"Ah, quite the lush green landscape, isn't it?" Kal Skirata called out as he and Ruusan piloted the descending LAAT, adorned with the red eyes of Mandalore's state bird and the orange Jai'galaar symbol on the fins, to Kashyyyk's dense jungle landscape.
Shriek Hawk-2 had finally touched down on a patch of soft grass and dirt after skimming low over the tops of the thick canopy of trees to find a place to land. As the landing ramp extended out of the gunship's back into the humid forest environment, the specialized clones of Shriek Hawk-2, accompanied by Skirata and his daughter, prepared to disembark and start the search for Delta Squad's Sev, who had been missing in action. Shriek Hawk-1 would search for Quinlan Vos and the two groups would rendezvous in the air and make it past the Imperial blockade back to the Envoy with their quarry.
"Hold it!"
The clones froze as Rex captured their attention. Once he was sure all eyes were on him, the 501st Arc Trooper cleared his throat and started to address his brothers.
"As much as we want to locate our missing brother, we can't leave the gunship unmanned here. In case we need close air support or to make a quick exit, we need this dropship. I saw we leave a small detachment to guard our ticket off Kashyyyk. "
A murmur of agreement went among the clones as they contemplated Rex's suggestion. Fixer and Scorch glanced over to their leader, Boss.
"He's got a point there," Fixer informed his superior. "We need a detachment to protect the Shriek Hawk-2 while we are locating Sev."
Boss knew he had to concede despite wanting to have all arms onboard with the mission. Rex and Fixer were thinking in the long run and the Commando leader was eager to make sure that the exit from Kashyyyk would be smooth once they found their lost brother. He didn't want to recover Sev only to get themselves captured, killed, or worse.
"Very well. How much of a force will be spare? We must muster enough of a force to be able to overpower the Imperial forces stationed here. "
"We can do that, but we also need to keep the strike force down to optimal numbers lest we give away our presence," Scorch suggested. "We need to go stealth on this one like our previous missions and leave once we have our brother back. Nothing has changed despite the war ending."
"The question is who is willing to stay with the ship?" Karma, an ARC with a purple and black scheme on his armor, asked.
A murmur went among the former soldiers of the eradicated Republic as they wondered which of them will volunteer in the menial but necessary task to defend their getaway vehicle. All the defected clones wanted in on the action in the search and rescue mission to find their brother rather than sitting down, twiddling their thumbs. It was what they were bred to do after all.
"You should be asking how large of a force should we should spare to guard this ship," Venom spoke. "Besides, we will be outgunned and outmanned should we encounter those brothers of ours who are slaves to the Empire."
"I have a solution to your conundrum."
Boss and his clone brothers turned to see the Mandalorian Skirata, who trained the Null clones as well as Omega Squad, standing in front of the cockpit's entrance with his daughter by his side.
"Ru has volunteered to hang back with the Nulls to protect the ship, but I fear that we still have a force that is still too large and conspicuous should we come across an Imperial patrol. Moreover, Captain Ordo and his men, despite my daughter's presence, aren't a sufficient enough force to hold back an Imperial onslaught should they be discovered. "
The strike force could see that the Mandalorian trainer was speaking the truth, a meager force of a few ARCs and a Mandalorian warrior woman wouldn't be adequate enough to hold back an Imperial patrol that could have a chance encounter with Shriek Hawk-2. Before the specialized clones could start a debate on who stayed behind, Captain Kardo stepped forward.
"Boys, we shouldn't dawdle here a standard minute longer. My lieutenant Flexx and the rest of the men under my command will augment the Nulls while I accompany you on this mission. It will be like old times, boys!"
The clones each shouted their approval of the plan, but one of their fellow special forces operatives had his reservations.
"Wouldn't it be beneficial if we took the Special Ops clones with us and leave some of the non-specialized clones behind?" Wolffe proffered.
"I got news for you, brother." Aden turned his green-striped helmet toward the Wolf Pack's leader. " We are all specialized clones here. We have Commandos and ARCs in this squad. How else were you able to fight your programming and refuse to comply with the Emperor's directive?"
Karnage nodded his magenta helmet, complete with black webbings. "He's got a point, Wolffe. Now shall we get a move on?"
