Battle for Shanazar! Republic forces are
locked in heated combat with the badnik armada on
a massive space station that encircles an entire
planet. Shadow the Hedgehog valiantly leads his
men against the onslaught, which has lasted several
rotations with neither side gaining any ground. Aided
by the twin sister Shinobi Masters Tiplee and Tiplar, the
Republic now mounts a desperate offensive to break the
deadlock...
Mighty and Charmy were fighting with the 501st and Shadow through the halls of space station "Push forward!" Shadow yelled as he gave his men cover. Charmy saw a broken badnik about to fire on Mighty "Look out!" he pushed Mighty aside and shot the badnik. Mighty stood back up "Thanks, brother. I owe you one" "You owe me a lot more than one". The group eventually reached a control room where they met with Tiplee and Tiplar, two female badgers along with their battalion of clones who were carrying shields. "Don't get too comfortable. This battle isn't won yet" Shadow said as Tiplee walked up to him "Master Shadow, we must get to the command post. Admiral Kragok has sent for reinforcements. We must take this post before they arrive". They all sat around a hologram of the station "It's time for phase two. We're at this position. Tiplar, you'll take our men down this passageway. Tiplee, you'll move along here. They'll have to divide their forces to counter us. And when they do, Fang and I will press through the middle. If we time it right, we'll all converge on this spot at the same time and the badniks won't know what hit them". The sister's clone commander, an alligator crossed his arm "If we're making a run, we'll need backup. My men are severely depleted". Shadow nodded "Mighty, you and Charmy take ten of your best men and support Master Tiplar" "Yes, sir". Everyone got ready when Mighty noticed that Charmy was holding his head with a pained expression on his face "Hey, you alright?" "Yeah. I… I just".
Mighty hit his back "Come on. This is a textbook battle. We've run through this a million times before in training" "Yeah, I know. I just… I, I don't feel like myself". Mighty looked concerned "What do you mean?". Charmy looked around the room and saw Tiplar "Shinobi" he said strangely, "Charmy, what's the matter with you?" "Uh, nothing. I'm fine. Come on, brother. Don't want to be left behind". The two of them followed Tiplar's battalion out of the control room. They fought there was through the halls eventually entering a room where they saw Shadow and Tiplee's groups enter as well. The room was full of hundreds of Pawns, Omegas. At the end of the room above the doors was a command centre where Kragok was watching the battle. He was wearing a cloak, now had a robotic eye and arm "Increase our defences. We must hold them here". The clones and Shinobi were with some struggle advancing through the room "Don't fall back. Push forward!" Mighty told them. He then saw Charmy again stop while out in the open which, Mighty got closer to him and gave him cover "Charmy, hey, this is not the time to freeze up! Pull it together. We're almost at the finish line. Come on!". Charmy hit his head before he ran forward but he stopped when he saw Tiplar fighting a squad of Pawns. His face suddenly went blank "Shinobi. Good soldiers follow orders" he started walking towards her as if a battle wasn't going on around him. Mighty saw him "Hey, Charmy!". Charmy ignored him and went up behind her and raised his blaster. Tiplar turned around and stared confused at Charmy. Mighty realised what he was about to do "Charmy, no!" he ran towards him but Charmy shot her before Mighty could stop him. "Sister!" Tiplee yelled as she ran to Tiplar's body. Charmy stared down at the body and clutched his head again when Mighty tackled him to the ground and restrained him. Gammas then arrived and began pushing the clones back "We've lost our momentum. Fall back!" Shadow yelled.
He turned to Mighty "Mighty, I don't know what's going on but you're responsible for Charmy now. Get him back to base. I want answers!". Mighty nodded and lifted Charmy up and backed up to the door while Shadow covered him. Kragok was watching their retreat in fascination. He pressed a button and a hologram recreation of Charmy killing the Shinobi played in front of him. A Swatbot walked up to him "The Shinobi are in retreat" "Contact Dimitri immediately. I have something he'll be very interested in". A hologram of Dimitri appeared "Dimitri, the Republic forces are in full retreat". Dimitri stared at him curiously "But this is not why you have contacted me, is it?". Kragok shook his head "No, My Lord. In truth, the Republic had pushed my badniks to the breaking point when they suddenly turned and fell back. It seemed that at the height of the conflict, a clone turned on his Shinobi general and executed her". Dimitri's eyes opened slightly "Intentionally?" "I saw it with my own eyes. I have studied clones and fought against them in many battles. This action is unlike anything I have witnessed in their behaviour as soldiers". Dimitri nodded "So there is a traitor in their midst. It's rare, but such things have been reported in the past" "Not like this. It was different, it seemed...". Dimitri raised his eyebrow "Yes, Admiral?" "It seemed as if the clone couldn't help himself, as if he were entranced". Dimitri's face went blank "Thank you, Admiral. I will take this under advisement".
