Oban Kobi

------------------Advanced Recon Commando designation one-one-two-seven.---------------

The enemy stronghold was dark, and wet. They had arrived aboard a Republic Assault Ship, like everyone else. Once planet side, however, everything changed. While most troops headed off to the arena, some flown in directly. A select few, commandos, were assigned to Mace Windu. His squad was among them. Inside a cavern, they had only themselves, and their equipment. A shadow stirred, awaking the caves from their slumber.

"27, behind you!" cried 45, known as Ranger. "I've got it." 27 replied. I need some cover here Omegas!" "I've got you covered bossman", 08, Spartan, answered, as he rushed over with his DC-17, spraying energy into the cloaked figure rounding the corner.

The bolts seemed to bend around the figure, not even grazing it. Tesicola was starting to sweat under his armor. "We need some help over here!" he called into his helmets comlink, continuing to pour blaster shots into the target. Ranger, nearby, answered him. "Got you covered boss!" snapping his sniper attachment onto his DC-17, he took careful aim. "I've got him in my sights", he said, mostly to himself. 27 commanded, "Fire when ready." He let loose a bolt powerful enough to drop a tauntan. It smashed into the figure's head, spinning it about, and dumping it onto its back. "Nice shot!" cheered 68.

Tesicola turned around. "How are those shields coming, Hacker?"

"Almost done sir!" 68 assured from the computer terminal he was working on. "There, should be good to go".

"Uh, boss, you're gonna want to see this." Ranger said. Tesicola came over. "What in Corellias nine hells...I think it's a man, sir. But he's four meters tall, and looks about 350 kilos. Your orders?" Still shocked by the sight, 27 paused a bit before answering. "Take it out." Ranger replied, "Yes sir."

As the world around him faded away, leaving him and the creature alone, he could have sworn the man looked straight at him. A blaster bolt shot out of Rangers rifle. A red blade intercepted it. Ranger fell. The man had sent the bolt right through Rangers visor. Spartan felt as though it had been his gut that had been shot. "Ranger!" He ran over, checking for a pulse. "Blast!" he cursed.

Tesicola saw what happened. "08! Keep your head down!"

Spartan stifled a cry. "He's killed 45! Bloody fierfek!" Spartan unloaded with his geonosian beam weapon, as he unclipped a thermal detonator from his belt. He armed it, then threw it at the man's feet. To his dismay, the grenade floated back up towards him, and the beam weapon was ripped from his grasp, as if by an invisible hand.

"Take cover Omegas!" cried 27, but it was too late. Even as he crouched down behind a support pillar, the grenade detonated, washing the cavern with a wave of heat, released from its baradium explosive. "Omegas!" screamed Tesicola. "Omegas, respond!" He emerged from cover, only to see that there was nothing left of his brothers, save for a few pieces of smoking and melted armor on the ground. He spun around, ready to rip the man's heart out, when he suddenly realized he could no longer stand. He hit the ground hard. He looked about, and saw the man was towering above him, crimson blade illuminating the walls of the cave, and his severed legs. "Oh, blast. Not good, not good." He tried to bring his rifle to bear, but the blade brushed his still smoking stumps of legs. The pain was unbearable, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

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"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"

Tesicola looked around, confused. "What? Where am I?"

The clone talking to him replied, "Sir, you're on Kamino, remember? We found you stranded on Geonosis. We picked you up and took you here. Your legs were amputated just above the knee, but we managed to fit pair of prosthetics on. I'll go get a medtech; you took quite a beating out there."

Tesicola didn't know what to do. "Thanks, uh, who are you?" 27 asked.

"Trooper designation A-01-53, with the 230th legion." 53 replied.

"Thank you 53". 27 said.

"No problem, sir".

Troopers never called commandos by anything other than sir. He wondered if he would ever be called Tesicola again. That was a name reserved for his squad. His brothers. "53." he called. "Yes sir?" 53 relied. "Were there any other survivors from Omega Squad?"

The clone shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, no. You were the only one."

27 felt like he'd been hit in the gut, as he'd been countless times sparing with Spartan. His brothers were the only ones he truly knew him. His only family. Now they were gone.

53 must have noticed his pain. "Sir, are you alri-"

27 fumed, "Get out of here trooper!"

53 looked frightened, appropriate when confronted with an angry ARC. "Yes sir." 53 replied as he saluted and hurriedly walked out. Two-Seven said nothing as the medtech began examining his condition. Apparently, he was going to be fine. That would be great, if he had a life to return to.