Chapter 10: Battle Plans

There was nothing but silence for many moments. General Maxime stared in shock, having never heard such an insult come out from one of his subordinate's mouth. Will stared right back at him, a smirk on forming on his face. Rex and Tali simply stood behind them, their months gaping like fishes, shocked yet not surprised at Anders' comment.

Then Maxime reacted. He gave a huge bellow and ran towards Will, his stubby feet carrying him as fast a possible towards his target. When the general got within striking distance, he wound up his arm, and prepared to land a blow on the colonel's now smiling face.

At the last moment Will sidestepped, and put his foot out in front of Maxime, the man tripped over the outstretched limb and tumbled to the ground in a heap. He attempted to get up, but a foot on his chest stopped him.

Will crouched down over the fallen general. "General Maxime, while you rank and authority may have gone to your head, I will not allow, nor will I permit you to torture these prisoners." He leaned closer to the general's head, the man muttering in rage, but Will cared not. "I will also do whatever it takes to protect this base and these men, even if it means disobeying your every order."

Will then pulled himself up and lifted his foot off of the general's chest. The man shot up like a geyser of water. His was red faced and breathing deeply. "I will have you court marshaled for this travesty." He seethed in anger.

"I am looking forward to it." Will responded before he turned his back and went over to Captain Howe. "Rex, keep the prisoners under guard, but move them near our barracks. I want our men on them, no one else."

"Yes sir." Howe said as he ordered Lieutenant Rogers and his troops to march away with the prisoners. Will followed behind at a dutiful pace; smirking at the looks of shock he received as he passed by Resistance soldiers.

He needed to begin working on a battle plan, and soon; for he knew the First Order would strike back.


On the other side of the valley, the First Order base was in disarray. After hearing of the defeat of his battalion at the hands of the Resistance, he had taken over control; micromanaging everything, from the guards to the food.

He was angry, angry that his troops had walked into a trap, angry that Lieutenant Hagg had not scouted ahead, and angry at Captain Phasma for not fighting with all her might.

But most of all, he was enraged at the thought of the Resistance defeating his troops. He had assured General Hux that the planet would be taken, but now his plans were in jeopardy. He had to find a solution, and find one fast.


Phasma stalked around the camp like a hulking, brooding beast. No one got in her way, knowing what the consequences would be. Her men had never seen Phasma act like so, but Phasma could care less. Her face concealed behind her mask, her armor gleaming in the morning light, her cape flowing behind her, see was the very image of a reckoning; and she had promised herself that she would make those rebels pay for what they had done.

She would make William Anders pay for all of it.

In her thirteen years of combat with the First Order, she had never lost an engagement, and the loss she experienced the night before sent alien feelings coursing through her body. She felt weak, and defenseless, as if someone had stripped her of her blaster and armor; and she hated the feeling. There was only one thing that could right this disgrace, victory; victory of the pesky Resistance.

Her comm beeping on her belt stopped her brooding. She opened the channel.

"Captain Phasma, report to my facility at once." Vlosh said.

Phasma was too angered to reply, merely switching off the comm unit before she silently stalked towards Vlosh's quarters.

Once there she did not speak a word, even as Vlosh spouted off his plans for another attack.

"I am having reinforcements sent down here at as I speak. Once I deem this force sufficient, I am going to order a two pronged attack. Phasma, you will command one prong, your objective is to strike along their left flank and get into their rear areas." Vlosh stopped, but Phasma said nothing. "I am giving you assault walkers to complement your infantry. I will lead the other prong, attacking on the right flank and at their center. With our numbers and superior troops, we will crush the Resistance on this planet within hours, I am sure of it."

Vlosh again paused, looking for any reaction from the chrome wearing captain. Seeing none he scoffed, "dismissed," he said with a wave of his hand; his subordinate stalking out of his quarters.

Phasma knew the plan was flawed. It was virtually the same plan that Anders had used the night previously.