The group were back in the control room with auto turrets outside the doors to keep the badniks back. Shadow went over to Tiplee who was kneeling next to her sister's body "Why? Why would he do this?". "I'm about to find out" Shadow said before he went over to Charmy who was sitting retrained on a crate with Mighty, Cat and Fang standing next to him. "How's he doing, Fang?" "I'm not sure, General. It seems like he just snapped". Fang kneeled down and put his hand on Charmy's shoulder "Charmy, can you hear me?" "Yes-Yes, Captain" Charmy answered sounding confused. "What happened?" Fang asked, "What… What do you mean?" "Do you have any idea what you've done?". Charmy began to look entranced "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders". He kept repeating as he looked around the room. Cat kneeled down next to him "What is he talking about?" "I have no idea". Tiplee walked forward and Charmy saw her. His face was suddenly turned angry "Kill the Shinobi!" he ran forward towards her, but she pushed him back with the Force. "We have to get him back to the medical bay before he hurts anyone else" Shadow said. Tiplee reluctantly dropped Charmy back down.
Dimitri was at his desk speaking to a hologram of Mephiles "My lord, I have received a report that leads me to conclude we may have encountered a grave complication with one of our assets". "Assets?" Mephiles asked, "Yes, My Lord. A clone trooper has executed one of the Shinobi generals". Slight concern could be seen in Mephiles' eyes "And you believe this is indicative of our programming?" "I do, my lord. But I cannot be certain". Mephiles pondered "It is pertinent we ascertain if this is an isolated event, a failure in this particular clone's programming. Otherwise, my plans may be ruined. Seize the clone immediately" "Yes, my Master".
In the medical bay of a cruiser Charmy was restrained to a bed with the others standing over him. He looked scared "Mighty, what's happening to me?" "You don't remember?". Charmy shook his head erratically "No". Mighty leaned down near him "You murdered General Tiplar" "What? No. That's not possible" Charmy looked around and saw Tiplee glaring at him. "I, I would never… I could never-" he started to struggle. Mighty tried to stop him "Charmy, you did" "But I… I don't understand. How could this happen. Mighty, what's happening to me. I-". A medical bot injected with a tranquilizer "Ah. No!" he yelled before falling unconscious. Shadow and Fang stepped away from the others "What do you think happened?" the latter asked. Shadow looked to Cat "Did you check all his scans?" "Well, 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". Fang shook his head "That can't be. We're designed to withstand any stress". Mighty nodded "I agree. We've been through a plot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened. It's like he's sick or drugged". Cat pondered "Well, it could be a virus, a toxin. I can't be certain". Shadow gestured to the door "Let's talk outside" they all left. "You mean the enemy could've made him do this?" Shadow asked, "It's a possibility. There have been rumours that the Separatists have been trying to develop an anti-clone virus. Biological warfare" Tiplee answered. Cat sighed "We aren't equipped for this type of situation. He'll have to be taken back to Soleanna. We'll find an answer there".
They were now in a hanger with a metal gurney carrying Charmy being taken to a transport. "Wait!" Mighty said and walked over to the gurney "Charmy, it's gonna be fine, I promise. They'll fix you up real good. We'll be having a drink together in no time, eh?". Charmy looked half asleep "Good soldiers follow orders. Good… soldiers". Mighty nodded "You are a good soldier, Charmy" "It's time to go now" one of the clones carrying the gurney said. Mighty backed away next to Shadow "Be careful" he said to the clones, "Yes, General". They watched Charmy get taken into the shuttle. The shuttle took off and was followed by four fighters and headed away from the planet. They were preparing to make the jump to hyperspace but before they a squad of Eggrobos arrived and fired on the shuttle and the fighter. The fighters were destroyed, and the shuttle was disabled. Slicers were released and swarmed the glass cockpit. The hedgehog pilot, Johnny tried to send an SOS "Mayday! Mayday! The enemy's-AH!" the Slicers broke the glass and he was sucked out into space. A group of Omegas flew through space and boarded the shuttle. Inside the gravity was disabled. The clones magnetised their feet and put oxygen masks on "We can't let them in here. Hold that line". Slicers came through first and the clones easily shot them. Then Omegas entered and a shootout started. they were able to pick a few off but eventually all the clones were killed except for Charmy.
