The First Contact War Short Stories

Chapter 3

Battle for Deyaron City

25030 Galactic Standard Calendar, CT-67005 'Teal', 104th Battalion, Deyaron.

The clone column pushed up quickly to the shop that would be their base of operations. Time had become a bit scarce so they had no time to be cute with their movement. The defenders of Deyaron were getting into the red zone and needed to push the ball across the line.

While the clankers responded with some intermittent fire as the clones came into view of Laurel Canyon road, it proved to be more annoying then threatening. With clones providing cover, the machine guns and mortars got set up and ready to roll. The blocking force prepared to move as did the main assault force. Tension built like a coiled spring waiting to be unleashed. All knew that their hope for the recapture of the city, no, not just city, THEIR city, likely hinged on the next few minutes.

With a signal from Captain Harvel the fire support group opened up. Two whumps from the mortars led the way followed by the low guttural chatter of the DLT-19 heavy blaster rifles. To more whumps from the mortar tubes followed before the first two rounds exploded. Spotters recalibrated before they found their mark. Zeroed in, the deadly weapons rained destruction onto the enemy position.

Captain Harvel waited patiently for several minutes seeming to enjoy the chance for payback on the pinned-down clankers. The timing had to be perfect so the officer didn't allow any personal satisfaction to get in the way of the job at hand. Satisfied the time was right the Captain sent the blocking force sprinting across Osborne to their position. The clankers managed some sporadic and uncoordinated fire, seeming to be caught off guard by the voraciousness of the mortar and machine gun fire so all were able to get across and into position before any could be hit. Harvel waited several more minutes for attention to be diverted to that area then he sent the main force down the alley hidden from view and through a townhouse complex that provided cover from view. If everything came off right this was going to ruin some alien officer's whole day.

Teal and his team found themselves on the point of the assaulting force moving swiftly but carefully through the cover the trees afforded. Familiar ground to them, he thought. A few more seconds and they'd be to the road and it would be game on.

Heart pounding his breathing started to become laboured. He could feel blood trickling down his side from the wound Doc had quickly patched up. Or was it sweat? Likely both. Teal could hear the sound of battle to his right, the crump of the mortars, chatter of machine guns and the whiz of return fire. So far no one seemed to have noticed their movement so they'd have a bit of surprise. He hoped it would be more than a bit.

The foliage began to thin out as the clones moved steadily to the street to their front. Teal held up his hand in the signal to halt. He wanted to make sure everyone was up before they attacked. A quick shoulder check and he knew they were good to go. Taking one deep breathe, he closed his eyes to prep for what lay ahead.

It was time.

"Go! Go! Go!" he yelled, more from adrenaline then a need to give the command as the others sprung into action behind him.

Sprinting through the trees, over the sidewalk and onto Laurel Creek road the soldiers burst into the open. Four lanes wide suddenly seemed like an awfully long way.

The clones held their fire, focusing on moving as fast as they could. This was not like a movie where the good guys came out guns blazing. They waited for targets to identify themselves and concentrated on moving to the parking lot of the Target where there were speeders that could be used for cover.

They didn't have to wait long to find something to shoot back at.

Though initially surprised by the quick attack from an unexpected side the clankers responded to the new threat bringing machine gun and rocket fire to bear on the charging clones.

Combat had always been a strange combination of experiences for Teal. He, like the O.A.G. forces that he had worked with, called it his 'spidey-sense'. Everything seemed to go super fast and yet also moved super slow. Psychologists say that one's senses are heightened in times of high stress and our remarkably designed bodies respond in kind. So, while everything seemed to be going by in fast forward, like watching a holo on rapid advance, everything was crystal clear for Teal. He saw it all: the B1 that popped up in the parking lot to the right only to be shredded by a DLT-19, one on the roof to the front who was blown off like a stunt man by the exploding round of a mortar, all came in pure, high definition clarity.

Yet he couldn't hear anything. So much noise and confusion swirled around Teal yet he heard nothing as he sprinted across the road then into the parking lot. He didn't hear himself screaming manically in the face of the enemy return fire, he didn't hear the orders he automatically gave to those around him, he didn't hear the sound of his DC-15A firing steadily, he didn't hear the sound of brothers getting hit around him.