But then again, if any of what she read was true, Anders was one of the most skilled commanders had encountered. His skill and prowess in battle, his analytical and tactical mind, was magnitudes above Vlosh's. For the first time in her life, she prepared herself to do something she had once thought only death as a punishment, she would disobey.

She reassured herself that it was the betterment of the mission, the betterment of the First Order, and she would gladly accept any punishment because of her actions.

She walked back to her quarters, and mentally prepared herself for the coming night.


Will was surprised when a Resistance soldier he had never seen before approached him with two patches in his hands.

"Colonel Anders," the man said and held out his hand, "your new rank insignia."

Will took the patches from the man's hand and looked at them, turning them over in his hands. There were four dots on the patches, indicating a colonel.

"Thank you trooper." Will said, the man gave a nod before he turned away.

Will scrutinized the insiginia, and thought one thing.

I liked the three stars better.

He then went to visit the wounded Sergeant Huxly.

After visiting the recovering Sergeant Huxly, Will went to view the captured troops from the night before.

Will was staring at the prisoners held outside of the barracks. He had been eyeing them all day. He had received reports that a Major Vlosh was leading the First Order troops stationed on the other side of the valley, he knew Captain Phasma was among them. He also knew that another attack would occur soon, perhaps that night, and ordered his troops to prepare.

He removed his gaze from the prisoners and walked over to Howe, tapping the captain on the shoulder- a signal to follow- he and Howe made their way over to Rogers, who he also tapped.

The three made their way towards the headquarters of General Maxime. Will had no intention of talking to the man, Maxime and his self cautiousness would self destruct, and Will would very much love to be there and watch such an event unfold. He walked up to the door of the durasteel building, which promptly opened, the three of them walking inside.

The interior was cramped but crammed with scurrying soldiers. It was loud, as many voices talked, some yelling, over various issues. Will spotted Maxime's subordinate, the captain who was always by the fat man's side. Will made eye contact with the man and beckoned him over. The man reluctantly went over to the three Semians.

"Yes, Colonel Anders?" The captain asked, his voice filled with hesitation and uncertainty.

"We wish to confer with you on our plan of battle." Howe said, speaking for both Rogers and Will.

" Su..sure thing Captain Howe." The man said, and soon all three had crowded around a holotable.

Will activated a holomap of the region. "We are here," he pointed to the area where the Resistance base was located, "and the enemy is here." The First Order base was directly across the narrow valley. " The location of last night's firefight is approximately here," he pointed to an area bounded on both sides by two narrow streams. " We expect the enemy to move soon, perhaps tonight, and attack this base. The intention of the First Order is to drive us off planet, no matter what the cost. We need to face them, and we need to hold them off."

"What are you suggesting?" The captain asked Will from across the holotable.

" We retreat." Will said, both Rogers and Howe smirked at the looked of surprise and shock that crossed the man's face.

"Retreat? We cannot give up this base!" The man all but shouted, however, the noise was barely perceptible in the loud background noise.

Howe held his hand up in a placating manner. "Retreat as in fighting retreat."

"What is a fighting retreat?" The captain asked in confusion.

Will sighed, disappointed the man had never heard of such a maneuver. " When the attack comes, I want two lines of troops. The front line will be only two deep, the second line will be reinforced and stretch over a wide area. Position the second line in a bowl like configuration, the center stands fast, while the two flanks extend at an outward angle. I want the two flanks to have good terrain, located on hills or in gullies where they had adequate cover and good firing positions. When the enemy attacks, the front line stands fast for only a short while, before they are ordered to retreat. As they do, they give the enemy the perception of victory, and draw the enemy further into the bowl. Once the enemy is far enough in, the second line attacks. At the center, they, along with the front line advance towards the enemy, and push them back in the process. The two flanks of the second line slam into the flanks and rear of the enemy, wholly enveloping them."

"That is.. that is brilliant." The man said.