Later a shuttle carrying Shadow, Fang and Mighty approached what was left of the wreckage "Admiral, we're approaching the wreckage". Fang examined the opening in the shuttle "Slicers must have cut right through. I hate those things". Mighty looked troubled "Strategically, this attack doesn't make any sense" "Unless they were after something specific" Shadow replied. The three of them put on their space suits and went out towards the wreckage. They started checking the bodies "Charmy's not here" Fang said. Shadow saw the gurney "His restraints were cut. The niks must have taken him" "But why?" Fang asked. "They must be responsible for whatever's happening to him" Mighty said. Shadow nodded "It's possible. All I know is they went to great lengths to capture him and that means something. We have to get him back".
Charmy was taken to the command centre where Kragok was waiting. He then spoke to a hologram of Dimitri "We have captured the clone, Dimitri" "Good work, Admiral. Send him to me immediately. And under all circumstances keep him alive" "Yes, sir". He turned to a Swatbot "Get him on the next shuttle out of here" "But the Republic blockade" "See to it personally, Commander".
Shadow's shuttle was taking them to the Separatists side of the station "The shuttle will drop us off just short of the main hanger. Then we space-walk from there. Are you picking anything up on Charmy's locator?". Mighty was checking a data pad "I've got a faint signal but it's hard to track. It's moving" "Then we'd better hurry". The shuttle landed on the underside of the station and the three of them went out and magnetised their feet to the hull. Mighty checked the pad "I've got a better signal. Charmy's heading this way" "He must be in the hanger. Let's go". They walked across the hull to the underside of where the hanger was and climbed up. They looked inside and saw that it was full of badniks. They then saw Charmy's gurney being taken to a shuttle with the Swatbot. Shadow smirked "We'll have to work fast", Fang looked at him "There must be a hundred badniks in that hanger, not to mention the starfighters. This is stretching it even for you, sir". Shadow chuckled "Fang, you're beginning to sound like Espio. You got a better idea" "Look, I don't doubt you could pull it off, but I'm just not sure Mighty and I would be around to see it happen". Mighty took out a grapple gun "I've got an idea. Get ready to hold on", Fang grinned "That's why he's the ARC trooper". They saw the shuttle about to leave the hanger, Mighty and Fang fired a grapple at the underside.
Shadow grabbed Fang's legs and the three of them were pulled along with the ship. In the cockpit the Pawn pilots were confused. The Swatbot entered "Is there a problem?" "We were experiencing some drag, but the sensors are stabilized now". The Swatbot tilted his head "You were experiencing drag in the vacuum of space?" "Yeah, strange. But it is gone now". In the cargo hold a group Metals were guarding Charmy when the door opened, Shadow, Fang and Mighty entered and quickly dealt with them all. The Swatbot ran inside and fought Shadow managing to dodge his lightsaber and punch him in the stomach. Shadow kept calm and was able to cut off the robot's arms and grab him. Fang entered the cockpit "Hey, now we're experiencing turbu-" he quickly shot the Pawns. "What is going on?" What do you know about this clone!?" Shadow asked the Swatbot, "I am programmed to resists intimidation". Shadow shrugged and cut off his head "Fine". Mighty checked Charmy "General, he's not doing well. I think he's dying, sir" "We have to get him to Soleanna".
Back on the cruiser Shadow was speaking to Fang "I want a full report from Soleanna. If Charmy is the victim of some Separatists plot, we have no idea of how widespread it already is". Fang was about to follow Charmy's gurney to the hanger "Permission to come with you, sir. He's my best friend. You may need help" Mighty asked. Fang nodded "But everything must be done by the book. You're to stay by his side at all times. I don't want anymore slip-ups". Mighty nodded "Yes, sir" "Good. Let's go". They entered a shuttle which then detached form the main cruiser. Shadow watched the ship with fighter escort go to hyperspace from the bridge "Good luck, boys".