAP. You have a dropship somewhere?"
Tech pressed a button on his wrist. "I'm well ahead of you, reg. Blackout and Spark should arrive any moment now."
"But not soon enough." Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and posed with his lightsaber, Ahsoka and Rahm Kota by his side. "We should fight to stall for time. We can't hope to win this one on our own."
As he finished speaking, they heard a shout and the first batch of black/orange and maroon clones appeared on the adjacent hillside to their right. Blaster fire rained down on them as the AT-TE and the TX-130s came over the hill. The LAATs and air support soon arrived to add fuel to the fire.
"They have the high ground here. This isn't good," Obi-Wan said as he started to deflect some blaster bolts to their source.
"This is bad, like real bad." Ahsoka did the same, but she was already wary from the earlier confrontation with the supercommandos. "We will get swarmed. It isn't if, but when we will."
"Optimistic, I see." General Kota chuckled. "No matter, it's better to die this way in the middle of battle than get hunted like a dog in the vast confines of the galaxy."
As Rex fired his laser bolts, he noticed that several of the Mandalorians from both sides were already engaging the enemy, taking heavy losses. However, they were inflicting damage on the invasion force as well. Several clones were falling while their aircraft was burning up in the air. One LAAT gunship hurtled toward them like a flaming meteor, resulting in the Jedi, clones, and soldiers to dart aside to avoid getting flattened by the doomed carrier. Rex and Fordo hurried over to free their clone brethren from the burning vehicle. The unconscious or wounded soldiers would make a fine addition to their escape force.
"Rex, I think these are all the survivors."
Before the ARC could respond to his comrade, he felt a strong blow from behind. He fell forward, temporarily disabled as he felt an arm go around his neck, trapping him in a headlock. Struggling , the former captain of the 501st nearly blacked out from the force before it relented. Gasping for breath, Rex went onto his knees breathing heavily as he glanced upward to see Fordo holding out his blasters. On the floor lay a clone ARC in black armor with white spider web marking on his chest. Rex's eyes grew wide as he recognized this special clone trooper.
"Yes, that's Venom," Fordo answered his thoughts. "No worries, I used stun with him. he could prove to be a valuable asset for us."
Rex nodded gratefully. Venom was from the same batch Karma and Karnage hailed from and the black and white Republic recon trooper earned his design by killing a Krykna during a training mission. He was also known for his amazing feats during the war in places such as Kessel, Bracca,and Rodia. As Rex and Fordo heaved their stunned brother up, they heard footsteps behind them and the click of a blaster rifle. Turning out, the two ARC captains spotted a clone of the Gundark Company aim his blaster at them from where he stood over the dry vegetation.
"Hands in the air, traitors! Make one wrong move an-"
Pew!
The clone collapsed, revealing the rusty-armored Mandalorian clutching a smoking DE-10 blaster pistol.
"You boys should keep your eyes peeled. It was fortunate that I happened to stop by. It won't always happen."
Fordo saluted the Mandalorian trainer. "Many thanks, Sgt. Skirata!"
Blackout's voice rang through the comms. " We're coming in for pickup. The LZ seems a bit too hot so could I request that you cool it down a bit before we make our entrance?"
Rex glanced over at the battle raging all around them. "Easier said than done. It wouldn't hurt to try though."
The other captain nodded as he readied a minigun. "I like that."
As their fellow SAR squadmen and the newcomers fought off the invading Imperial force, Rex heard a buzzing sound and agitatedly glanced around the vicinity for the incoming LAAT. He scanned the battlefield to see burning tanks and bodies of clones, Mandalorians, and some of Rahm Kota's elite fighting units. The Republic gunship appeared behind the AT-TE, whose turret was still swiveling around, scanning for targets to blast, and to Rex's astonishment, it fired a few rockets at it before finishing the job with the green laser. As the flaming walker, its sirens screaming, collapsed, the approaching gunship took out the clones nearest to the rescue squad before landing in the middle of the barren field. A few clones of the Muunilinst 10 opened the side hatch and beckoned the Jedi and the rebel clones aboard. Under heavy enemy fire, anyone with a blaster covered their retreat to the LAAT, still bearing the red stripe of the Republic as well as the tigershark paint.
"Where are Venom and our sleeping brothers?"
Hearing Fordo's query, Rex glanced outside the windows of the ornamented gunship to see the motley crew of clones carry them onboard a similar-designed gunship with sky blue paint that had recently arrived to carry the surplus of clones. As two ARCs under Fordo's command shut the hatches and started to fly out, Rex glanced around the compartment to see Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and General Kota inside with the clones, but failed to see Delta Squad.
"Wait! I think we left Boss and his troops behind! We need to go back for them. No one leaves a brother behind."
He felt a hand on his shoulder and Karma's voice murmur on his ear. "Take it easy, mate. They are with Sgt. Skirata and the Nulls. I guess we all can't fit onboard with a sizable force like ours."
"I suppose you have a point," the former commander of the 332nd muttered.
He remained silent until they landed aboard the Envoy and Senator Organa took to hyperspace hastily with nothing more than a curt greeting to their new passengers. What no one knew, or suspected for that matter, was the stowaway hiding out in the vents, watching Kenobi with a look of intense loathing and waiting for the right time to pounce.
---
As the two distinct gunships took to the air and disappeared from view, ARC trooper Irons watched after them. They may have gotten away with Venom and a few of the 761st for now, but soon the Empire would catch up to them. No one could escape the Imperial fist and live to tell the tale.
"Captain, what are your orders? Should we proceed with the assault on Sundari?"
The yellow and red-schemed clone turned to a saluting Dragonsnake lieutenant, wearing a red patch on his left shoulder.
"Yes, bring in the heavy artillery and air support. If they do not accept out the Empire, then they will need a demonstration of what we are capable of."
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrdjmAk2XW
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjj5KpT6AOA
Well, things escalated quick. At least the dissidents have newcomers onboard with their cause. The more, the merrier. Can anyone guess who is stowing away onboard the Envoy?
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbKtTanFWH
