Much thanks and love to MiraLake for helping me revise and edit this chapter. If you guys don't already go read their story The Clone's Hero. It is absolutely amazing and shows what would have happened if Krell had his own legion and the aftermath. Now without further ado, here is the story!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STAR WARS.
It had been a few days since they first made landfall. Currently Cresh, 7767 and Siysa were discussing battle plans for assaulting a seperatist base.
"We'll attack with a frontal assault during the day. With that our forces should-"
"Aht! Wait a minute now Al'verde!" Said Cresh as he interrupted the Jedi General's sentence. His actions brought him the glares of the other troopers in the room. They saw him as brash and rude.
Completely against that which the Republic taught. He was more Jango than clone.
Siysa cocked her head to the side, seemingly intrigued even though she was interrupted.
"Do you have a better idea Captain Cresh?" Siysa asked.
CT-7767 went to speak but she raised a hand to stop him as Cresh went to the holo map.
"That I do ma'am. See the seppies would expect a frontal assault during the day. They'll be fully prepared and ready for it. However, if we were to attack at night, it would be quite the opposite. Instead of frontal we bait them out while our remaining forces attack them from behind . They'll expect rank and file attacks due to you Jetti's inexperience with war—no offense—however what they wouldn't account for is an Arc's unorthodox pattern of battle," he said as he formed the plans on the holomap.
Siysa placed a hand on her chin as if in thought then nodded.
"Very well Cresh. We shall go with your plan of action. The Captain shall join you in baiting them out while Padawan Haru and myself shall lead the remainder of the troops into battle when the time comes. Does that work for you?" She asked
Cresh showed a cheeky grin and nodded.
" Aye Al'Verde!" He exclaimed
Ct-7767 came forward, visible distress on his face.
"But general. I am meant to be by your side at all times to help you lead the troops. Not serving along so-
He was stopped by her hand once more.
"Worry not Captain. I believe I have adequate enough skills to lead the troops in an ambush. Plus I believe working alongside Cresh will be good for you." She said smiling as she walked away.
" I'm counting on you two~" Siysa cooed as she exited the room. Leaving the two clone captains together.
Cresh smiled, catching on instantly to what the Jedi was planning. He wrapped an arm around the clone captain bringing him to his side.
"Hey! Let go of me! We have to formulate plans and get prepared there's no time for this!" Protested CT-7767
"Oi! Calm down now! We're gonna do that. What better way to do that than not spend some time with your ori'vod?!" Exclaimed Cresh as he forcibly dragged the disgruntled captain out the briefing room.
"Ori- What?! I don't even know what that means!
~ OOO~
Cresh and Sixty-Seven were currently within the weapons armory stocking up on equipment and weapons that would be needed. Cresh already had what he needed. His SC4 and two dc-17 pistols. He also had a few droid poppers in his utility pouch.
He was currently sitting on an ammunition crate with his helmet at his side watching Sixty Seven.
The clone captain was looking over a Dc-15 A blaster, turning it over on his arms. Like Cresh he was unhelmeted, his own on the floor by his feet. Cresh looked at him, staring him over. Standard issue cut. Pristine, freshly cleaned armor. Protocol following. By the book.
"Say brother. You were there on Geonosis weren't you? When it all first started?" Asked Cresh.
Sixteen-Seven was caught off guard, seemingly snapped out of his autonomous routine check of his rifle.
"Yea I was. Why?" He inquired.
Cresh face took a serious tone. He never got to ask the rest of The Jabiim 9 about it.
"Tell me about it Ner vod. What was it like?" He asked.
Sixteen-Seven thought it over for a few seconds, dropping his rifle then picking up his helmet and staring into his visor.
"If..I'm being honest it was..unorganized. Bloody. Nothing like the simulations...Just felt..like we were thrown in there. Droids and geonosians everywhere. There was chaos everywhere. Clones falling all around me. Orders all over the place. My first time leading the 222nd into battle. General Siysa wasn't with us yet. We were taking orders from another general for that moment on the planet . Had us charge into the enemy. No plan at all but we followed regardless. We made it but still.." said Sixty-Seven as if lost in thought.
"Nothing like Jabiim though I bet. Read the reports. Sounds like a nightmare." He said, seemingly deciding to end his description of the battle.
Cresh stood up, and stepped to him. When he talked about Geonosis, he saw his hands shake.
Subtle but an Arc's eye was trained to catch everything.
Cresh stopped in front of Sixty-Seven. He was only slightly taller than him due to the additional growth enhancements. When he was in front of him he smiled, placing his hand on his head and ruffling hair, causing Sixty-Seven to smack his hand away trying to fix his hair.
"HEY!" He yelled.
Cresh Chuckled and walked away, picking up his helmet, turning it over in his hands.
"Both battles were alike in the fact that many of our brothers were lost. More than it should have been. Only difference is now neither of us are alone to bear the guilt of those losses alone. Don't worry about carrying it by yourself. Now you got your ori' vod here with you. No need to be scared anymore little brother." With that Cresh began to walk away.
Sixty-Seven stared at him for a second.
"Wait!" He said, causing Cresh to stop.
"You..always call me vod instead of my designation. What does that mean? Why don't you call me by the numbers given to me?" He asked.
Cresh stopped, turning his head back towards him, a wide smile on his face.
"Because you're more than your designation. We're more than just numbers," Cresh said as he looked forward, putting his helmet on and continuing his stride.
