We pushed the droids back. This fight was taking more time than anticipated.
"Push forward." Anakin barked
"Stay to my left."Tup said "Fives watch out !" He slammed the arc trooper out of the way and I put a bullet in the droids head.
"Thanks, brother. I owe you one" fives said
"You owe me a lot more than one." Tup chuckled he pulled up the arc trooper. We continued on our offensive. I followed General Tiplar and Tiplee
"Tighten our flank" Tiplar shouted."Shields up"
"Yes,sir!" They barked as droidikas rolled in they pummeled the shields. Tiplar used the force to lift them and we rolled droid poppers to bypass they're shields.
The droids surged with electricity frying their circuits. We continued to press our offensive meeting up with Anakin at the rendezvous point.
"Don't get too comfortable this battle hasn't been won yet." Anakin said Tup drifted over towards me.
"Master Skywalker we must get to the command post" General Tiplee said.
"How many did you get"Tup asked cheekily
"27 you" I replied
"25" he said tugging off his helmet.I chuckled.
"You'll get there." I turned my attention back to the Jedi.
"Admiral Trench has sent for reinforcements" Tiplee continued." We must take this post before they arrive."
"It's time for phase two. We're at this position. Tiplar you'll take your men down this passageway. Tiplee you'll move along here. They'll have to divide their forces to counter us. And when they do rex and I will push through the middle. If we time this right we'll all converge on this spot at the same time, and the droids won't know what hit them," Anakin said
"If we're making a run we'll need backup. My men are severely depleted." The clone commander in green said.
"Fives, you and Tup tsk ten of your best men and support Master Tiplar." Anakin said
"We're on it sir." Fives said. Tup pressed his fingers against his forehead.
"Hey you all right"Fives asked.
"Yeah I... I just..." Tup
"Come on this is a textbook battle we've run through this a million times before in training." Fives said
"Yeah I know I just... I don't feel like myself." Tup said. I furrowed my brow.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
His gaze hardened on General Tiplar.
"Follow me" she barked. Fives smacked him lightly
"Tup what's the matter with you?" He asked
"Nothing I'm fine." He said he tugged on his helmet." Come on we don't want to be left behind."
We took of after the General. We shot down droid after droid the General slicing though some. We exited into the command center it was teaming with droids. They fell one by one
"Don't fall back push forwards." Fives shouted. Tup paused "Tup hey this is not the time to freeze up. Pull it together. We're almost to the finish line come on!" He knocked his helmet and fives rushed forward. I kept nearby Tup
I fired at some battle droids. Turning to see Tups helmet on the ground he walked closer to the droids.
"Hey tup!" Fives shout drew me to look at Tup
"On your right!" Tiplar shouted. Tup leveled his riffle and before I could move he shot Tiplar in the head
"Sister!" Tiplee shouted. I raced towards Tup Fives doing the same thing. Fives had Tup on the ground before I arrived.
"Hold your position" Anakin barked. I opened fired covering the two twins.
"Destroyers!" The commander in green shouted. I blocked as many I could with my staff.
"We've lost our momentum. Fall back!" Anakin shouted Tiplee carried Tiplar from the firefight
"Fives I don't know what's going on but your responsible for Tup now. Get him back to base I want answers." Anakin barked we retreated back to the base. I looked at Tup his eyes were harder than they ever where. We closed the blast doors.
"Why why would he do this" Tiplee asked.
"I'm about to find out." Anakin said I knelt down besides the two.
"He wouldn't never I'm sorry." I said softly"Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la" I stood and followed Anakin
" how's he doing Rex" Anakin asked
"I'm not sure General. It seems like he just snapped." Rex said.
"Tup, can you here me?" I asked I crouched to his level.
"Yes Captain." He said
"What happens?" Rex asked
"What do you mean?" He said I looked into his eyes they were soft again how they always were.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rex asked.
"Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders." He repeated over and over
"What is he talking about" Kix asked
"I have no idea." Rex replied tups head killed back and forth.
"Good soldiers follow orders good soldiers follow orders good soldiers follow orders. Kill the Jedi" his gaze hardened on Tiplee.
He lunged at her knocking both Kix and I over. Tiplee held him by the force against the wall.
"We have to get him back to the medical bay before he hurts anyone else." Anakin said he placed a hand on Tiplee shoulder. I looked at Tup. Kix and Fives placed a hand on his shoulder.
We boarded a medical frigate and Tup was strapped down.
"Fives what's happening to me?" He asked tugging at the restraints.
"You don't remember?" Fives asked
"No." Tup looked terrified it killed me inside
"You murdered General Tiplar." Fives said.
"What No. that's not possible. I I would never... I could never..." he squirmed under the restraints.
"Tup you did." Fives said
"I don't I don't understand. How could this happen? What's happening to me, Fives? Lillee? Ah! Ah no!" He squirmed and wriggled a droid pressed a hypo into his neck. His eyes glazed over with both fear and confusion before he passed out.
"What do you think happened" Rex asked.
"Did you check all of his scans?" Anakin asked Kix
"We'll all of his scans are clear. As far as I can tell this is a combat -related stress. It seems he's had some sort of breakdown." Kix said
"Kix you should know better. We were designed to withstand any stress." Rex said
"Designed maybe doesn't mean it always works this could be fall out from Umbara." I said.
" we've been through a lot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened. It's like he's sick or drugged." Fives said
"Well it could be a virus a toxin. I can't be certain." Kix said
"Let's talk outside." Anakin said we all stepped out of the room." You mean the enemy could've made him do this?"
"It's a possibility. There have been rumors that seperatist have been trying to develop an anti clone virus... biological warfare." Tiplee said
"Listen we are t equipped for this type of situation. He'll have to be taken back to Kamino. Only then will you have your answer." Kix said.
"Wait wait " Fives shouted"Tup your goinna be fine, I promise. They'll fix you up real good. We'll be having a drink together in no time, eh?" Fives said
"There's a twi'lek waiting for you to come back" I said softly he kept repeating those four words over and over.
"You are a good soldier Tup" fives assured.
"It's time to go now." A medical clone said.
"Be careful" Anakin cautioned me
"Yes General" fives said. We stepped aboard the ship.
"Lemme guess take it easy don't over do it" I mocked
"Exactly right." He replied
We had lost contact with the frigate Rex Fives and Anakin went of to investigate.
They docked onto the cruiser after about 30 minutes.
"How is he" I asked.
"Bad he needs to get to kamino rex will go with." Anakin said "but it want a full report if Tup is a victim to some separatist plot we have no idea how widespread it already is." He walked away
" permission to come with you, sir." Fives said "he's my best friend."
"You may need help." I looked at Tup.
"Fine but everything must be done by the book." Rex said.
"Understood sir" Fives said
" you're to stay by his side at all times I don't want anymore slip-ups." Rex said. I walked with the medics aboard the frigate well he lectured fives. I watched Tups breathing worriedly he was the little brother I didn't get from boba.
Mandoa
Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la: tribute to the dead.