Anakin Rex and Hunter walked through the air field
"Word is the Generals staff isn't completely behind this mission." Hunter said
" I admit the idea that Echo is still alive is a long shot." Rex replied
"I'm sure the council will approve the mission. Just remember the primary goal is to learn how the Separatist are learning our strategies wether it's Echo behind it or not." Anakin said
"Well if you want my opinion, sounds like a trap, but me and the boys will tag along anyway if only to say I told you so." Hunter replied.
"Just make sure you're ready if we get the go ahead from General Kenobi." Anakin said
"If your certain he'll approve the mission why wait?" Rex asked." Let's get going"
"First we have that thing to do." Anakin nudge Rex.
"Uh, what thing?" He said
"You know." I said
" we don't have time for that, sir." Rex said
"Yes we do." Anakin replied
"Well I'll just let you three sort this out. I'll be waiting on the ship with the ray of the team" Hunter said.
"Come on in late as it is" Anakin said. We walked briskly to the 501st barracks Anakin and I stepped inside
"Your late again" Padmes voice rang out from the hologram
"Padme I'm so sorry we didn't anticipate the outer-rim sieges would take this long" Anakin said
"That's why they call it a siege Anakin" she replied
"I know I know I just tho-" he said
"You thought you could bring a swift end to the conflict single handedly" she chuckled
"Yeah" Anakin replied sheepishly.
"Anakin what you're doing is important. The republic needs you on the front lines just as they need my voice in the senate." She said
"I know." Anakin replied. I went back to encrypting the call. Boosting the signal.
Rex pounded on the door.
"What is it?" Padme asked
"Obi-Wan is coming." Anakin sighed
"No that's not it. There's something else." She said
"It's Rex. I'm worried he's letting his personal feelings drive him to much on this mission." Anakin said
"I wonder where he learned that." She said I chuckled and Anakin scoffed.
"You've know Rex a long time when you throw caution to the wind and take chances, where is he?" She asked
"Right beside me." He replied
"Then maybe that's where you should be for him, Ani. Trust his instincts like he trusts yours."Padme advised
"I'm just trying to look out for him." Anakin said
" I know you are. I love you Ani."she said one hand came to intertwine with Anakins the other resting on her stomach.
"I love you too." He replied.
She ended the call and we stepped outside.
"Here you go, Rex" Anakin tossed it at the flustered Captain " And try not to break it again."
"Anakin. About this mission the council thinks—" Obi Wan started.
"That it's a good idea? I agree." Anakin said Rex and I followed him I chuckled slightly.
"No wait that's not-"Obi Wan said
"No time." Anakin called back.
"I hope you atleast told Padme I said hello." We froze in our tracks Rex looked completely terrified I chuckled softly. We continued walking to the ship. I chuckled Victory and Crosshair where engaged in a brutal arm wrestling match.
"Let's get moving" Anakin said as we got on. Crosshair and Victory stopped and stood up Tech manned the controls. Wrecker popped out of nowhere with a Nuna leg. I chuckled softly
"Nice sniper may I see it" Anakin asked.
"Go for it." Crosshair said Anakin looked at the riffle peering through the scope.
"So how many missions has your team been on sergeant?" Anakin asked he gave crosshair back his gun.
" honestly sir I've lost count. All the action sort of blurs together." Hunter replied
" I know you work with Cody sometimes but who do you guys report to?" Rex asked
"Hmmm...Good question. Can't say I've got an answer."Hunter said
"Yeah!" Wrecker said taking a bite of the leg. The ship jolted as alarms blared
"We are approaching Skako Minor. It looks to be a difficult landing. Rex Victory Anakin and I strapped ourselves into a seat Wrecker joined Tech in the cockpit well Hunter and Crosshair sat at the controls.
We landed on the windy planet. We unbuckled and walked up to the cockpit.
"Rex what do we know about this place?" Anakin asked
" on this part of skako there's a race of locals the Poleteca. All we know is they're very primitive." Rex replied
"Primitive is being kind. My intel says the Poletecs worship flying reptiles." Tech said a creature slammed on the windo and screeched.
"Oh what the heck was that?"Wrecker shouts
"Look at that I presume it's one of your lizards." I said
"I want that thing off my ship." Hunter shouted.
"Hold on hold on don't just run out there." Rex shouted we took off outside anyways.
"Hey get off of there!" Wrecker shouted.
"Hey calm down. We need to talk to them." Anakin shouted.
"Why?" Hunter asked
"The Generals right." Rex said.
Two creatures flew down one gunning for Rex.
"Look out, Rex!" Anakin shouted leaping onto the Captain in my moment of distraction one hoisted me into the air. My jetpack made a hissing fizzle noise as we flew into the sky. We came to a stop landing in a village I looked to my left to see Anakin in a similar position as me. We struggled to get out from under the reptiles
One of the poltecs pushed Anakin back down and shouted at him in their language
" okay I think we're gonna have a slight communication problem here." He said the poltecs continued shouting. We continued to struggle under the beasts.
A huge Boulder rolled down the cliff headed right for us. I saw a bolt hit Anakins creature it got off him spooking mine the two of us rolled to the side to avoid being smashed. I stood and the clones had the poltecs with their hands up. The poltecs kept speaking
"Tech translate what he said." Hunter barked. I shed my busted jetpack leaving it on the ground
" He says he does not want our war on his planet. That is why he took our leader." Tech translated
"We didn't bring the war here." Anakin protested." It was Wat Tambort and the separatists."
Tech translated it for the poltec
" Tell him we apologize for what's happened. But tell him the enemy is holding one of our men prisoner in Purkoll. As soon as we rescue him we'll leave his planet for good." Rex said Tech translated. The poltec turned to his people and said something
"The chief says he will provide us with scouts and lead us to Tambors city." Tech said" From there were on our own."
"Any help is better than no help." I shrugged
We followed the scouts to Purkoll the towers shooting into the sky. We stood on the rocky outcrop
"Hope nobody's scared of heights." Anakin said. The bad batch turned to look at Wrecker
"Well, I'm not scared of nothing. I just... Ehen I'm up real high I got a problem with gravity." Wrecker said
"Speaking of problems, I am no longer picking up Echos signal." Tech said
"I don't understand." Victory said
"You said it was coming from this city." Rex said
"I can only speculate, but it is possible there's a latency issue with the frequency caused by all these atmospheric disturbances." Tech said
"Or maybe they sent the signal to lure us into a trap. And maybe your friends actually dead."Hunter said " well I can't be the only on thinking that."
"Look every mission could be a trap. This ones no different. I'm telling you that signal is being sent by Echo himself! He's alive!" Rex said
"I think your letting your personal feelings get in the way because you left him for dead at the citadel." Crosshair said. I let out a low growl
"I had no choice. You hear me?" Rex shouted
"Oh I don't blame you. I would've left him for dead too. Besides he's just another reg." Crosshair said walking down the ledge. Rex lunged at him punching him in the face getting him to the ground.
"Hey! Why don't you pick on someone not your size?" Wrecker said firing Rex into the air tossing him back. Rex postured Wrecker as I walked towards them whipping out my knife.
"You'll be a whole lot smaller when I'm through with you." Rex growled
"That's enough! Sergeant take your men and scout the area for a tower entrance. I want talk to my Captain alone."Anakin said separating them.
We walked down the ridge a low growl still sat in my throat. As soon as we were out of earshot I turned on Crosshair Victory beside me.
"You've got some nerve I'll give you that. Maybe next time they'll send you on a mission to the citadel and you have to leave one of your men behind, one of your closet Vod."Victory snarled. Crosshair started to speak but Hunter cut him off.
"Alright enough Crosshair was out of line but we have a job to do. So stow it." Hunter barked.
We found our entrance and stood guard our guns drawn. I saw a flicker of movement in the distance and we all trailed our guns on it. We lowered them as the movement because Anakin and Rex
"We're in business, General Tech regained Echos signal." Hunter said
"It's coming from this tower." Victory said.
"How's it going Tech?" I asked as he fiddled with a panel. He didn't answer but the door slid open.
"Sorry it took so long." He said
"Hey Crosshair check it out." Hunter said
"Yeah it's a lift" he said sarcastically.
"Well we already knew that." Hunter said
"Wait wait wait a lift? How far up are we going?" Wrecker said
"Don't worry, Wrecker, I'll hold your hand." Hunter said I chuckled
" hey cut it out sarge." He grumbled getting on the lift." Just get me some droids to crush."
The door to the lift shut as we began to move.
"Remember this is a stealth mission. No blasting no lowing things up. Nobody knows we're here." Anakin said the lifts doors slid open and a bunch of droids looked at us. Wrecker shouted and charged them
"Intruders! Attack!" They shouted. Wrecker launched them around as the rest of the bad batch took off
"So much for stealth." Rex said I shrugged and took of into the fire fight.
"Yeah! Ha-ha ha-ha! Yeah!" Wrecker shouted we all looked at him." Uh... sorry. I just got excited."
"I've still got a lock on Echos signal." Tech said.
"Alright. Let's hunt some droids." Hunter said
"Now your talking! Yeah!" Wrecker exclaimed. We took off through the facility.
"Where exactly is Echos signal coming from?" Anakin asked
"Strange I just lost the signal." Tech replied
"What how can that be there's no atmospheric disturbances up here?"Rex asked.
"Well I have a new theory. I'm surprised I did not consider it earlier. The signal is only traceable during data transmissions. So until Echo dispenses more intel I cannot pick up the signal." Tech said.
"Okay we're splitting up. Search every door. If someone finds echo contact the others. We go in together just in case there's trouble." Anakin said. We all split up.
"Ah it appears the signal is back. It's from up ahead." Tech said. We ran to the door.
"In there." Hunter said
"Tech open this door." Rex said a hum caught our attention.
"You clones are so predictable." Tambor said
"Wat Tambor." Rex said
"Your algorithm predicted nearly every move you made to infiltrate Purkoll." Tambor said
"There is no algorithm." Rex said
"We know you're holding a prisoner of war here." Victory said
"Prisoner I don't know what you mean." Tambor said.
"I'm leaving here with my friend." Rex growled.
"Your friend is dead. His mind is ours." Tambor said
"Liar!" Victory spat. The sound of clanking droids came behind us and we whipped around.
"Execute them." Tambor said the droids opened fire we attacked Anakin and Crosshair finally joining us. We destroyed the platoons but more droids came from both halls
"Tech open that door for Rex!" Anakin shouted.
"Yes sir." Tech replied.
"I hope you find what your looking for Captain." Hunter said. Rex nodded joining Tech at the door. Victory shot down a couple of droids before going to the pair.
The door slide open and the three walked inside.