A few days ago, one of my idols, R Lee Ermey AKA Gunny passed away. I loved watching him wield weapons like the B.A.R, and Thompson to shoot watermelons. He was a great actor and one of the reasons I enjoy the History Channel. May he rest in peace.
Anyway, I am glad you enjoyed my last chapter. For all those that couldn't tell, the 'space stuka' was actually the T.I.E. Fighter from the original trilogy. I see many similarities between the two since both fighter's engines scream when they fly. Plus I always believed that Sidious was having these fighters developed in secret like the Death Star.
Now its time for some ground action. Disclaimers are the same as before.
Chapter 14: A One-Man Army.
May 13th 2018, 21BBY
1000 hours
Scarif
Roberts point of view
Seeing that so many people came to support me, it made me feel like I was part of a larger family.
Barriss, Boba, Erik and the others they reminded me that I am never truly alone. For a long time, I felt like I was destined to be alone, having only my aunt and uncles as my only family. But ever since I arrived in this galaxy I have come to the conclusion that there's something here for me. Something worth living and fighting for.
What it is, I still don't know but one thing to me is clear. Ahsoka is part of that family and I will do whatever I must to keep that family safe.
At five-thousand feet over a large island, I scanned the area and found a large number of anti-orbital cannons. While the republic fleet wasn't in cannons range, I couldn't warn them of the danger should they attempt to land. The enemy had jammed my communications and there was no way to pinpoint the location of the jammer.
Deciding it would be best to eliminate the cannons, I pushed my fighter down further and further through the clouds. My plan was to perform a H.A.L.O jump down to the island and eliminate the enemy cannons before the fleet could begin landing troops and armor. Before I entered the planet's atmosphere, I took note that the enemy fleet was deteriorating quickly against the republic assault and would soon either be in retreat or nothing but scrap metal in a matter of minutes.
I was in a race against time. If I didn't succeed a lot of good people would die. I wasn't going to let that happen.
Checking my altitude, I was one-thousand feet I was in the perfect height for a jump. Opening the canopy of my fighter, I activated my armors magnetization mode and opened the fighter's storage compartment and attached my shotgun, plasma rifle/launcher and assault rifle to my back. "R4, once I leave, return to the Resolute and await my return." I instructed as I deactivated the magnetization and jumped off my fighter.
Falling down fast, I watched as R4 retreated back to the fleet and placing both arms by my side fell faster and faster to the surface. When I reached two hundred feet, I activated my armors thrusters and slowed my decent. Landing in a large clearing near the ocean, I detached my rifle and checked my surroundings. Even with the force and my armors motion tracker I trusted my eyes and confirmed my landing attracted no enemy units. Turning my gaze towards the sky, I watched as more of those 'stuka' knockoffs streaked towards the ongoing space battle as wreckage from a providence class destroyer landed in the ocean.
"Guys up there must be kicking some serious ass." I said to myself as I moved forward into the islands jungle towards the enemy guns. Pushing aside the branches and vines in my path, I continued towards the cannons. The sounds of fighters flying overhead a constant reminder that this was still a hostile planet.
Soon I heard the sound of a Viper recon droid, the probe droid the seppies used for recon and ambushes. Running towards one of nearby palm trees I leapt into the air and waited for the droid to pass. The droid scanned the area and was about to leave, when it ascended and looked towards the tree top.
I waited to see what the droid would do. Knowing that if the droid were to spot me, the enemy would be all over me like ants at a picnic and I needed to be silent, before I reached the cannons and let these bastards have it.
Soon the probe droid left and continued its patrol. Jumping down from the tree, I slung the Morita over my shoulder and unslung my newest weapon and converted it to rifle mode the moment I returned to solid ground.
Based on the direction the droid came from, I proceeded north through the forest, keeping clear of any probe droids I encountered. I was almost detected had I not used the force and threw a rock in the direction away from me causing the droid to lose interest and investigate the noise.
Stealth isn't my greatest strong suit but it does help when I need to be silent but deadly.
Soon enough I came to cliff overlooking a large clearing in the center of the island and found the enemy cannons. Three cannons, stationed on what appeared to be maglev train tracks began to adjust their aim waiting for when the republic ships would come in range to surprise them.
From the cliff I watched as the cannons came to a complete stop and began the long wait for the transports to arrive. I was about to move when I spotted three more sets of cannons, roughly ten feet away from each set doing the same thing. "4 anti-ship cannons. Those things will rip right through the shields and send the ships straight into the ocean." I said to myself as I gazed through my helmets range finder and watched. "Gotta admit the CIS really knows how to make an anti-defense system." I chuckled as began to come up with a plan of attack.
If I was to be successful in taking out the cannons, I needed to use some heavy ordnance. All I had was the grenade rounds for the Morita's grenade launcher and those wouldn't be enough to destroy the cannons. It was then that I facepalmed my helmet. "Boy am I dumb. I forgot about the BFG launcher mode." I said chuckling at my some what stupidity. Configuring the BFG back to launcher mode I lined up my sights and targeted one of the cannons. I had only fifty shots so I had to make them count, if I missed even once it would be that much harder to gain a foothold on the planet.
As a group of battle droids moved towards the cannon I pressed my finger hard on the trigger and charged up the plasma launcher. A bright green ball of plasma began to appear in the weapons barrel. The system indicated the weapon was a about to overload, but the moment I released the trigger the projectile left the weapon and made its way towards the first cannon. As it flew overhead, the droids watched as the projectile impacted the first cannon and then exploded taking the cannon and the droids with it.
When the blast wave died down, all that was left of the cannon was the maglev tracks and the charred remains of several battle droids. "Glad this thing is mine." I said just as the other droids began to fire at my position from one-hundred-fifty yards. Sliding down the cliff I ejected the spent magazine and loaded a fresh one and switched my weapon to rifle mode and no sooner had I taken cover behind the remains of the cannons barrel opened fire. Streams of bright green plasma bolts impacted the droids and took them down with a few blasts. Grabbing a pair of nearby detonators that were blown by the blast wave, I primed one and threw at the approaching droids, destroying over a dozen of them as more and more units approached my position.
Popping out of cover, I fired my rifle in short bursts maintain accuracy and keeping the weapon from overheating. That was one problem I didn't fix. While the weapon is powerful, it overheats from prolonged use, so I needed to be careful when firing full-auto. As droid fire zoomed past me, a blaster bolt collided into my armor, but my shields held strong. Good thing to, because coming in from the west was pair of destroyer droids.
Unfolding into droid mode the destroyers began to fire their cannons at me, hitting my shields and reducing them to twenty-five percent. Returning to cover, I lobbed two detonators towards the Droideka's. I knew that their shields would protect them, but my plan wasn't to kill them, but to distract them.
As the detonators exploded I vaulted over the wrecked barrel and raced towards the wrecked generator. Hugging the cover my shields returned to full strength and taking three of the remaining thermal grenades and lobbed them slowly towards the destroyer droids. Passing through the shields, the detonators stopped just below the droid's rear and exploded taking the shield units down.
Letting out a collective sigh of relief I used the force and sent the remaining battle droids flying into the base of the cliff, knocking them to pieces. Checking my weapon, I took note that I had three-hundred-seventy-five shots left in rifle mode. Ejecting the magazine, I loaded a fresh magazine and targeted another orbital cannon. As my weapon shifted into launcher mode I held down the trigger and fired, watching as the plasma round impacted the cannon and destroyed it. The blast wave from this cannons destruction sent out a surge of energy that spread to the remaining cannons, overloading them and destroying them as well.
As I removed the depleted magazine and loaded in the previous magazine, I spotted four MTT's moving over the water from one of the other islands ready to deploy their compliment of droids. Four-hundred-forty-eight battle droids marched towards my position. "Come on in, you fuckers, come on in. Old Painless is waiting." I said as I aimed my weapon at the approaching droids and opened fire.
(Mjolnir Mix begins.)
Firing a three-round burst at the nearest droid I downed one before commencing the old 'spray and pray' maneuver downing multiple droids while my shields took the brunt of the enemy fire. Pulling one of the remaining detonators I had tossed it towards the droids before using the force to send the grenade further back behind the advancing droids, taking out over four dozen enemy units.
My shield icon on my HUD flashed red as I took cover and raising my two in one weapon blind fired controlled bursts knocking out even more and more droids. I pulled the trigger again and nothing happened, the magazine was spent so after ejecting it and loading a new one I switched to launcher mode and charged up the weapon.
Moving to the right out of cover, I fired and in one blast destroyed the remaining droids with one shot. Ejecting the newly spent magazine I loaded up a new weapon and noticed that behind the MTT's were several approaching enemy tanks.
"Great, AAT's, GAT's and HAG's. I never did test if this thing could work against armor, but now's a good a time as any to test it." I said to myself as I charged up the weapon again and fired at the enemy armor. The shot hit one of the tanks, destroying it and sending a power surge that destroyed the rest of the armored units, just like it did with the orbital cannons.
Loading a new magazine into the weapon, I was shot from behind by a super battle droid that managed to sneak behind me along with two other SBD platoons. I attempted to shot but the droid swung hard and knocked my weapon out of my hands. Leaping back to my feet I ran towards the droid, drew back my fist and punched the droid right through the chest leaving a gapping hole in it. "FATALITY!" I said as the other supers opened fire. Pulling my sabers from my waist I activated them both, leapt into the air and landed in the center of the droid platoons.
One droid aimed its wrist blasters at me but I performed the 'Sarlacca Sweep' slicing through five SDB's at once. Taking fire from behind, I maneuvered my body to the behind, deflecting blast after blast back towards the enemy droids, killing some with their own weapons fire or sending their shots flying.
Thrusting my sabers behind me, I stabbed two droids and then threw my sabers to the right slicing through eight droids in half and then jumped into the air allowing my sabers to slice through four more droids coming in from the left before they returned to my hands. Another pair of SBDs charged forwards towards me but applied a twin strike slicing them to pieces like the DeathSycthe Gundam through several Oz Mobile suits.
The last four units fired at me and knocked my shield strength down to fifty-percent. Pushing one SBD back, I slashed the legs of the last three units before jumping into the air and stabbing my sabers down onto the last unit. "Even with the armor I am still a jedi." I said to myself as I deactivated my sabers and reclaimed my weapon before tossing the beacon I had on my belt and activated it, sending a signal to the republic forces where they could land.
(Mjolnir Mix ends)
Off in the distance, I spotted a large complex on a much larger island and watched as more and more of those new fighters proceeded towards the republic fleet. "That's gotta be where they are keeping Ahsoka." I said as checked the remaining BFG ammo. "Six magazines left. Better save them." I told myself as I slung my hybrid weapon back to my back and pulled out my M3 Super 90, pumped it and made my way towards the next island.
Normal point of view
From the cockpit of the Lagoon, Dutlas lined up the torpedo launchers on his target, a banking clan frigate that was trying desperately to reach the surface. "Dutlas, we're lined up." Benny called from his terminal. "Roger that. FIRE NUMBER ONE, FIRE NUMBER TWO!" Dutlas shouted as he pressed the fire button and veered away as the torpedo's streaked towards the frigate. Hitting the bridge, the frigate exploded sending one of the remaining enemy ships down to the surface.
"Splash another frigate general Ross." The Lasat pilot called over the commlink, as Rock fired the underbelly dual turbo laser at a group of vultures.
From the cockpit of his ARC-170, Barney watched as the enemy ships engines fell off and exploded as the remains of the frigate fell towards the planets ocean. "I see it, good shooting." He complimented as he veered towards a group of Tri-fighters making a pass on one of the Acclamators. Quickly getting behind the enemy droids, he fired his cannons destroying the droids before they even got close to the assault ships bridge. Cutting his speed and making a sharp right turn, he rejoined the rest of the Expendables formed up with Red squad and Gold squad.
