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A War Torn Galaxy
Geonosis
Anonymous Clone Soldier
"A blur...that's all it really was...a big incoherent blur. It feels like just yesterday when they gave us the word to mobilize, just like yesterday when those first shots went off. I remember the scorching hot sun and the scalding hot air. The ground was dry, withered, and cracked. Countless mountains and spires riddled the barren surface and dry desert clouds filled the air. I remember the smell of recycled air and ozone, as if it was all yesterday. Nothing on Kamino could have possibly prepared us for this day. The day when we would meet our enemy, an enemy that did not feel, an enemy that did not fear. It all seemed surreal, but what I remember most-is seeing them for the very first time. There they were….battle droids, an army of thousands of shiny, soulless automatons with a single goal-to wipe us out. The separatist employed the droid armies of multiple corporations in an effort to overwhelm the Republic, but were unprepared to face the fighting men of the Grand Army. We all knew the ensuing battle was going to be long, hard, and merciless; our only reward was the chance of coming out alive. Despite these circumstances, not one man would have dared to decline this mission, it was our duty to serve the Republic. Our first mission under our new leaders was to engage the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and to provide a sure way out for the outnumbered Jedi forces. Not all of our training combined could have prepared us for that treacherous and pivotal day. This battlefield was our proving grounds, in more mind than body; for this was the day my brothers and I would take our first steps into destiny."
Namascas
Republic Secondary HQ
Republic Ready Room
"Sir, sir!" shouted CT-578/22-345 from across a control console.
"We've got enemy infantry breaching our outer defenses and General Ki-Adi-Mundi's reinforcements have been ambushed, what are your orders, Captain Rex?" he asked while managing several consoles at once.
"Tell our men to pull back and reestablish another line of defense. I will inform General Skywalker of our current situation. I hope we have some good news for the General next time, I'm tired of this planet."
They had all been on Namascas for well over a week and hadn't even chipped the enemy's defenses. The droid forces used Namascas' nearly impenetrable environment against them hidden behind. Namascas was a jungle planet full of fauna and creatures of diverse design. The jungle was versatile and even grew at the bottom of the ocean. The planet had two fiery blue stars that scorched the ground and boiled the oceans almost year round. Fortunately it had entered its winter season, but still felt like Tatooine covered in lava. From high-orbit, one might think of it as peaceful, beautiful even. A poor soul such as this would be in for a serious surprise when they reached the surface. Namascas was at war with itself well before the Separatists arrived; every flesh-eating disease, man- eating plant, and nocturnal creature imaginable called it home. It made it just that much harder for Rex and his men to take the fight to the droids- and they knew it. Rex hurried his way to the command room while dodging a horde of incoming and outgoing traffic full of technicians, medics, and equipment operators. After a few minutes of perilous travel, he finally reached the outer door of the command room. He passed security and walked in to find General Anakin Skywalker, Commander Ahsoka Tano, and their entire command crew working furiously.
"General Skywalker, sir?"
"Any more good news Rex?" asked the General with a sly smirk on his face.
"No sir, I've come to inform you that our perimeter has been breached, sir." Anakin stopped to think about the new information.
"Well that sounds like good news to me, good work Captain." Anakin replied with a humorous grin.
Rex almost allowed himself to be surprised, but then remembered that General Skywalker was no ordinary Jedi. "Yes, sir it's fantastic news, what will you have us do in response?"
"Pull back our outer patrols, call the birds back to base, and contact General Ki-Adi-Mundi."
"Yes, General, what of the lost patrol near sensor marker six?"
Anakin looked up from the holochart he was studying. "I'm organizing a recovery mission as we speak; prepare your men."
Rex saluted then prepared to turn to carry out his orders.
"Oh and Rex while you're at it, would you mind bringing me some caf?"
Rex smiled. "No problem, sir." he then about-faced and walked away.
"I see you're in a good mood Master, was that really necessary?" Anakin turned to face his young padawan to see her smiling at him with her arms crossed.
"Actually it was, I've been working hard for the past 8 hours straight trying to make sense of the Seppies erratic strategies. I also had to wake up early to fight an entire division before chow this morning." Anakin said while studying his apprentice's expression.
She rolled her eyes at him while she helped to realign a holochart. "Well we all know you need your beauty sleep Master, but the rest of us have been working for the past ten hours straight."