"Thought you'd never ask." Boss readied his DC-17m blaster rifle. "Now let's march forth, brothers! We will not rest until Sev is back safe with us."
"Woohoo!" Gregor shouted, pumping a fist in the air. "A searching we will go!"
"Keep it down, mate!"Niner, the commando leader of Omega Squad, shouted. "You want the Imps or whatever dwells in these dark woods to hear you?"
"I would be surprised if they didn't already have a regiment closing in on our position," Atin, another commando of the same squad, lamented.
"Then let's get a move on!"Rex goaded the men on. "The more time we waste, the less chance we have of finding our missing comrade. " He then addressed a question that most of the clones present had on their minds. "How do we know where Sev is at? Did he leave any coordinates?"
Boss felt his heart lurch as he pondered the blue ARC's question. The last time he had seen his unit's adept sniper, it was on a mission on this very planet to rescue the Wookie chieftain Tarfful. It was with a heavy heart that things took a turn for the worst when the Separatist military invaded the planet and they had been forced to leave RC-1207 behind. Despite the odds being heavily stacked against it, Boss held out hope that Sev was still somewhere on the planet, surviving or picked up by Gree's 41st Elite Corps. The thought of the latter made him shudder, but he brushed it aside. He needed to keep his wits for this operation and to provide an example for his troops.
"As a matter of fact, I have something that could serve as a lead."
The former troops of the Republic turned their visored gaze toward Kal Skirata, who had donned his rust-colored Mandalorian helmet and was walking down the ramp to the grassy surface of Kashyyyk. He pressed a button on his gauntlet and a glowing blue map appeared. Skirata then pointed a black-gloved finger to a red dot on the southwestern portion.
"Last time I had contact with my friend Vau, he had informed me that he was going to search for one of the commandos he had trained after he was reported MIA in the Republic's battle logs. However, I haven't heard from him since and he isn't answering my comm calls. I assume that the commando he was after was this Sev and this was the last known location he was seen at. I presume this is our destination.
Boss and his two lieutenants exchanged glances through their glowing visors. Though neither of them could see each other's faces, they that they were all thinking the same thing. Their trainer back on Kamino, one of the Cuy Val'Dar, Walon Vau, hadn't abandoned them after all. Instead, he had come running to this Outer Rim madhouse of a planet and tried to rescue Sev despite the risks. Now this mission was about not only rescuing Sev, but their teacher as well from possible captivity. It was time to make haste and carry on with the mission as no one knew how much time Vau and Sev had left. They could be living on borrowed time.
The leader of Delta Squad, eager to get the ball rolling, motioned forward with his hand. "Soldiers of the Republic, move out!"
As the clones marched deeper into the dense jungle, Skirata activated his jet pack and flew over to where his daughter stood with the Nulls and exchanged a few words with her before flying back to the front of the troop column. Boss knew the jetpack would be useless in the dense foliage.
"Yes, father, but be quick about it!" Ru, garbed in similar attire as her father, shouted.
"Godspeed, Kal'buir!"The Nulls bellowed.
---
The only sounds the marching troopers could hear were the chittering of insects here and there, the call of an exotic bird, and the occasional growl of a Wyrm-Weaver. A large brick-colored dragonfly flew past, its wings making a droning sound similar to a LAAT gunship. A considerable amount of time had went by inside the Kashyyyk forest and still no sign of their missing comrade or an Imperial base.
Venom, clad in black with a white maw sporting dozens of pearl white pointy teeth painted on his helmet, glanced in all directions, fingering a rangefinder. "Are we even heading in the right direction? My sights show nothing but dense foliage for klicks around us. "
All eyes, encased behind t-shaped visors, turned to the Mandalorian leading the group for some answers. In response, Kal glanced down at his holomap through his own visor.
"We should be approaching the designated coordinates in about-"
"Skies! What are those?"
The specialized clones all stopped slinking through the humid jungle and froze, glancing to where Gregor was pointing. Several tan cones were planted underneath the shade of a Wroshyr tree like tree stumps.
"They must be a part of the local flora," Rex deduced. "Although, those are some peculiar-looking trees. "
"This is Kashyyyk, everything here is peculiar or trying to kill you," Karma grumbled.