"Barney, I just got the signal from the beacon. Looks we got out landing zone." Fenrir stated as he and Erik flew up along side him and watched as the assault ships and cruisers began their decent to the surface. "I got the signal as well. All fighters form up and protect the transports. We can't let a single transport get shot down." Anakin called as he pulled up from an attack run on several Hyena bombers that were attempting to take down the Tranquility.
Meanwhile in her quarters aboard the Tranquility, Barriss had finished her meditation and was about to meet her master and the men in the hanger when she felt a strange and foreboding presence emanating from the surface. It was darker than the Sora Bulq and far more sinister than anything she had ever sensed before, but at the same time it was familiar. The last time she sensed a presence like this, she and her master were ambushed by chameleon droids on Ilum when she finished building her lightsaber and were nearly buried alive in the crystal cave had it not been for Master Yoda.
She knew that Tol Skoor was strong in the darkside, but this disturbance was more powerful than him, only one other individual was that strong; Dooku's apprentice.
Back down on the surface, Robert trudged through the shallow waters and neared another island. Even from a distance, Roberts motion tracker and his connection in the force told him that there were a lot of hostile forces on the island. "Great I got a roadblock ahead. But this time I am backing some major firepower." He said to himself as he reached the island and entered a recently dugout trench. Bringing his map up, Robert saw that he had another one or two islands before reaching the main enemy base.
The sound of several ships approaching from behind echoed through the air as he turned around and watched the rest of the republic forces began to land and deploy their troops and equipment. Chuckling to himself he moved forward through the trench and made his way towards the waiting enemy units.
Ahead of him a squad of battle droids were setting up a turret and were about to connect it to the power pack when Robert appeared in front of them and immediately fired his shotgun. One after another the droids fell down from a powerful blast of buckshot. By the time he finished with the squad, several more squads began to advance to him. "Eat buckshot." Robert shouted firing his shotgun in quick session destroying two droids and using the butt of his weapon to knock spin the third one's head around before attaching a detonator to its back and giving it a swift front kick towards its buddies before exploding.
Reloading his shotgun Robert took cover as commando droids advanced quickly him. Loading his seventh shell, he turned and returned fire just as the commandos began to fire. Knocking one droid back into another, he targeted the head, blowing it off and causing the droid to spin around firing aimlessly at any thing even its own allies.
Sprinting forward, Robert fired at droid after droid sending numerous droids to the scrap yard. As he loaded up new shells into his weapon, he switched his shotguns firing mode to semi-auto and was about to move forward when two pairs of destroyer droids appeared uncurled into battle position and fired. "Damn it. I fucking hate these guys." Robert said as he peaked his head out a little from his cover and attempted to come up with a plan.
He didn't have to wait long, because the next he knew a droid popper landed just in front of the droids shields and sent a powerful electrical current short circuiting the droids systems before getting riddled with a combination of bullets and blaster bolts. Turning behind he saw that his rescuers were Erik with a Galil ACE rifle with equipped with a red dot sight, 4x magnifier and folding foregrip and Fenrir with his blaster in hands. From behind the wrecked destroyer's more droids began to approach, but Lycan pounced and began to attack the enemy. Baffled by the appearance of a Loth Wolf, the droids were quickly taken down by Fenrir's loyal companion as from the other flanks of the trench, the Expendables and Lagoon crew fired their perspective weapons at the remaining droids.
"Don't think just because you have that armor means you can have all the fun." Revy quipped as she blew the steam of her blasters barrels and jumped into the trench. "The day that I sit back and let someone else have all the action to themselves is the day that I fuck a Wookiee." She stated, firing her dual pistols at a still functioning droid.
"Remember kid, we made you a part of the Expendables and our motto is 'we fight as one'." Barney reminded him as he ejected the spent Beta C magazine from his G36K and loaded in a fresh one-hundred round drum magazine into the weapon. "That tattoo means your one of us." He reminded his nephew.