He was focused.

Next thing Teal knew, he stood under the overhang of the store near one of the entrances gasping for breath. He looked around and did a quick head count, pleased by the number of men who made it, including all of his.

Good, he thought, these guys were beginning to become pretty special to him. He noticed the mortars had shifted their fire from the Target to the strip mall across the street to eliminate the threat of friendly fire. It was now time for them to start to do their job.

A clone Lieutenant who'd come up with them now started getting the troops organized. Teal recognized him by markings of his helmet, quite uncharacteristic for a clone (at the time). Surfer he'd been called. But Teal also knew him to be a solid officer, a bit of an anomaly, even for the clones but the right guy for the job.

"Staff Sergeant, take four fire teams and clear the building. Secure any other entrances then report back to me,' Surfer ordered crisply. "The rest of you, cover the approach and hold this area. We're not letting these squid heads push us back. Move!"

"Lockett, point," Teal commanded in response. "They know we're here so use your comms to keep me posted. Let's move!"

The others followed naturally as the corporal pushed in through the doors, two other clones automatically holding them open for the others to surge in in force. Teal deployed the fire teams as they spread out through the dark building. Helmet mounted flashlights played up and down deserted aisles as the soldiers charged through the store that only days earlier would have been filled with eager shoppers looking for the latest bargain. No more, not only had the city changed but the whole world had changed since then.

"Movement, east wall," a voice crackled through the comm link.

"Light him up!"

The thump of a grenade broke the silence followed by an explosion and a shower of kids tricycles from the bike section a pair of droids had been hiding in.

"Contact! Contact!" others called out frantically as the invaders made their stand.

Suddenly the dark store was lit up by sizzling blaster fire. Teal had placed the men well so with interlocking fields of fire they were able to systematically push all the remaining droids into a killing zone in the centre of the store.

Hawk, was firing systematic bursts from his DLT-19 burst out laughing despite the frenzy of combat. A B1, desperate to escape, had floundered through the lingerie section and had a purple lace bra stuck to its head that would have looked better on its intended user. The moment of mirth lasted but a moment as the droid was shredded by the fire of several clones.

It had been a sharp firefight but ended up lasting less than five minutes before the calls starting coming in:

"East sector secure."

"South secure."

"West entrance secure."

But then followed the sound every combat leader hated to hear:

"Medic!"

The building was secure and fortunately the cost had been relatively light. Five men wounded, two seriously, but fortunately none killed. Maybe the tide had begun to turn.

Teal deployed the bulk of his fire teams to secure the entrances to the building before taking his own team and trotting back to the Lieutenant.

"Good to go sir," Teal reported.

Surfer nodded but didn't say anything to him, preparing for the next phase of action. "All right, assaulting force, let's take this street," he yelled to the force ready to move.

Leaving Teal and his squad behind the officer charged off with a heavy platoon he'd chosen to take the last position. On cue the mortars stopped their fire as the clones hit Osborne. The DLT-19 provided covering fire but it wasn't enough. With the mortars stopping the clankers, who had wisely gone to ground, reappeared and blasted the approach to their position. A wall of fire greeted the clones forcing them back to the cover of the department store.

The droids tried themselves to push across to retake their lost position but were met with stiff resistance from the hasty defence set up around the store so they couldn't move either.

It had become a stalemate.

Neither side seemed content to simply trade fire across the boulevard though time worked against the clones. Both sides probed, looking for a weakness to exploit but neither gave any ground.

The officer in charge of the attack called for his radioman in an attempt to bring some much-needed support. "Echo 1-7 this is Echo 2-7. We're stuck here. We need fire support. Anything in the air? Over."

"Negative on the air support 2-7," Captain Harvel responded on the other end. "But hold your position, I'm sending some reinforcements and something I think will help unstick things."

The lieutenant organized his men for a renewed assault, curious to see what his superior could send that would help tip the balance. Then a smile lit up his tanned face as he saw not only another two sections of infantry move up but also a rocket launcher team.

Yes, this would unstick things nicely.