"Yeah well a Jedi does need his rest in order to fight a war. Speaking of sleep, you look like you could use some yourself Snipps. We've got a meeting with the council in an hour, try to get some sleep till then."
She yawned at his response. "I'll try Master, but I don't want to be out of the fight for too long, I've got work to do."
She then left the command room and traveled down the halls to her quarters, leaving Anakin to ponder on the oncoming battle.
Namascas
The Frontlines
Troopers of the 501st Legion
The main clone force laid trapped in a mountain valley a couple of miles out from the secondary headquarters. They were held up at a barricaded mountain entrance surrounded by temporary defense structures and several clone turbo tanks. The valley stretched out about 100 yards until it reached forest and the incoming droid forces.
"Incoming flak"! shouted a wounded trooper before he was silenced by flaming hot shards of metal raining down from the sky.
"Someone man that gun, and lay down suppressive fire in sector 22-Delta! Hold this line, and find out where those tanks are!" yelled a trooper with sergeant insignia. Troopers were everywhere desperately trying to hold their own against a large force of droids and Namascasian rebels. All the while dodging sweltering shrapnel raining from the sky taking lives wherever it landed.
"We got a man down, Sergeant, are you alright?"
"Where are those reinforcements I called in, Corporal?" he replied as he gripped on to his wound in pain.
"They are on their way along with Skywalker himself, sir."
"Well it's about damn time." the sergeant said with mock enthusiasm.
"I wish I shared your enthusiasm, sarge, but they're at least 20 minutes out. I have never seen so much resistance from battle droids before and these narrow roads do not make it any easier to move our armor." the Corporal waited for a response. Then turned to see mess of blood and armor in his place.
"Frakk, not again, somebody clean this mess up!" he shouted at the nearest troop next to him, then replaced his helmet and continued the fight.
Creatures scattered through the smoke filled the air, trying to out run the carnage. The ground shook with barrage after barrage and the air smelt like sizzling flesh, ozone, and blaster lubricant. For every droid put down two more would take its place. They poured down the terrain like a river of metal and wiring, slowly inching closer and closer. The droids had the higher ground, but heavy fire from Clone BARC speeders and stationary weapon emplacements kept them at bay. A couple dozen super-battle droids led a charge for the main clone battle group, attempting to put hole in their weakening lines. The Namascasian troops followed the droids closely, giving support and commands. They looked like a strange hybrid between humans and reptilians. The strange creatures had red scales, lacked snouts unlike most lizards, and used sonic technology in the majority of their weapons. Their species was nocturnal and cold blooded, and they were galaxy renown for their uncanny anger. They possessed an unfounded hatred towards the Jedi and anyone that dared to invade their home. The Namascasian Government seceded from the Republic two months ago, and wasted no time turning to the Confederacy. Without their assistance their armies would stand no chance against the Republic.
"We've got a leak, where's Corporal Mu! shouted a clone trooper carrying ammunition.
"Right here trooper, someone put a turret on that leak! We have got to hold this line, Skywalker's ETA is 10." He then helped to load a Z-6 Rotary Cannon.
"But sir, our ammunition is nearly depleted and our left line is close to collapse." "Try harder; we only have 10 until we are reinforced." Mu replied while laying down suppressive fire. "Sir, in our position 10 minutes might as well be 10 hours." He stopped to reload, right before an anti-infantry round pierced his visor and his skull.
Namascas
Republic Convoy
En-route to trapped clone forces
General Skywalker and his convoy raced daringly through the treacherous terrain of Namascas. They crossed rivers, blew away mountains, fought native beasts, and avoided the deadly mumassian pits. It seemed as if everything on Namascas was created to kill anything unfortunate enough to cross it. The rivers bore acids, Namassian cats prowled everywhere, and the mumassian pits were filled with toxins from the planets core. Casualties were inevitable, but the risk was worth the lives of the lost patrol. General Skywalker observed their progress from the command bunker of a clone turbo tank. He paced obsessively back and forth, not trying to mask the uneasiness he was radiating.
"This planet, is rotten to the core, it shouldn't take this long to make through this brush."
"Sorry sir, but the plants here grow back at an accelerated rate, and we have to be careful out here. We'll be through in a few moments, after we blast through this remaining barricade of trees." replied a clone driver.
After a few minutes of blasting and maneuvering the convoy overcame the brush blocking their path.