"I suggest we ignore those plants and conti-Gregor, get back from there!"
At Kardo's shout, Gregor the zany commando turned and gazed at the group. Despite bearing a yellow helmet with a glowing visor, pulsing a light blue color, all of the clones knew that he had his signature sheepish grin.
"Hey, it won't hurt to check these out- Woah! The stump has eyes!"
After poking the top of the smooth-looking plant, several dull dirt-colored eyes opened up and several strands of tan roots appeared out of the ground as well. In a matter of seconds, more roots materialized around the other stumps. That was when , with a look of horror, the boys in armor realized that what they were transfixed on wasn't a tree stump, but a creature of the forest.
"Kinraths!" Scorch seethed. "I had no love for them. I guess we can blow some into the High Heavens now!"
"I won't object to that!" Fixer readied his blaster rifle. "Shall we fire at will, Boss?"
"Fire at will!" The squad leader gave the order as the arachnid creatures hissed and lunged at the clones. Several red streaks of light struck the sticks with eight eyes as one enveloped Gregor with its frontal appendage.
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Gregor planted a thermal denotator on the arachnoid's head and in a matter of seconds, the Kinrath's head spurted forest green mush and the zany commando fell on his haunches.
"Wooooh! Will you look at that, I squashed that bug!"
"We know, Gregor, we have eyes!" Rex sighed as he concentrated fire with his blaster pistols with Wolffe at his side.
In a matter of minutes, with the aid of Skirata's flamethrower, the Republic loyalists laid waste to the kinrath cluster. Turning away from the smoldering remains of the hostile beings, Darman of Omega Squad glanced around, his dark frame silhouetted against the shadows of the forest floor.
"Come to think of it, we are on Kashyyyk yet I spy no Wookies. Where are they hiding?"
"I think you have your answer over there."
All eyes turned to see where Kardo was pointing to and what the brothers all saw shook them to the core. From an opening in the pines, Wookies, their wrists bound, were being herded by 41st Elite Corps soldiers as well as some regs in plain white armor to a large transport vessel with a sickly green color scheme. Boss felt his breath hitch and assumed Fixer and Scorch felt the same way as they saw their former allies being led to imprisonment onto a slave ship that belonged to their most hated enemies-the Trandoshans. As the lead commando spotted two of the reptilian aliens waiting for them, his fist clenched as he recalled that last mission on the Prosecutor.
"Trandoshan scumbags!" Fixer hissed. "If Sev were here, he'd love to drop them like clankers."
"Copy that!" Scorch added. He turned to face Boss. "Sir, permission to blast the savages to oblivion?"
Before Boss could reply, Wolffe cut in.
"No, you will not jeopardize our lives and the mission by announcing our presence! If you aren't aware, take a look around you. We are seriously lacking in numbers. The last thing we need is to have the Empire and those vile lizards on our tails."
"While that is true, how far are we from Sev's last known location?" Karnage asked.
Fi from Omega Squad nodded his glowing dark helmet at the Mandalorian among them. "Kal'buir knows."
Kal Skirata turned to face the clones. "The coordinates indicate the base by the landing pads between the sandy area where the trees were cut down. I believe that was a Republic base during the Kashyyyk Battle that is now being used by Imperials to enslave those Wookies you saw. I think my comrade in arms and the clone you all seek are being held there."
"How will be get past the patrols?" Rex mentioned, glancing at the watchtowers, electrical fences, and automatic defense turret guarding the small metallic base.
"I've already figured that part out," Kardo, his headgear glowing a crimson shade, replied.
Rex crossed his arms. "Well, let's hear it."
---
"This is insane, but I have a gut feeling it will work."
As they lay hunkered in the bushes outside the perimeter of the base, Boss turned to glance at Scorch as he voiced his opinion on Kardo and the Special Ops plan to cause a ruse to turn the Imperial's attention away from the base and open a limited window for Delta Squad to bust inside the base and liberate Sev and Walon Vau.
"Yes, there are certain risks associated with this move, but when have we partaken a mission that doesn't entail risks?"
Fixer nodded, his green-striped noggin bobbing up and down. "Fair point. Now let's hope this will go down without a hitch."
