When I wake, the first thing that catches my eye are a pair of long, white gauntlets. I bite my cheek to be sure that I'm awake. When the weapons stay where they are I get up and snap them on, taking care to not put them backwards.

Once they're secure, I activate the blades and am relieved that they work. As soon as the sharp edges are sheathed, I prepare to leave. A note is on my door.

'Since you insist on fighting, you may as well have these', it says. I put it on my bed and walk out, vowing to never remove my gauntlets unless absolutely necessary.

Now what? I'm starting to really feel useless. Besides drawing Ventress away from clones only to see her kill some anyway, I've done nothing but drain resources. Next planet we dock on, I'm leaving. Nice of them as it was to help me when I was injured, I have no intention of sticking with the Republic. I'm so accustomed to being rogue, I have no place or purpose here. It would be great to know where we're going, though, since I prefer to have in idea of what I might run into, my general conscious says.

A group of troopers run past. Another one jogs behind, wearing full armour and recognizable blue markings. I start hurrying shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Care to fill me in?" I ask, turning a corner.

"We're going to the planet below us, and taking it back from Separatists. Stay here." Rex orders. Yeah, right. He thinks that's going to happen. I keep up with him.

"So I'm guessing I can't come?"

"No, unless you manage to convince General Kenobi. He'll be in the hanger, where we are currently going. Good luck."

"You too." I follow them to the large room and search for the general. Now I know the red-haired Jedi's name: Obi-Wan Kenobi. I see him talking to Skywalker and walk over.

I'm getting better. Running barely took anything out of me, my survival-based side notes.

"One moment." Kenobi says before turning to me.

"Hello young one. I see you found your weapons."

"Yes, thank you. I don't suppose you would consider letting me put them to good use down there." I wave towards the red and black sphere I can see out of the open hanger door.

"As I've said; you're too young to be in battle. You might very well be killed." I'm not going to give up that easily.

"In case you haven't heard, I've been fighting the Separatists since I was ten. I can handle this!"

"Yes, but I also heard you were a tortured prisoner for two years. No."

"But—" He raises a hand and I shut up.

"When you're old enough, feel free to go. But until then, you will have to do with staying off the battlefield."

"You think I want to stay on a cruiser for several years? I don't even plan on staying with the Republic for one. I'm a rogue." I regret the words the second they leave my mouth. This would be a great time to have a five-second-reset button.

"You are also a child. I can't control wether you choose to stay with or leave the Republic, but I can be sure you don't come." I nod and stalk off.

Let him think I gave up. He doesn't know me well enough to suspect that I plan to go despite orders. If I get caught, I'll just slip away. But if I'm not, I will make it to the planet. I usually only use my scheming side against Separatists, but this won't actually hurt the Republic.

I wait in the shadows until the ships take off for the surface. I sneak to the escape pods and turn one on. I get in and press the launch button after setting coordinates. Here's hoping nobody notices the pod as it leaves.

§ § §

The landing was rough, but nothing is broken. After looking around carefully and getting my bearings, I head towards the troops I'd seen before landing. Hopefully they didn't see me.

Everything here is dark, misty, and forbidding. I remember this planet from my travels. The inhabitants that live on this rock are advanced in technology.

I almost step on a thick vine. But wait, I've seen these kinds of bumps before. I toss a rock at a large dome half hidden by mist and step back. The 'vine' starts waving around, copied by several other tentacles. A mouth appears, full of teeth. Yep, this is Umbara.

I give the vixus a wide berth and continue on my way, keeping an eye out for signs of danger. If there were that many clones sent here, that means the enemy is numerous and strong.

After five hours of walking around, I hear blasting. My arm-blades come out and I hurry forward, keeping low to the ground. Over a ridge, I can see Republic troops firing at natives who wear glass helmets. I'm currently to the right of the clones.

I see an Umbaran sniper in the trees and circle around. The climb up is hazardous, but killing the marksman is easy. I grab his gun and start shooting whoever isn't in white armour.

I have to hop to the other side of the trunk when several green laser bolts are sent my way, but continue shooting. After there are no more enemies to worry about, I climb to eight feet and jump.

My body is stopped inches off the ground and I can't move. A tall Besalisk with green skin holds his hand up, keeping me immobile.

"Who are you?" He asks. He has lightsabers.

"General Kenobi sent me." I'm praying he won't call my bluff.

"Did he now? Has the General started sending children to die?"

"No, sir." I reply, my voice blank of any emotion to hide my rising irritation. A trooper walks up. Once again, I'm glad Rex is around.