"General Skywalker we have reached our destin-ation."
"Alright get ready to de-ploy."
Both men were still as they stared helplessly out the forward view port of the tank, taking in the carnage before them. Shaking away the shock Anakin quickly ran out the command cabin, through the boarding hatch to the crippled, smoking clone patrol. All around the ground lay heaps of rubble and smoking bodies. Anakin's knees buckled and he tightened his fists. He had seen plenty of carnage in his life, but this reminded him of...the Tusken Camp on Tatooine. He would never forget the day he lost his mother…never. Squads began to rush off the tanks to assess the damage and to recover their fallen brothers bodies.
"Master, are you alright?" Anakin turned to see his apprentice looking at him with concern.
"No, these men were counting on me and I let them down. If I had just moved a little faster, or left by gunship these men would still be alive." He clenched his fists in frustration.
"It's not your fault, and the gunships can't take off with all the AA in the area." Ahsoka replied with greater concern.
"Maybe so, now go help the clones clean up, and bury the dead." With hesitance she left as ordered, with worry on her brow.
The clones were busy at work burying bodies, retrieving weapons, and stripping equipment from vehicles. They all worked solemnly, not one uttered a word, and they all worked in mournful unity. Among them was Captain Rex helping to coordinate the removal of a large slab of durasteel.
"Alright easy, take it easy, nice and slow. Now shift to the left 20 degrees, alright you're clear, reel it in. Good job trooper, now we should…stop, somebody get a medic!" Rex shouted urgently.
Under the enormous slab were two surprised and dazed clone troopers. They sat huddled together, covering their eyes from the newly found light. Their armored was damaged and they were coughing from the brought up dirt.
"Who turned the lights on?" asked one trooper that appeared uninjured.
"I'm glad to see someone survived this catastrophe. Someone get General Skywalker." said an excited Captain Rex as he ushered in a medical retrieval team. Ahsoka Tano landed next to Rex from seemingly nowhere and proceeded to the two clones.
"At least we have some good news, what are your identification numbers?" asked Ahsoka Tano while wiping dust off her face.
"My number is CT-556/45-321, but you can call me Mu, and this is Private Psi. I can't begin to describe how happy I am to see you all."
"Nice to meet you both, we'll get you out of here." she replied, then she turned to see her Master running towards them.
"You found someone? Thank the Force; at least someone survived this massacre. Are you two injured?"
"I'm not sir, but Psi here has a possibly broken arm." he gestured towards him.
"Alright then, Rex get them cleaned up, I'm going to want their report on exactly what happened here ASAP."
"Yes, sir." replied Rex. The two Jedi left the clones to clean up as they walked back to the Command HAV/w A6 to report their findings to the Jedi Council.
Namascas
HAV/w A6
Jedi Council Meeting
Anakin and Ahsoka patiently waited for a response to their message to the Jedi council. They knew the council would want clarification of the events that took place here, and why they failed to predict the Separatist's move. After a few more minutes of waiting, the holo-table sparked to life, various members of Jedi Council hovered above them. Among those members was the wise Grand Master Yoda and the powerful Master Mace Windu.
"Greetings Master Skywalker, Padawan Tano, news for us do you have?" said the ancient and philosophical Jedi.
"Yes, Master Yoda, very unfortunate news actually. We lost a lot of good men today and a plethora of supplies." Master Windu waved to speak.
"So what you are telling us is that you failed to do your job, Master Skywalker." an unreadable expression on his face.
"Yes...Master, it seems that the Namascasians are providing the Separatist with more information than recently thought. They live here and know every inch of this planet by heart, while we scurry around mapping out a couple thousand miles of terrain. With the permission of the council I wish to request more air support and supplies." "I don't believe we should put any more resources into the Namascas campaign, what do you think Master Yoda?"
"Agree I do, with Master Windu, too much have we wasted already." said Yoda with a saddened expression. Anakin waited a few seconds to consider the limited options the Council had left him with.
"I hear that Master Kenobi is done in the Outer Rim, is he available to support me?"
"No, he's not; we've just reassigned him to some undercover work in the Y'Toub System. But I am sure you will the necessary resources to aid you, we have faith in your abilities." replied Master Windu.
Anakin sighed, obviously disappointed in the outcome of the meeting.
"Yes, Masters, I am sure I will, and thank you." Anakin said before the hologram faded away.