"I sure hope so as well, " Scorch added. "I am itching to blow things up."
No sooner had he said that, a loud boom echoed across the lush landscape. An explosion had cracked the Trandoshan slave ship like a Kimoglia egg, thick black smoke flying into the sky and mingling with the white clouds under the sunny sky. Several Trandoshans and a few of the scout troopers unlucky enough to be next to the slave trawler were thrown into the air. No sooner had 15 seconds passed from the explosion than shouts were heard and blaster fire erupted, sizzling through the air and striking the Imperial troops and their Trandoshan allies.
"There's our cue!" Scorch noted.
"Good, now move out, Delta Squad!" Boss motioned forward. "It's time to make our squad whole again."
As Boss provided cover fire, Fixer leapt out from behind the bushes and snuck up on an unsuspecting Imperial clone in plain white armor and shanked him through the opening under the neck with his vibroblade before moving up to the door and preparing to splice the code to open the door. Scorch used the distraction to enter the airfield, which had its defenses knocked out in the initial explosion, and set detonators onto the airships so the Imperial garrison couldn't call in air support. As red streaks shot overhead during Boss's firefight with the Imps, Fixer managed to get the entrance open and ducked inside the base.
"Fire in the hole!"
Hearing the signal, Boss ceased trading fire and sprinted to the entrance after Fixer as Scorch detonated the explosives, leveling the Imperial aircraft in a series of deafening booms. Inside, the technicians and the clones patrolling the vicinity tried to stall the commando squad, but Scorch soon joined to reinforce Boss and Fixer's position.
"About time you got here," Boss admonished his subordinate as they took cover from the incoming blaster fire.
"Hey, you will thank me later for the fireworks show!" Scorch downed a silver uniformed tech who tried to sneak up on their position before crouching down beside his squadmates.
"Any idea of how we will get out of this mess?" Fixer asked as he nailed an Imperial trooper.
"I got just the thing."
The explosives expert attached a grenade launcher to his rifle and aimed upwards before letting a round spiral upward in a gray trail of smoke before striking the roof, causing a portion of it to cave down onto the enemy, incapacitating them for the moment. Capitalizing on the chance to advance, Delta Squad moved deeper into the base. As they entered a hallway with glass walls, the alarms began to wail.
Kriff! They are onto us.
"The Imps will soon be all over us so let's pick up the pace, find Sev and Vau, and get out of dodge!"
"Sounds like a plan!" Scorch nodded.
"Guys, I think we are getting close. Look ahead!"
Boss and Scorch, rifles at the ready, looked at where their brother had indicated and saw several rows of cells with ray shields cutting the occupants off from the outside world. However, it was what was between the red pulsing wall of electricity and the cells that caught the commando's attention. Boss felt his gut wrench in horror as he saw the prison cells occupied mainly by Wookies, including several children with frightened expressions.
"Those must be the enslaved civilian population," Fixer spoke, reading their minds. "It's really sad how our allies in our last mission have had their assistance repaid with forced servitude with the Empire. I will rectify it straightaway."
"Halt!"
The commandos whirled around to see several clone prison guards aiming their blasters at them.
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The leader of the guards didn't get to finish his orders as he took a shot to the chest, resulting in him crumpling to the floor. His colleagues engaged Boss and Scorch in a firefight as Fixer hurried off to the control panel to splice into the system, the key to liberating the Wookies. The red lights flashed, illuminating the metallic room a blood red color as the alarm blared.
"Attention, all units! This isn't a test! Intruders have breached the base! Every available unit, rendezvous at the prison complex as soon as possible!"
As the message repeated itself over the intercom, Boss knew they had to make haste and evacuate the Imperial base with their quarry before they were swamped with the base's Imperial garrison. He glanced over the corners of the hall as he took cover behind a support structure with Scorch. As they traded blaster fire with the Imperial clone troopers, they both exchanged glances behind their augmented helmets.
Where in heavens was Fixer and what was taking him so long?
"Attackers, you are surrounded. Surrender now peacefully or be executed where you stand. Make your choice with care as you are outnumbered with the full weight of the Empire's Black Forest garrison."
Kriff it all, Fixer. We are in a bind here.