"Sir, she was talking to General Kenobi earlier." The Jedi (that's what I assume he is) has such a firm hold on me that I can't even sheathe my arm-blades.

"Well, then. We have a new soldier." I land on my feet when he lets me down, which was more like dropping me than anything. I stand straight, determined to not show weakness. I walk behind the Jedi and a group of high ranking clones.

Well along the way, a flying creature dives at the soldiers in front. The animals are black with glowing green markings, and they are dangerous. One dives at me and flies away with a big cut to show for its effort. A clone is being lifted off the ground. I jump and slash at the animal's head. It screeches and lets him fall.

"Twitch, what are you doing here?" I help him up.

"Do I know you?" The Jedi chases off the last off the creatures.

"Does anyone else want to stop and play with the animals?" He asks, glaring at a silent Rex. "Didn't think so. Now keep moving!" He stalks away as I glare at him.

Several of us just died and he calls it playing. If a blaster doesn't get him, I will.

§ § §

It's been twelve hours without a break in our pace when we start down a slope. As far as I can tell when we reach the bottom, we're walking on a road. This is a ridiculously bad idea. Anyone with an ounce of sense would know better. Just as the thought passes, a land mine goes off. One more, and everyone freezes, dropping to the ground.

"Oz is down." One clone reports.

"So is Ringo." Another says. Rex gets a sweeper in place and we follow him carefully. A small explosion goes off, not caused by the clones, followed by a laser bolt that nearly hits me, and would have if I hadn't dodged it.

Rocket launchers. Wonderful. My Sarcasm ebbs into my thoughts.

My arm-blades slide out. A blast flies at me and I angle it back towards the shooter. There are enemy troops, enemy ships, and we can't last long.

I jump on a low-flying Starfighter and take a swipe at the glass. A ray shield jolts my arm to the side. Instead of going for the pilot, I settle for cutting the ends of the guns off and jumping away. Not many of us are going to make it. Rocket launchers send soldiers flying, Umbarans come on the road and try fighting.

"You want a piece of this?" One clone yells, shooting down hostiles with a Z-6 Rotary Blaster Cannon. More explosions come.

"I think Hardcase made them mad!" Someone points out.

"All squads, fall back now!" Rex shouts. I run alongside a few of the others. I look back and barely stop a bolt from killing me. I vault over some roots and hold my ground beside the clone I'd saved from the animal. He hands me a gun and I shoot beside him.

"Remind me when we met." I ask after shooting another enemy.

"You helped me on the cruiser. Got me to a safe room." I duck and get up again.

"Fives, right?" He nods. "How are your ribs feeling?" The local militia retreats.

"Where are you going? Get back here!" Yells who I think is Hardcase.

"They're falling back!" Fives yells. He turns back to me. "Never been better." I stand up and sheathe my blades.

"CT-7567, do you have a malfunction in your design?" Krell demands, roughly bumbling Fives' shoulder as he stalks past. "You pulled your forces back from taking the enemy city! The enemy now has control over this route. This entire operation has been compromised because of your failure!" The Jedi shouts. Fives breaks in.

"General Krell. In case you haven't noticed, Captain Rex just saved this platoon. Surely you can't FAIL to recognize that!"

"ARC-5555," he draws one of his lightsabers and I tense as the deadly blade hovers near Fives' neck. "Stand down." I nearly knock the lightsaber away with a gauntlet, mentally restraining myself.

"Sir, yes sir." Rex steps forward as Fives walks away.

"Sir, if I may address your accusation. I followed your orders, even in the face of a plan that was in my opinion, severely flawed. A plan that cost us men," he takes his helmet off and raises his voice, "not clones; men!" He lowers his voice. "As sure as it is my duty to remain loyal to your command, I also have another duty: to protect those men." Krell considers this for a few moments.

"You have a spark of tenacity Captain, I'll give you that. I know that I don't command like the Jedi you're used to serving. Certainly not like General Skywalker. But I have my way. It may be difficult, but these are difficult times, and it's proven effective. I suppose your loyalty to your men is to be commended. They seem to admire this. That's important to an effective commander. All right, Captain Rex, your opinion has been noted. Dismissed." The General walks away. Fives rejoins us. At least Krell called Rex by his name rather than number.

"I think he almost complimented you." The ARC says. Rex sighs.

"It's hard to tell."

"Incoming!" Someone shouts. A large glowing ball of light lands and explodes, sending clones flying. Great, more Umbaran rocket launchers. Green laser bolts and more explosions break out.

I unsheathe my blades and climb a tree that has an Umbaran with a rocket launcher. I kill him and steal his weapon. I almost laugh as I turn the enemy's own device against them. While I'm busy blowing up aliens, the others shoot on the ground.