"Your old man sometimes did the same thing your doing. Except he didn't have that fancy armor your wearing." Lee added as he fired a burst of 6x35mm rounds from his PDW at another thought to be downed droid.
"We all know you don't want to put any of us in danger." Cassie began as she slung her AK-12 which he had equipped with a ninety-five round dual drum magazine, over her shoulder and gave a gentle punch to Roberts chest. "But you forget. Our job is a dangerous one and we know the risks." She added, shaking her hand due to the impact and toughness of the armor.
Rubbing the back of his helmet, Robert was about to speak when a distinct rumbling was heard. All of them turned towards the ocean and watched as several blueish gray repulsorcraft weapons platforms headed towards them at tremendous speed. The vehicle had twin missile launchers mounted on both sides near the cockpit like area and twin turbo laser cannons mounted directly underneath it. "SHIT TAKE COVER!" Robert shouted as he ran further down the trench and dolphin dived to the ground as the massive weapons platforms began to open fire on them.
Following the lead of their ally, the mercenaries and bounty hunters all ducked down as large red cannon shots flew overhead and knocked down the palm trees behind them. "What the hell is that thing?" Gunner asked as he prepared his FIM-92 Stinger before Robert pushed the barrel down. "That's a Protodeka. A mobile droid weapons platform. Those things are meant to be used against enemy tanks and walkers, guess they decided to give us the special treatment." Robert said cursing under his breath. "Karabast. The only thing we have is your uncle's launcher and that thing probably has shields." Dutlas complained as they watched as flying from the Protodeka's were B2-RP super battle droids.
"We got rocket droids." Lincoln called as he prepped his LSAT machine gun for battle. "At least they aren't Arachnids." Robert said, tossing his M3 and its ammo to Erik, detaching his Morita from his back and aimed at the approaching droids.
"Hey why don't use the BFG?" Shoda asked as she aimed her own DC-15s. "I only have six magazines left and I don't think the blast would be powerful enough to take them down." Robert retorted as he fired a five-round burst of .308 Winchester rifle rounds at an incoming rocket droid, signaling the others to open fire at the approaching droids.
A combination of blaster bolts and bullets streamed towards the droids destroying several and damaging some of the droid's rocket packs sending them colliding into other units further knocking down the number of approaching droids. As Rey aimed his PWS MK1 at an approaching droid, he noticed the Protodeka's firing their concussion missiles. "INCOMING MISSILES!" he shouted.
"OUT OF THE TRENCH!" Robert shouted as the group vaulted over the trench's backside and ran past the destroyed palm trees. They were just in time as the missiles hit the trench destroying the section of the trench they were recently in. Gunner, crouching down and aiming his Stinger, fired off a rocket causing Fenrir to follow suit with his Wookiee Rocket Launcher. As the six rockets streaked towards their target, the weapons platforms showed no intention of avoiding the incoming warheads. Impacting the target, they all were surprised as the explosion settled revealing that rockets did next to nothing against the tank. "We need bigger guns." Robert said as he pulled out his commlink and contacted Anakin. "Sergeant Lehner to general Skywalker. We got Protodeka's bearing down on us, we need artillery support." He called into the commlink. "Mark the target and we'll send some ordnance your way." Anakin responded over the commlink.
"Understood." Robert replied as he set his helmets visor and began to transmit the weapon platforms locations. Keeping his eyes on the Protodeka's he watched as they came closer and closer to their position. "Targets acquired, clear the area." A clone called to Robert. "Copy that, EVERYONE FALL BACK. STRIKE PACKAGE INBOUND!" Robert shouted to the others as they double timed it back towards a nearby slot canyon.
Soaring through the air, high-velocity artillery shell's made contact with the Protodeka's crippling three of them and destroying another three. "Three left." Robert said as he extended his hands and with the force rammed two of them into each other. "One left." Barney corrected. As the other two fell to the ground the final one pushed forward even more faster than before. "That thing is really biting our ass." Caesar called out, firing his M1200 shotgun at approaching rocket droids.
