Rila: And I'm on the road with this, my newest little pet project! :D Yaaaay~ Beta-ed by the absolutely fantastic Impoeia!

Disclaimer: I own most of these clones. :D

Word Count: 636

It was times like these that CT-22-1500 - affectionately nicknamed 'Zero' by his brothers - was grateful for the sanctuary of his helmet. Turning both internal and external comlinks off with the quick movement of his eyes, he exhaled. "You've got this," he told himself, closing his eyes as his grip tightened on his blaster. "Don't think about anything but the enemy. Focus on them."

His personal pep talk eased some of the tension in his shoulders, and he switched his comlinks back on as the interior of the LAAT/i was bathed in red light, signifying imminent enemy contact.

"Red light," someone said, and the pre-battle jokes and playful banter ceased as each soldier took to checking his weaponry, adjusting his helmet and psyching himself up for the battle they were about to enter. Zero stood stiffly between two of his brothers and blinked when a gloved hand clapped him on the shoulder.

"Ready for this, vod?" The voice was his own, and the face behind that helmet was also his own, but it was not him. Swallowing the bile that curdled in the back of his throat, Zero narrowed his eyes and nodded sharply.

"Of course I am." This was what he had been born for, what he had been trained for. There was no other option, no other opportunities for him to take. He'd been born as a soldier, and if it came down to it, he would die as a soldier. The metal floor of the LAAT/i rumbled as the ship touched down, red light switching to green. The door to the LAAT/i slid open, and bright light filtered in, the sound of blaster bolts with it.

"Go, go, go!" The command was shouted as white plastoid bodies filtered out, blasters raised and already returning fire by the time Zero threw himself out of the LAAT/i. He ran, zigzagging a course across the rocky terrain, head tilted upward and focused upon the rows of yellow-brown droids that fired upon him and his brothers. The acrid, choking smell of discharged blaster bolts could not be erased completely by his helmet's filters, and Zero could taste it as he continued along, breathing harsh in his ears.

He was not alone, however; the sound of rapid footfalls to his left and right. The right stopped with a gurgled cry and a thud, and despite wanting to, Zero didn't look back. He couldn't look back. Adrenaline drummed through his veins as he continued along, ducking and weaving as he followed his brothers. His heart pounded and his mind raced as he knocked down droid after droid. This is for my brothers, tinnies.

Sudden pain erupted across his chest like a burst of fire and for a moment, Zero wasn't quite sure what was happening. His grip went lax, blaster falling before he found himself on the hard ground, struggling to breathe properly. What just happened?

Someone bent down next to him and flipped him over, a helmeted head pressing to his chest before they turned and shouted, "I need a medic over here!" The soldier turned back to him. "You'll be alright, vod. Just hang on."

Had he been capable of lucid thought, Zero was sure he could have identified who was talking to him. But everything was going fuzzy at the edges, voices distorting and shapes melting as his vision darkened. Am I dying? He swallowed, tasting blood. I can't die here. But everything was going black, and Zero couldn't see or hear anything any longer.