An enemy starfighter sends two glowing orbs into our ranks and kills several of us. I shoot at the craft and am satisfied to see it go down. Another one comes, wreaks havoc, then flies off. Rex, Fives, and a few others run forward and kneel down, shooting as who I think is a medic drags an injured trooper to the side of the road.

I shoot and help cover them, then take up shooting other trees where green lights are coming from. My launcher clicks. There goes that idea. I discard it and climb down, then use my arm-blades to help protect the medic as he inoculates the injured soldier. I can hear Krell talking about an airbase to General Kenobi.

"Incoming, incoming!" A blast goes off nearby. I stay with the medic, making sure he doesn't get shot while he checks for survivors. Rex starts waving us back and into the jungle. We run until no more enemy fire is raining down on us.

§ § §

I stumble and pick myself up before I can fall. Seventeen or eighteen hours with no rest and continuous physical exertion. Everyone is exhausted. On a high outcropping, we can see the airbase. It's big, blue, and miles away. Rex takes out a pair of electrobinoculars.

"There's a base there, all right. And it's heavily guarded. At least three tank divisions plus guns." That doesn't sound good.

"We will advance along the central gorge, and engage their forces in a full forward assault." Krell decides aloud. That's a bad plan.

"The gorge is narrow, sir. We'll only be able to move our platoons in single squads." Rex points out. "Perhaps a closer recon will tell us if there is a more secure route."

"Obi-Wan and the other battalions are holding off the enemy right now while they wait for us to take out this base. We don't have time to look for a more secure route." Krell speaks impatiently, as though dealing with pesky children.

"Yes, sir." Rex says. Much more blind obedience and I will seriously question Rex's judgement. We make our way down the ridge carefully and start through the gorge in two squads made by Rex.

A group of the men start arguing. One points out that Skywalker actually lead in the front, yet Hardcase says it will be fun.

"A full frontal assault would leave us too exposed." Fives says, shouting like the others. Troops starts muttering to each other. This isn't good.

"Fives." Rex prompts, walking away from the group to talk to the ARC. After that, Rex, Fives and Hardcase scout out ahead, then split up the troops. I end up with Hardcase. We head to the left and walk quietly. Just as we meet up with Fives' group in a misty clearing, vibrations shake the ground.

"What was that?" Fives asks. Suddenly the ground shakes and a gigantic centipede-like machine comes to the surface. I back up a little. It starts shooting just as we do. I roll out of the way when it almost lands on me. We retreat into the trees just as another one appears. They're taking down our men left and right.

"Rex, we need rocket launchers!" Fives shouts over his comm. An explosion knocks me over. I hear a loud groan, and look up to see a large tree branch falling. I scramble backwards, but not fast enough. The heavy wood lands on my right leg. I yell as it bruises the skin.

One of the pilots in the machines must see me, because one of the crafts is coming this way. Another heavy branch lands on my abdomen, effectively pinning me. I yelp in pain.

The machine is almost on me when a light flashes and I hear, feel, and even taste the explosion. I shield my eyes as debris sprays everywhere. By some miracle, I'm not hit by shrapnel or crushed by anything besides what's already on me.

I try moving the wood, but I'm not strong enough to shift it. Another explosion signifies the end of the other machine. I squirm under the trunk-thick branch.

Ow, ow, ow it landed on the place where that droid shot me.

I manage to get my right leg free, but I'm in a kind of groove that makes getting up impossible. I unsheathe and try cutting with my arm-blades. Unfortunately, they only go so far. I push on the branch and wiggle upwards. Hardcase appears and pulls up, and with his help I get out from under the blasted thing.

"Thanks." I say.

"Watch out for the plant life. Some of it will eat you." He walks away.

"Don't I know it." I mutter. We move out again. The next time we come to a large clearing, I'm weary. Just as some soldiers go into the open, a blast kills them. I run to the side and get my weapons ready. A huge machine is walking around, crushing some and shooting others. I take a quick look. The cockpit is ray shielded, just as the smaller ships were, but maybe...

"I'm going to try something." I shout at Rex before running at one of the machine's legs. It lands so close that the dirt it sprays hits me. I hop on and start climbing.

"What are you doing?" Someone yells.

"Something crazy." I reply. The leg lifts and falls again. I almost fall off, but hold on. The leg has plenty of handholds. After the first two steps, I'm used to the jolt.

By the time I reach the top my arms are shaking and I feel like I'm fighting to move, as though my limbs are encased in stone. I hold on and breathe before looking around.