"Time to go now. Missions about to start! Gotta meet up with the rest of the boys." He said. Cresh then stopped, looking back once more.
"And Vod means brother in Mando'a. I'm calling you brother because that's what you are to me. My little brother." He said sincerely.
Dusk had finally fallen. It was time for the ambush.
Cresh, Sixty-Seven and the Jabiim 9 would serve as the bait while the main force gathered and attacked. They were currently behind the rubble of a building. Cresh looked over at the captain and his men and nodded.
A droid patrol was edging towards them. He raised an open hand then closed it, signifying the go for the attack.
Blue blaster bolts Illuminated the darkness, stroking the frontal wave of droids.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Yelled a droid voice.
Soon the droids fired back, red bolts lighting up the darkness. The clones had switched to their night vision to make it easier for them. They were firing back now, making it seem as if they were a larger force than the ten they were.
"Droid poppers out!"yelled Cresh as he threw his electro grenades out alongside the others. The grenades rolled into the droids ranks, letting loose an electromagnetic burst that shut down the droids systems.
"HOLD HERE!" He yelled as he blasted the head off a group of B1 battle droids. Just a few more moments now.
They needed to draw the bulk of the droid force towards them so that their allies could sweep in from behind and attack them. He took one of his pistols out of the holster and began to fire it in tantrum with his rifle.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Yelled out a voice.
Panic seeped into his being for a slight second. Was one of his brothers injured? However when he found the source it proved not to be one of agony but of rage.
Sixty-Seven was in the midst of the droid formation. He was firing at the droids that surrounded him, blaster bolts whizzing past him.
He smacked a B1 with his rifle, knocking the head off then backhanded another with his weapon. Another met a swift that downed it only to be finished by the bolts of his rifle. He was hot. Burning bright like a flame engulfing all those around him.
The droid stood no chance against him. They all were cooking in the inferno of his battle rage.
Seems like he wasn't as uptight as he thought. He had a spark of personality in him.
"I'LL TURN YOU INTO SLAG YOU CLANKER TRASH!" Yelled Sixty-Seven.
Seems like he snapped. He was lashing out like a fire whose wisp latched out towards the air.
Cresh closed the distance between the two, making a killing stride towards his brother . A super battle droid had snuck behind Sixty-Seven, blaster aimed at its head to down him.
The droid was blasted to nothing, causing Sixty-Seven to turn towards him, rifle raised. Cresh continued to fire at the droids.
"Easy Ner Vod! It's me! You're not alone out here! Don't get too consumed by the fire of yours little brother!" He said
Sixty-Seven stopped firing for a moment, seemingly composing himself. He nodded and began to fire once more, now alongside Cresh. The amount of droids approaching them was lessening.
He could hear the sounds of battle in the rear. The Main attack force had finally struck. Soon enough the droids stopped coming towards them and instead back towards their rear.
Cresh waved the others forward with his pistol.
"LOOK AT EM FALL BACK! LETS PRESS THE CHARGE AND SANDWICH THEM BETWEEN OUR FORCES!" He yelled, raising cheers from the rest of the Jabiim 9 as his response.
They pressed forward, him and Sixty-Seven side by side backed by the rest of the Jabiim 9. Soon enough they forced their way to the middle of the droid forces to be met by an Azure lightsaber. There was a green saber alongside her.
"The mission was indeed a success captain. Our forces are finishing off the rest of the droids troops. I take it everything went well alongside the captain, Cresh ?" She asked.
Cresh laughed, bolstering his pistol and giving Sixty Seven a light jab on the shoulder, causing him to let out a low ouch.
"Aye! Tracyn here damn near took on all those droids by himself. They didn't stand a chance!" exclaimed Cresh.
Siysa smiled upon hearing the name.
"T-tracyn?! What does that mean?!"said the confused captain.
Cresh put him into a headlock, causing him to struggle.
"Means fire in Mando'a. I saw the spark in you. That fire and knew it fit!" He said laughing.
Siysa Let out a low laugh, catching all of their attention. This slight lapse allowed Tracyn to get free of the headlock.
"I for one like it. It's..fitting for you..Tracyn. Now then me and Haru shall aid the rest of our troops in finishing off the droids. You all search the area for stragglers. Come now Haru." She said walking off.
"Yes Master!" responded the small nagai boy as he followed behind her.
Tracyn looked at Cresh.
"Tracyn? Why?" He asked.
Cresh thumped the forehead of his helmet.
"I told you back on the cruiser that I would be sure to name you as I will more of our brothers. A name is the greatest gift of all and the first I shall give you." He said.
Tracyn stood there for a moment as if in thought then nodded his head.
"Thank..you..Ner..Vod?" He said, struggling to pronounce the word.
Cresh smiled beneath his helmet. It had finally begun. The kindle of independence in his brothers.
"Of course Ner Vod. Say does the battalion have a name. The 43rd used to call themselves Killer Aiwa. What about you guys?" He asked.
Tracyn shook his head.
"Not at all."he responded.
Cresh patted him on the back.
"I think i got one for you boys. The Nighthaunters. After our first successful night raid."
Mando'a Terms:
Ori'vod- Big Brother
Al'Verde-General/Commander
Jetti-Jedi
Our good ole captain finally has his own name. We also got a little peek into his own trauma from the battle of Geonosis. Next chapter is a slight timeskip in the battle for Cerea with a major event at the end that will change the dynamic of the legion!