"Eyes of The Enemy"
The air was hot, humid, even without the scorching plasma rounds being exchanged with two opposing sides. Trapped behind nothing but boulders and dead trees was a single squad of soldiers clad in trademark white armor that had been battered from battle and splattered with a coat of dirt and grime. Already two bodies were silent as one was slouched against a rock while the other was face down in the dirt but that did little to stop the clones' desperate defense against the Separatist ambush. In front were a handful of battle droids, slow in movement and tactically inept though they were more than enough to deal the final blow to the unfortunate patrol. Yet these droids were different, they were each marked with blue paint, each droid with different designs and patterns on them, their significance was unknown to the clone troopers nor did it matter to them, they were Separatist droids and would be treated just as any other. On each of their flanks were two pairs of Super Battle Droids, with continuous blaster fire from their wrist it was no wonder the troopers wouldn't dare try to retreat, else they would be shot down in a volley of red blaster bolts. Their situation was made far worse as up above on a ridge were three marksmen had near clear line of fire down on the exhausted clones. The five Republic soldiers slowly fell one at a time with their armor baring a fresh orange burn mark, they knew they couldn't last but if nothing else they would try their utmost to buy their brothers more time. Two commando droids emerged from the shadows of foliage, sliding down to combat the clones in close quarters. Three remained by the time the droids surrounded them. One of the commando droids, dubbed 'Wire' by his master, disarmed a clone before grabbing him by the helmet and slamming it into the boulder that once shielded them. The other, with vibrosword in hand sliced through the plastoid-alloy plates of another clone before looking toward the last surviving clone with the white eyes of a machine. Though outnumbered the clone cried out only three words before being ready to charge in with his life: "For the Republic!" Before he could make his move another vibro weapon, this time only a vibroblade, came through his stomach covered in blood. With the genetically cloned man's failing strength he turned to meet his killer, a woman with a blue-grey armor just as battered and worn as his. Her shoulder-length hair was a dark brown though with the dirt matting it and discoloring it in places it was difficult to tell its true color. Her eyes, though appearing warm and a shade lighter than her hair, held no sympathy for the clone and he could tell even after fighting primarily droids his entire short career. Looking back down at his stomach he shakily grabbed the blade as if it would dull his pain, "Separatist... scum..." He gasped as a boot kicked him down to the earth.
"Command this is Captain Kvetina, enemy patrol neutralized and the path is clear to enemy command center." She called in through her commlink. One of the many native resistance fighters on the planet, Kvetina had come to be valuable as a military asset. While insignificant as a leader in the grand scheme of the war she held the most successes in engagements with Republic forces, something for both her command as well as herself could boast about. Admittedly most of those victories came in the form of small patrols and ambush tactics but it was nevertheless a victory the Confederacy could claim as their own. She had seen far too much battle for someone not even out of their twenties but that did not stop her from gathering arms with her fellow citizens and fighting for freedom, especially with two commando droids at her disposal which were a gift from her father before he left to command a small Confederate patrol fleet. Just like herself, they had become great assets in the liberation of her home planet.
"Acknowledged Captain, standby and await further orders. We are rallying nearby forces to target location." Said the robotic voice of a tactical droid.
"Sparks, get Buzz and Coin with you and gather what supplies." She ordered her droid whom nodded with a 'roger, roger' and set off to find the pair of B1s. "Wire take troops with the highest readiness and secure a perimeter. Everyone else return to standby mode and wait for my signal to move out!" Three months ago, resources started spreading thin even by Confederacy standards, now even the corporations of the CIS had trouble supplying every front, outpost, and world with weapons and munitions. Since then Kvetina and her warband of 'tribal-like' droids had been scavenging weapons from their slain enemies as well as fallen comrades.
Nearly a year ago the Republic intervened in what should have been a peaceful secession of the planet. The Confederacy, knowing the Republic's hunger for keeping worlds in line through military force sent troops to secure positions, supply the inhabitants, and build defenses for the coming storm. It was the Confederacy that offered aid when famine and drought struck, it was the Confederacy that rebuilt ruined infrastructure and rundown structures, it was the Confederacy that offered an open hand of safety and shelter whereas the Republic kept demanding more and more payments for their war, bleeding the citizens dry until finally the people snapped and joined the Separatist movement. After their declaration of independence from the Republic, a legion of vat grown clones arrived with a Jedi leading the invasion. Within days the hastily gathered militia were massacred in the spirit of Republic 'liberation' and a proclaimed 'peacekeeper' cutting down resistance with a green lightsaber. An image burned in her mind and fueled her with bitter anger against a democracy that should have kept to their preaching of peace.
Kvetina cleared her mind of the image, knowing it would cloud her judgment and lead her to death's door. Letting out a sigh, the woman leaded back against the boulder that was peppered with blaster fire only moments before. Around her were the dead bodies of the all but mindless drones engineered by the Republic. She closed her eyes finally after the many grueling hours of trudging through the mud and the night, sleep came easy but with an entire company of droids standing guard over their Captain it was to be expected.
When her commlink lit up and beeped for her attention, night was fast approaching, the moon was already starting to rise above the horizon but the sun too was shining its hues traditional of the dusk sky. Kvetina rubbed the sleep from her eyes and accepted the call to hear the tactical droid once again.
"Captain, our forces surround the Republic Base's location and we have artillery ready to begin the operation. You are to scout the area and confirm its location."
"Affirmative command," The captain began drowsily, "Is there anything I should expect from this mission?"
"Negative, this is a scouting mission not a raid, any attack is not authorized nor approved until later in the operation."
"Roger that, over and out." Though she had not noticed at first, it had finally come to her attention that the bodies that were once around her were gone. All that remained was the dried blood and scorch marks. She already knew who was responsible- Wire being the tidiest of the two- but it did not matter to her for now she saw victory within her grasp. "Sparks, Wire, with me we have a mission from command. All other droids prepare for assault on the Republic base and await command!" The droids started waking from their standby mode, forming into their usual columns. Kvetina took up three rifles that once belonged to the clones, two of which she tossed to her two droids while she kept another for herself, together they made way due west but instead of following the open valley they opted to climb up and out of the valley. The dense vegetation and trees proved difficult to travel through but it would be far safer than being out in the open. "Wire, assessment."
"Analysis and command indicates the Republic base should house hundreds of clone troopers and vehicles ready at a moment's notice. I do not believe we have the forces capable of defeating such an army." Said the Commando Droid. Without having the luxury of air superiority, it was difficult to do any scouting that wasn't on foot, some battles simply could not be won previously as the Republic had a handful of transports at their disposal.
"I disagree Captain, we have artillery on our side while the Republic does not have many heavy vehicles. If we were to catch their depot by surprise, Confederate forces could destroy their walkers and hopefully transports as well. Should this be successful we have a substantial chance at victory." Sparks responded. He had grown in favor of using deadly and sometimes brutal force to defeat his foes and this was no different. The militia combined with the CIS had them outnumbered certainly but numbers alone could not defeat well trained soldiers.
"Well then, let us see what awaits us. I feel this will be the last battle for our home and by the time this day is done the Republic will have been driven out!"
A/N: Yes, yes an entire year gone, no excuses from me! Though as much as I've thought about what to do with the story I never really had a direction. Thus it shall be redone! Also is acting up and apparently users can't upload new documents. What a time to come back too, but there's a work around so as always, enjoy!
~Firetoast312