Directing rocket fire towards CIS strong points, the clones were able to soften resistance. With a charge worthy of any echelon in the soon to be storied history of the clone legions, with one more push they successfully dislodged the droids from the strip mall. With the droid's last defensive position breached they fell back with the clones pressing them all the way past their objective in order to have enough ground to set up a cordon to ensure the precious reinforcements they were waiting for would be unimpeded.

The ramp had been secured as was the underpass and area on the opposite side of the freeway. droid resistance seemed to evaporate. It became suddenly quiet again.

Despite the exertion in the humid afternoon no one rested. Fire teams began to set up a defensive position finding whatever cover they could to protect the off ramp and surrounding area. The cost had been high in killed and wounded but everyone knew the importance of this mission, plus, it had been a clear victory for the Republic forces, something they desperately needed. The wounded were being carried back to the spaceport for evacuation and a few more reinforcements had arrived but that had slowed. Doc re-joined the section since the casualty collection point had been closed. All that seemed left to do was to wait for the arrival of the walkers.

"Not much longer now," Captain Harvel encouraged the men as he went around checking their progress, ensuring all of the arcs were covered. "We're going to hold this position and the rocket launcher will hold the center."

Boom!

The clone with the rocket launcher and his loader suddenly evaporated in a ball of flame.

"Spider!" a nearby brother screamed, warning too late of the arrival of the lethal weapon. Letting loose a salvo of powerful blaster bolts at close range it eliminated in one shot the biggest threat the clones could muster.

The droids counter-attacked in force.

The newly arrived Spider droid began to systematically focus on the key points of resistance and just as systematically eliminated them. Other B1 droids poured into the area, cutting down any clone that tried to move out of the cone of fire of the deadly support weapon. Withering fire caused the defenders to wilt initially but they wouldn't break, not this close to accomplishing their mission.

A large squad of Super Battle droids cut across Laurel Canyon road, effectively cutting the clones holding the off-ramp from the reinforcements coming from the spaceport. It was as if they knew what travelled down the highway also so wanted to deny the Republic forces the hope that had been growing.

Hawk returned fire with his DLT-19, checking the progress of those who would try to take the ramp. Ram added what firepower he could with his grenade launcher but it was small compensation for the rockets. Teal moved from position to position, redirecting fire and shifting men about to keep them from harm's way. All the while rounds hissed and pinged all around him. He was singularly focused on holding the position. The reminder of Hector and the others when he'd passed Rincon Avenue drove him despite the searing pain from his wound and growing light headedness.

Not now, not again, he kept telling himself. The mantra went through his head again and again. He wouldn't fail those who'd put their trust in him another time. Not this time.

The clones were being pressed hard. It was only a matter of time before their line broke. But not one of them wavered. None thought of breaking and running. They were here to the end. Several glanced at their brothers, gave winks and wry smiles under their helmets, knowing what the next few minutes held. No, none broke. The clones always faithful. They would hold to the end, taking as many with them as possible, hoping they would be remembered for their sacrifice.

Then, just as suddenly as the rocket launcher team had been blown up, the walking gun erupted in a ball of fire.

Simultaneously the sound of a 25mm chain gun opening up and the roar of a trio of Superhornet attack VTOLs filled the air. All eyes turned to the source of the intrusion. Coming down the Golden State Freeway, escorted by a flight of gunships flying cover, was a half-dozen Trojans leading the way for a convoy of walkers. It was a sight for sore eyes.

The column's escort joined the fight. Their considerable firepower overwhelmed the droids in a matter of minutes. Momentum broken and main support weapon destroyed, the clanker remnants retreated in disarray.

"The cavalry's here!" Harris whooped, screaming with joy.

"We did it, we actually did it," Ram shouted, wiping sweat from his eyes and pounding Harris on the shoulders.

As if a burden had been lifted from him, knowing the mission had been accomplished, Teal did a half turn, as if to leave the position, took one step and collapsed to the pavement.

The others in his section saw this and rushed to his side, ignoring the cheering marines around them.

"Doc!" Lockett screamed, "Get over here. Staff Sergeant's down!"

"Hang on Staffs," Harris begged him, "the funs about to begin."

"Walkers are here, mission accomplished," Teal grunted in his gravelly voice, "good job 2-5. Retreat…" his voice trailed off as everything went dark.