An access hatch catches my eye. It is firmly in place, and when I try, I can't break it open with my blades. I take out the gun Fives gave me, aim it at the lock, and fire. I almost get killed when the bolt refracts off the surface and back at me. I try making a hole anywhere else, but it's useless. I quit after almost twenty minutes of unsuccessful attempts, one including an attempt to cut off a metal leg.

When the machine nears a tree shaped like a pinecone with short branches that end in hard bulbs, I jump onto the plant. The climb down is difficult, and I can barely stand. My side is hurting to the point of tears, though my face is dry and will remain so. I limp back to the others. Rex pulls me to the side and into cover.

"What were you doing up there?" He demands.

"Trying to get in. My arm-blades and gun were useless, but I think a lightsaber could penetrate the hull." He considers this.

"I sent some men to the airbase we are supposed to attack. If they get some enemy ships, we could destroy those tanks. I'll suggest the lightsabers to General Krell." He's gone before I can ask him why he told me about the soldiers and airbase. I try shooting the machine from a distance, but it's just as ineffective as when I was point blank. A hand on my shoulder makes me jump. Rex is back.

"I take it he's not going to help?" I growl.

"Apparently the soldiers I sent to hijack enemy ships are good enough. We just have to hold out until then." I have dozens of unkind words spinning around in my head for Krell.

"We're just wasting ammo on those things. I shot one point blank and it didn't work. The best option right now is not getting killed." I say; shooting, hitting, and not hurting one to prove my point.

"I know. Look for any wounded and help them. From what Fives told me, you're good at that."

Huh, looks like I have a reputation.

I start running from clone to clone, checking vitals with disappointment at every turn. I finally find one groaning on the ground.

"Can you stand?" He tries sitting up and falls back with a yell of pain. I take that as a no. "I need help over here!" I shout. A clone takes notice and runs over. "This is going to hurt." I warn the injured soldier before getting my arm under his.

The clone I waved over does the same. This brings more loud noises from the pained man. We stand and I scan out the fastest way to relative safety. I start leading the way quickly.

The wounded man's feet drag on the ground, leaving us to support all the weight. Rex takes my place, evening out the awkward angle my size had left. I return to flitting about, checking on every felled soldier that has a chance of being alive. I find one with a pulse and not too many apparent injuries, so I remove his helmet.

"Hey, wake up. Come on, soldier." He barely moves. I lightly slap him. "Come on! Don't tell me an oversized tinnie knocked all the fight out of you!" He grunts and opens his eyes.

"What happened?"

"You got knocked out. Can you stand?" He painfully gets to his feet. I loyally escort him back to my informally established sick point. As soon as I'm sure the field medic sees him I run back to the point where I last was.

I suddenly have to dodge a metal foot before continuing on my way. The tank starts shooting at me. Instead of fear I feel exasperation. I get underneath the machine and follow it around until I'm sure its pilots have forgotten about me.

It steps near a group of clones and knocks them over. I dash to their sides. Most are alive, to my relief. I shake them to full awareness. One's leg is crushed from where the foot stepped on it. The amount of blood tells me there is little hope he will make it.

I help him back to the medical drop off. My left pant leg is stained scarlet. The medic rushes over and takes him off my shoulder. I look over the slowly growing pool of blood and injured soldiers. My throat tightens before I tear myself away to start running around and checking for any more survivors.

A loud booming followed by a shockwave throws my body several feet away. I can't breathe for a minute. I'm winded and stunned. I can't get up, my side feels like it just got shot again, and I can't hear anything. In general, I am now a sitting duck.

Someone is grabbing my arm, and my other one. I force open my eyes and see Rex dragging me towards the medic. My chest unlocks and I start gasping for air, gulping in oxygen as quickly as I can. I sit up as we move, then stand. I need support from the Captain, but I'm sure nothing is broken.

I move as far out of the way as I can at the medical point. All I need is a minute to get my strength back, and I'll be good to go. When I can't stand hearing anymore screams from hurt or dying clones, I get up. The medic is too busy with someone else to notice.

I begin running around again. Two more Umbaran Starfighters appear. My shoulders sag at the thought of more gunfire, then straighten when I see the pilots. Two of our men, one per ship, open fire on the pair of gigantic tanks.

I start cheering like the rest of my brothers, then scrambling out if the way when the tanks fall. As glad as I am to see the machines go down, I have to wonder how many living but injured clones they just crushed. I catch sight of the medical point, or where it was before a gigantic leg fell on it. The only troops I find are dead ones when I check.


A.N. ~ as I stated before, I know I didn't write everything as it happened. Some scenes are different and some don't even exist in the TV series. Please review, negative and positive...