Closer and closer the Protodeka advanced unfazed by the blaster and gunfire being directed at it. "We gonna need to something about that tank." Barney said to Lee. "Got any ideas?" Lee asked. "That's what I'm asking you." Barney retorted. "Well I'm asking you." Lee snapped back.
"If we don't take that thing out we're done for." Robert said to Cassie.
"Tanker jump." She said to her nephew. "What?" he asked. "Remember in Starship Troopers how Rico was able to get on the back of that bug and kill it? Same maneuver should work on that bastard." Cassie explained as underneath his helmet, Robert grinned with agreement. "Cover me." He said as he began to climb the canyons right wall as Cassie explained the plan to the rest of the guys.
Meanwhile, a Viper Probe droid watched from the tree line sending the video feed back to the separatist base. Watching on the footage from the base's command center, Tol Skorr and another individual watched as the Lone Wolf made his way up the side of canyon wall. "Looks like the fearsome warrior is leaving his allies behind." Skorr said confused. "I guess your friend is a coward." He added turning around and looked to Ahsoka who was suspended in a containment field with her arms bound behind her. "He's no coward. He's always thinking on his feet." She spat towards her captor only to then be strangled by an unseen force. "It would be for you to hold your tongue young one. It would be a shame for your friend to make it all the way here and find you dead." The figure replied reveling it to be none other than Asajj Ventress, Dooku's Dathomirian assassin and apprentice whom had developed an immense hatred for Skywalkers padawan, choking her with the force.
"Ventress! Release her." Dooku said as he entered the command center. "Yes master." Ventress replied as she reluctantly released her. Gasping for breath Ahsoka turned her eyes towards the leader of the Confederacy. "What is it you want from me?" Ahsoka asked.
Turing towards the security screen, Dooku motioned for his acolyte and apprentice to leave the command center. Turing the feed from the droid off, he turned towards the captive Togruta and offered her a drink. "Drink this, it will help you replenish your energy." He said. Reluctantly she excepted the drink and guzzled down the water. "For your information there is nothing you have that I want. All I want is to tell your friend the truth about who he truly is." Dooku responded.
Ahsoka was shocked and wanted to know more about what Dooku was talking about. But before she could ask, she found herself falling to the floor and was then grabbed by two Magna Guards. "You will learn the truth when he confronts me. For now, I must ensure that your friend arrives alive." Dooku said to her.
Back at the battlefield, Robert had made it to the top of the canyon, stepped back several feet from the edge and then with a burst of speed raced towards the canyon edge and jumped on top of the Protodeka. Magnetizing his boots, he made his way towards the droid brain and activated his blue lightsaber. Cutting a hole on the droid's armor, he primed his last thermal detonator and pulled the pin off an M67 grenade and threw both of them into the hole he cut. Leaping off and landing in front of the Protodeka, he watched as explosions from the hole he created sent caused the droid to begin exploding and soon destroyed itself. Detaching his Morita from his back he turned towards the others who were surprised by his feet. "What are you ladies looking at. Focus on clearing the rest of the trench on this island. I will begin on the next island." Robert said as he ran out of the canyon, turned left and ran towards the second island.
"You heard him. Let's clear this place out." Barney shouted as the others began the clean up of this islands trench. Watching Robert leave, Erik began to feel a little concerned about his ally and asked Barney if he would like him to assist his nephew. "Go right ahead. He needs the help." Barney said, tossing him a Desert Eagle magnum.
Another chapter of the Scarif Arc completed. Seems that Dooku is more concerned about telling our hero about something regarding himself that even he doesn't know about. What is it that Dooku will tell him and how will he take it? The answers will come but please be patient.
I will be putting up a new poll soon. This poll will have to do with future events in the series regarding a certain elite squad of Clones that I would like to see if any of you, my fellow readers would like to see appear. Until next time, please rate and review. Again this chapter is dedicated to the memory of R. Lee Ermey, known to many as Gunny. May he rest in peace.