Chapter 9: Plan B
"Blow up a ton of stuff while getting out of there." – Jolly
"Strategic escape." – Zar
"That's what I said." – Jolly
Beto could have kicked himself. He'd been so busy focusing on the droids – how many there were, where they were, what were they doing – and the structure itself – definitely a weapon – that he had ignored the other shadow in the Force. The look on Isa's face said that she was no less surprised. But Dooku of old had been a talker. So Beto focused on buying the clones time to get away and lay the charges. A quick mind nudge at Isa told him that she was thinking the same thing.
"It seems as if I finally get to see what you have become, Dooku," said Beto smoothly. He kept his lightsaber ready, but powered off.
"Ah..." Said Dooku, he seemed pleased. "If it isn't Master Mag Liano. Qui Gon Jinn's little accomplice from days in the Temple so long ago. Tell me, old Padawan, what do you think about the world I am creating? You were never one for the rules of the old Jedi Order. With your manipulation of technology instead of minds. What do you think of my droid army?"
"I think that you must be very afraid of the thoughts of men, if you rely so much on machines," Beto replied.
Isa had quietly stepped closer to Nicko and was tapping one finger against her leg. Tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap.
Morse code.
Old fashioned. Solarian. And so rarely used that Beto and Isa used it to communicate during Jedi Council meetings when they wanted to reach a decision without the other masters knowing what they were thinking. Dooku was much too arrogant to know it. But would the clones know it?
This Sergeant Artemis had been part Solarian. Beto was sure they would.
Dooku frowned. "Men are easily swayed. Machines follow orders quite well. But there are men that lead them. This world isn't built by machines. It is built by my Master and those who serve him."
Interesting.
"So your Master has more than one apprentice?" Beto asked. Dooku paused. Hmm. Sore point.
"I am the first, and the only true apprentice," Dooku said finally.
Edge had quietly set up his improvised bomb against the support strut, making it look like discarded gear rather than a weapon. The clones were all tense, ready to run at any signal.
"He would accept you, though," Dooku continued. "Your ability is legend."
"I serve only the Light," Beto said.
"Pity." And then Dooku sprang forward, red lightsaber swinging. But Beto was expecting that. He spun around, leg coming up in a perfect roundhouse kick that hit Dooku square on the face. The Sith staggered back, his shock evident in the Force.
The four clones dashed away, heading for the heart of the structure and Isa, after a quick mental "got this?" At Beto, went after them to cover their escape. Only to throw herself onto the ground to avoid the blaster fire that leaked in on both sides of the narrow passage.
"Droid assassins!" She called.
"Stupendous," Beto muttered. Even he couldn't de-program those without time and he couldn't do several at once. And Dooku had already gotten his second wind. Abandoning his lightsaber, Dooku stretched out his hand with a roar and sent blue-white lightening flying towards Beto. Beto spun out of the way, catching a good portion on his lightsaber and then, with the motion of someone sending a punch after deflecting one, redirected the lightening towards Dooku.
Now, Beto had never actually done that before, he'd only theorized about it with Master Yoda.
And almost all of the lightening fizzled out before it even got close to Dooku, but Dooku was surprised enough that he opted for the lightsaber instead. He called it to his hand and powered it on has he swung. Beto dropped his weight to his back leg and met the blade with his own. The blades fizzled and spat sparks as they crossed.
Nicko felt like a deserter. Leaving his Jedi to fight the leader of the Separatists alone felt like neglecting his duty and he hated it. But orders were orders, even if they had been tapped out in Morse code. Set the IED's at the base of each of the supports for the giant weapon-thing, leave the cannon where they could blast it to pieces, and haul away out of there. Except that, no way it would be that easy.
"Heads up!" Jolly shouted. They all dove to the ground as blaster fire filled the air. Nicko rolled to his back as best as he could with the bomb strapped onto it and powered his Deece. A few tense minutes later, the droids were all dismantled.
Nicko glanced at the HUD. A few elevated heart rates but no one was injured.
"Too bad General B had to stay behind to fight that lightsaber-wielder, ey?" Said Jolly brightly.
Zar snorted and jumped to his feet. The rest scrambled to follow and soon the next support strut was before them.
"Don't say General B," Nicko added, even as he swung the IED off his back and synced it with the remote. "That is definitely disrespectful."
"Whatever you say, Sarge," Jolly chimed.
"Incoming!" Zar called.
"Form up!" Nicko barked. "Omega protocol, NOW!" Zar and Edge dropped to their stomachs, using their forearms to brace their weapons. Nicko and Jolly pressed their backs against the support strut. They returned fire as best they could. They weren't pinned down yet.
But they would be soon.
"We need to move," Nicko hissed.
"You two get going and set that charge," Edge suggested. "We'll cover you."
Splitting up. Again. For a terrible moment, Nicko let his emotions get the best of him. But only for a moment.
"Your orders are this; find our Jedi and get out," said Nicko. He stopped shooting long enough to grab the parts of the small cannon from both his pack and Jolly's, and slap them together. He pressed them into Edge's hands. Then, Nicko grabbed the other IED from Zar. Nicko and Jolly, dashed away, using the structure for cover. A few stray shots went their way but none hit.
"I've got the cannon," said Edge.
"Right," grunted Zar. He focused on lining up droids in the crosshairs of his Deece and firing. No time to think; just battle instinct. He heard Edge fiddling with something and then Edge began firing the small laser-cannon on full spread. There was a brief lull in the fight where the two commandos managed to jump up and run forward. They were barely out of range of the bomb they had already set before they dove behind some mining supplies and started shooting again. But these droids were a bit more hesitant. They soon realized why.
"Ugh...Zar...is this dynamite?"
Zar glanced up at the packing crates and gulped. High-grade dynamite. In reinforced crates that were already starting to smolder from the blaster bolts.
"Yeah, ner vod," said Zar. "Maybe we should get out of here soon."
Again, Dooku was forced to retreat. He'd discarded that ridiculous black cape and his carefully trimmed beard was all awry.
"Still up to your old tricks, I see," he spat.
Beto didn't rise to the bait. The ancient Solarian martial art forms had always been a point of fascination for Beto. And it was quite simple to adapt those fighting styles to a lightsaber fight. Long kicks, smooth blocks, and using his enemy's own weight against him. Now, if only Dooku were foolish enough for Beto to give him a good punch. A shower of sparks lit up the air between the Master of the Light and the Master of the Dark, further charging the air with smoke. Beto felt a brief surge of satisfaction from Isa. Suddenly, a smoldering battle-droid came flying through the air and Dooku had to dive out of the way to avoid being beheaded by his own machine.
Beto focused.
And the red lightsaber came flying through the air into Beto's free hand.
Isa let out a whoop from somewhere to his right and another destroyed droid came flying through the air. Dooku suddenly found himself with nowhere to go but towards Beto. Beto pointed both lightsabers at him and raised an eyebrow.
"You think you've won..." Dooku began.
Beto pushed with the Force and sent Dooku flying against the wall just in time to raise the two lightsabers and deflect the laser fire from the droids that came flying in on speeders. More battle droids.
"Time to go?!" Isa shouted at him. Her face was covered in soot and sweat dripping down her face. Destroying four assassin droids was no easy feat.
"Time to go," Beto agreed. He turned to get Dooku and found that the coward had already run off. For a moment, Beto thought about chasing him down. But a sudden surge of panic in the Force had him running after Isa.
The clones were in trouble.