Will nodded, feeling a little cocky. "I guess it is. Brief your men captain; I want all officers knowledgeable about the plan, that is the only way for it to succeed."

The man nodded and went about doing as ordered. Will and his two officers took their leave and left the building.

They headed back to the prisoners, who were still surrounded by Will's men.

Will penetrated the circle to look over the troopers. "If you are in need of any food, water, or medical care, do holler."

He received no response so he began to walk away.

"Why?" A static filled voice said.

Will turned around and noticed that many troopers, and Lieutenant Hagg, were staring at a stormtrooper who wore a white pauldron.

Will walked over to the man, who was kneeling on the ground, his once white armor dirtied from the battle. He slowly walked through the sitting, standing, and kneeling men in white armor, until he arrived at the said prisoner.

"Why what, trooper?" He said, staring down at the man's masked face.

For his credit, the man's helmet stared right back.

"Why would the Resistance offer the enemy anything that might give them the advantage? Why not follow procedure and have us tortured and executed?" The voice, though static filled and electronic, was filled with venom.

Will stared at the man, his eyes cast downward to the armored knees of the trooper. "What is your name trooper?"

The man looked surprised, but replied. "TK-9182, Whip."

Will nodded. "Well, Whip, I will never torture you because I know what such methods do to men like us. They serve only to hurt and maim without any real gain of intel." Will visibly shook as he spoke, the images of the camp he had visited during the civil war filling his brain. The frail bodies, men and women being held together by nothing but skin, the mounds of dirt they called home, and the cesspools they drank from. The image of prisoners shackled to the walls as their skin was flayed off, men being castrated without any anesthesia whatsoever. Will closed his eyes tight, not caring if the trooper in front of him saw, he just wanted the images to go away.

He opened his eyes and noticed that the trooper was staring at him, his helmet tilted slightly. "Based on the reaction, I can assume that you have seen such horror." Whip told him.

Will nodded, "more than anyone ever should; which is why I will never subject my prisoners to such barbaric treatment. You may fight against me, and we may kill each other, but I have a moral and personal obligation to care for you as best as I can."

Whip nodded. "I see." Then fell silent.

Will took that as his queue to leave. He began to walk through the mass of bodies. Just as he reached his men, he heard a "thank you," from behind him.

He turned and nodded in welcome at Whip, knowing it was the trooper who had spoken. He then left the guarded circle. Night was fast approaching, and Will knew he would be in for a violent struggle.


-
Captain Phasma was ready, she and her men, along with their walkers, were prepared. They stood in columns and rows, awaiting the command of Major Vlosh. She had grown slightly more confident of having success when she found out the reinforcements sent down to the planet included her two trusted Sergeants, Nines and Krax, along with a platoon of heavy troopers, Trix among them.

Now they stood, awaiting the inevitable. Phasma stood at the head of her troops, staring out into the forest. The enemy was in that forest, William Anders was in that forest. She had resolved herself to kill him tonight, if she ever saw him. It was an honorable way for him to die, in battle, the very environment he had proved himself time and again. Phasma took a deep breath and waited.

Nines stepped up beside her. "Captain Phasma." He gave her a salute.

"Nines." She said, "spit it out." She knew her sergeant was not here to keep her company.

She thought she heard her sergeant sigh before he began. "Sir, we know that Anders is on the other side of that valley, that we are to face him. Sir, some of the men have expressed unease at the prospect of killing him."

Phasma turned to face the pauldron wearing trooper. "This is war, bad and good men and women die all the time; even ones who are righteous. Anders is an enemy combatant and should not be given any mercy, not matter what he did for us in the past. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Nines saluted and walked off.

Phasma had tried to make her voice sound angry, and she had tried to convince herself of her words. But she found she could not.

Then her comm beeped and she knew it was the signal.

"Battalion move out!" She ordered, and soon, she and her men moved off into the forest, ready to face the unknown.