As Boss pondered how to get out of their sticky situation as clones with fresh white Phase 2 armor appeared and blocked all exits from the prison, the humming sounds of the ray shields ceased. Nonplussed by this sudden development, the clone commando surveyed the cells ahead and noticed that the ray shields had disappeared when the Wookie captives, not too happy about spending so much time inside them, barreled out of their detention cells and charged their clone guards. Letting out shouts of shock and terror, the clones turned to face their escaped prisoners, firing wildly at them and backing out of the hall. One clone tried to radio for backup on his comm while firing his rifle with one hand.
"Requesting assistance for the Black Forest garrison. The prisoners are revol- Augh!"
A large Wookie with dark brown fur, donning heavy wooden shoulder pads and a waist wrap and necklace with the leaves of a wroshyr tree, snatched the Imperial trooper from behind and slammed him repeatedly against the metal walls. Using that chance to fall back, Boss and Scorch knocked aside several troopers unlucky enough to be in their way as they made a mad dash to the exit. On the way, they came across a clone who was lying on the floor, incapacitated by the escaping Wookies. Before the fallen clone could reach for his sidearm lying beside him, Boss put him out of his misery with a rifle butt to the head.
"Where is Fixer?" Scorch asked as they exited the place.
The red-striped commando decided to find out. "Fixer, do you read me?"
"Loud and clear!" A voice ahead of them responded. The two commandos froze as they saw their group's hacker standing at the opening ahead with two people at his side. One was a fellow commando who they were dying to save while the other was their Mandalorian trainer, clad in green-black armor, holding Arakyd Blaster pistol. Towering behind them, a large shadow took form until it became a familiar face to the commandos.
"Good to see you again, brothers," Sev spoke. "I am ready to kill these Imps."
"It's so good to see you are alive and well, Sev," Scorch responded, his voice hitching a bit. "As well as Sgt. Vau. "
"It's always a pleasure!" The gray hair Cuy'val Dar trainer chuckled as he fired behind the group, downing a Trandoshan slaver who had tried to sneak up on them. "I won't forget how you earned your name ,Scorch."
"Once again, I forgot that red goes with green, not the other way around," Scorch replied with a sheepish tone. "At least our eyebrows grew back."
"Nice to see you both again!" Boss joined in on the conversation as they made their way out of the chaotic prison with bodies of clones piling up. "You as well, Tarfful."
The Wookie chieftain let out a bellow in response as he charged toward a loading dock and ambushed the 41st Elite Scout trooper, sending him flying into shelves that held crates and boxes with the newly minted Imperial signa. Boss , elated and filled with fire from the reunion of two of the people he lived his whole life with, blasted away at the enemy clones in the dock as they made their way outside into the calm midday atmosphere, a stark contrast to the fighting going on.
"Guys, we have an issue!"
Hearing their teacher's voice call them back into the moment, the commandos and the Wookie chief froze as they saw several Imperial walkers and tanks surround the base and close in on them. Desperately trying to think of a situation to rescue them from possible imprisonment and execution, Boss glanced around the vicinity and noticed an unoccupied AT-TE parked in the corner of the dock. An idea then formed inside the Delta Squad leader's head.
"I think we can use that walker to our advantage. I am aware that we all aren't sufficient enough to operate it at full capacity, but we can use it to severely downgrade the Imperial armor to prove an opening for us to escape. "
"I like the way you think, Boss," Sev assented.
Scorch glanced at the turret of the AT-TE. "Now that will feel like old times again. Operating a real weapon, I mean."
Fixer had his doubts. "Guys, I think-"
Tarfful's roar drowned him out. The commandos and their trainer turned to see the Wookie grab a box of munitions and hurl it at the clones and scouts rushing out into the docks. Behind them came a clone in brown and varying green ARC armor and a 41st Elite clone scout in a hooded cloak the color of Kashyyyk's grassland.
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"ARC trooper Condor and Captain Green of the 41st Elite Corps," Boss muttered, recognizing the two from the previous Kashyyyk mission.
"Aye, I am glad you recognize me, Boss." The 41st captain approached them with Condor by his side. "However, I am disappointed that Delta Squad has betrayed the Empire and is attacking my base."
