Marsis stepped off the gunship as it landed in the center of the next town. Master luminara had already cleared the town.
She aproached him.
Were there any survivors? He asked.
No, But there weren't any bodies either, so that might be a good sign.
Yes it might be, Any damaged droids?
No, Atleast not that we could plainly see.
Ok, then lets move on to the next village.
They ran down the trail towards the next village. Up ahead Marsis saw a column of droids. He stopped dead in his tracks and ignited his lightsaber. Master Luminara followed suit by igniting her blade. A wounded Bariss ignited hers as well. The clones stopped dead in their tracks and raised their weapons.
Steady, We want to draw them in. Marsis ordered raising his hand to the clones. Now!
He yelled. The clones which had time to aim opened fire knocking down a chunk of the droids. Marsis ran forward blokcing the fire that the droids where putting out. He slashed down a super battle droid then flung another into a group of regular battle droids. Master luminara blocked shots and reflected them back at their attackers. Bariss was too weak she went to run at the droids but she fell over. Master luminara fell back and covered klix as he picked up bariss and removed her from the line of fire. Marsis lunged stabing a battle droid then removed his saber spun around and cut a super battle droid in two. He then slashed 2 more battle droids with one slash. Marsis deactivated his lightsaber. They left a pile of smoking sparking chunks of metal.
What's the death toll? Marsis asked Klix.
5 men dead 3 more wounded. He replied.
Can the wounded walk? No sir, Most of em probably wont make it.
Do what you can klix.
Yes sir.
Bariss limped over to him. She began speaking; I'm in alot of pain, Im gonna have to go back to the Magnum, Im sorry.
He replied; It's fine.
A gunship swooped down and landed infront of Marsis. The wounded were loaded on, so that they could go to the magnum where they would take a schuttle to the orbiting medical station. Bariss stepped onboard. The doors closed as Kilx signaled the pilot to takeoff. The pilot gave the thumbs up to kilx and raised up off the ground. The gunship spun around and flew off in the direction of the magnum.
Should we proceed then Marsis? Master luminara asked.
Yes. Marsis said.
Basher ran up beside Marsis.
He bagan speaking fast; Sir, Tech is picking up some droid chatter on his commlink.
His commlink? Marsis asked. How in the hell? What are they saying?
They are talking about 4 tanks that are heading at us.
Marsis looked ahead to see 4 tanks slowly coming down a hill.
Men, Hide in the tree's right now! He screamed. He tried to see the top of the hill but he couldn't. The fungus and light blocked it from his view. He ignited his lightsaber and fell into a fighting posistion. The tanks began firing into the fungus. Marsis watched as the huge fungal growths fell on his men. He watched basher get hit with one.
Basher! He screamed. He rushed over to his wounded clone. He removed the helmet. The fungus had landed right on his stomach. Everything from there down was crushed.
The clone coughed, some blood spattered out.
Klix! Marsis yelled.
He put his hands on the blood covered armor his clone trooper was wearing.
Hang in their Basher. Marsis said comforting him.
He replied, It's no use sir... he groaned, Im not gonna make it.
Just hang in their you'll be fine.
He forced a smile. Sir, your crazy if you think I'm gonna make it.
Klix rushed over. And bent down next to the clone. He pulled out a needle and stuck Basher in the neck. Basher relaxed.
Sir he ain't gonna make it. Klix announced to Marsis.
Basher looked up at Marsis.
The only thing keeping him alive is the pressure from the fungus.
Damnit. Marsis cursed.
Basher looked up at him and began speaking, Listen sir... I'm just a clone... I was meant to be dispensible... My purpose was to fight and... Fight... Fight and... He fell limp.
Marsis felt anger flow through him.
He ignited his blade. He ran at the tanks. They blasted at him. He fell over on his back and slid under one tank, It hit the ground and exploded. He collapsed a fungal growth on another then destroyed the crew of the third. The fourth and final one. He embraced the force and used it as he had never used it before. He picked up the tank, and slammed it into the fungal growths. He deactivated his weapon and walked back to where his troops were injured and dead.
Sir we've layed out the injured and left the dead where they were. Gunships will be here soon. Pik said to him.
Where is Blitz? Marsis asked.
Badly injured sir, he's gonna need a Bacta tank. Pik replied.
What about Tech?
Fine, in fact he's helping Klix move the wounded.
Commander Fox?
Fine, locating the wounded.
What's the estimated death toll?
So far 86 men from Red company and 97 from Green company.
There's no way we can take that hill.
Understood sir, I assume we are going to pull back?
No, were going to have the walkers dropped here, They will have our reinforcements.
Yes sir.
Sir we just received word from commander fox, 94 men from Red company are dead.
Is that a total?
Should be.
Damn Droids. Marsis cursed as he walked over to Master luminara.
She looked at him.
Our losses are to heavy to move on. He said. Were going to have to wait for our reinforcements.
Our reinforcements aren't coming, The magnum had to return to orbit, The droids were over running their posistion. She replied dryly.
This is all we have?
Yes.
We'll have to retreat then.
Yes.
We'll take gunships after the wounded leave.
This isn't very good. You know well have to take that hill eventually?
Yeah, When we do though, Well have more men and a couple of tanks.
One of the rules of war is never attack the high ground.
He leaned up against a fungal tree and continued speaking; I know that but the only way is to attack that hill. Unless you want to fighting a defensive war for the next few months.
She crossed her arms in frustration; This war is just dragging on and on with no end in sight.
Yeah it is, Unfortunateley, were losing more then were winning.
Yes that may be the truth, But our morale is extremley low the troops are dying which makes them not want to fight.
I would understand that, after Kavarr and Master Shan were killed; I didn't want to fight either, But the council couldn't pair me up with another master so they put me in command of my ships and that was it.
Yes, The loss of Master Shan was hard, I could feel the disturbance when she was killed, do you know exactly what happened?
Yeah I saw it, Some destroyer droids surrounded her, By the time I got their she was already shot up. She was able to hang on long enough to tell me she thought I was ready for the trials. It was hard to let her go, She was like a mother to me.
Master luminara looked like she was sad she asked; What about Kavarr?
He was hit with some chunks of a pillar that was blown apart by a sonic gun.
That happened after master shan, I had to keep fighting, I know what I did was the right thing, He would have wanted me to keep going.
I'm sure master shan would have wanted you to keep going as well.
Maybe. But we need to stop thinking about the past, we need to keep going right now, were in trouble we can't worry about Geosnosis.
He Began walking toward the injured clones. Alot of them moaned in pain, Some just lay, A couple had died from the injuries. The Fungus and the shots from the tanks were a lethal combo. Marsis walked over to Blitz who lay on the ground. Their was blood spattered on his armor and face. He knelt down next to his injured trooper.
Can you talk? Marsis asked.
He replied a Very pained; Yes.
Tell me what your Designation is.
Ct-... 53...03, Nickname is Blitz.
Good good, Now just stay calm ok, It'll all be ok, Did klix stabilize you?
Yeah... Gave... me some... pain killers.
Marsis walked over to the next trooper who was siting up.
He knelt down next to him.
I guess you can talk? He asked with a smile.
Of course General. He replied.
What's your Designation?
Ct-53-26.
Ok.
Marsis stood up. He looked around at the carnage. The droids had got him good this time, But not again. He wouldn't let this happen again, Ever.