Boss felt a surge of rage flow through him.
"I am disappointed that you are content with the enslavement of our brothers to the Empire. Last time I was here, Gree had command. What happened?"
"I am afraid you can thank that knee-high Jedi Master for that." The hooded 41st Captain raised his hand. "I will rectify Gree's failure to eliminate him after I execute some traitor commandos. Now fire!"
Boss braced himself for an onslaught of blaster and cannon fire, but a large explosion shook the bay and sent the clones staggering to the ground. Once the dust cleared, the Republic's boys saw a massive crater in the ground nearby, with several Imperials lying crumpled in a heap. He swiveled his head to the right to see that the parked AT-TE's cannon pointed toward them, manned by none other than Walon Vau himself. As Boss gave him a thumbs up, he saw movement beside a dead clone and spotted Green, lying on the ground, reach for his blaster, but the commando leader blasted him in the noggin before he could touch the tip of his weapon.
"Sir, what do we do with him?"
Boss spotted Tarfful propping up a prone Condor as Sev, Fixer, and Scorch peppered the remaining clones with blaster fire. A deafening explosion sent the commandos and their Wookie ally reeling. In his horror, Boss glanced up to see that the walkers surrounding the place were firing toward their position.
Blast! Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.
As two AT-RTs zeroed in on the commandos, Sev took up a position nearby to snipe the 41st clones on them to create an opening. Despite the squad's sniper being successful, the remaining walkers were too much for them. Not even Vau's support cannon fire could cut through the advancing AT-TE's armor.
"How are we getting out of this one?" Fixer asked.
That's a good question, Fixer. We will need plenty of bacta once we are done.
As if to answer that, the AT-TEs and AT-RCs assaulting them took several explosions, sending molten metal shooting into the sky and landing near their position. The buzzing sound of an LAAT met their ears as the frog-shaped gunship materialized through the smoke of the ruined Imperial walkers. The commandos held their breaths for a minute until they saw that it had Shriek Hawk-2's design.
"That's our ticket out!" Scorch shouted.
Once it came in low, they saw the whole group who had assisted them in their endeavor, including Rex and Wolffe, reach out to help them inside the vessel. Tarfful helped load the unconscious ARC they had fought onto the ship before pulling away to join his own people in their revolt against the Imperials oppressing them.
"I see we have a couple new faces onboard,"Flexx noted as the ship started to gain altitude, flying over the burning base.
At that remark, Boss felt his heart drop.
"Sev, Fixer, Scorch, where is Vau?"
"I thought he was behind us!" Scorch replied with an urgent tone in his face.
Boss looked downward at the AT-TE his former trainer was operating only to see it smoldering in a fiery wreck. A vile taste was present in his mouth. How did that happen all of a sudden?
"We have to go back for him!" Fixer ordered.
"It's too late for that!" Niner responded. "We have Imperial air support on our tail. We need to shake them off now!"
Sure enough, the drones of the enemy LAATs were heard and several gunships, now colorless thanks to the Empire scrapping the Republic, appeared from the trees and tried to box Shriek Hawk-2 in. While they took evasive maneuvers, Boss looked over Omega Squad's shoulders to see that Skirata's daughter and another woman that had accompanied them pilot the ship over a column of TX-130 tanks and a Juggernaut as they poured fire over them. Delta Squad's leader turned to the nearby Null, the one in olive-stripings who's name slipped his mind.
"Where is your trainer?"
The Null shook his head sadly. "Kal'Buir didn't make it during our tussle with the Trandos. He was more than just a trainer. He was our father. He raised me and my brothers like we were his sons."
"I am sorry to hear that."
Boss felt a lump in his throat as he thought of Walon Vau. Before he could speak, several blaster shots flew by overhead. A few Special Ops clones cried out as they were hit, a couple tumbling out of the hatch. Glancing to his right, he saw an Imperial gunship level up with them, with Imperial clone troopers peppering their ride with blaster fire.
Can our situation get any dire?
"Guys, we have a Star Destroyer entering the atmosphere!" Ruu called out.
Sure enough, the sun was blotted by a large dagger shape that was growing larger by the second.
I guess it can.
Happy Star Wars week , guys!
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