-Chapter 6: Evolve-

Location: Muunilinst

"When opportunity knocks, open the door wide."

Six shots. Six shots, all in the same place. The head-shaped target off in the distance now had a rather large scorch mark in the dead center of its single bulls-eye, thanks to all six rounds having hit the same exact spot. The soldier couldn't help but marvel at the accuracy of his carbine, thanks to the improvements Scipio had made. Re-engineering the firing chamber seemed to cut down on the recoil, and therefore eliminate a great percentage of variables that would affect his aim. And a quick adjustment to the arming mechanisms made for far more silent preparations. Over all, this improved carbine was proving much more reliable. Now, the soldier just needed an opportunity to test it out.

It had been several days since he had left Geonosis and severely disrupted Republic operations there. Ever since then, Scipio had been busy working in his shop on some kind of project. The soldier was not allowed to see, but could only imagine it was some sort of doomsday device... or something. Every so often though, Scipio would invite him to the briefing room where the doctor showed him intercepted reports from Geonosis. Rumors were starting to spread about a Separatist saboteur, with some Clones even claiming to have seen someone during the attack. The soldier was impressed. But Scipio was wary. He wanted this secret to remain so for as long as possible. The soldier was starting to question why, for he could be far more effective out in the open. But he was sworn to duty, to fulfill whatever command was asked of him. And for the moment, the command was to remain a secret.

He was in the base's target range, practicing his aim and honing his skills with all three of his ranged weapons. The enhancements to his body and mind provided steady aim, perfect hand-eye coordination and the ability to calculate angles within a fraction of a second. This allowed him to hit any target from any angle, always scoring a direct hit.

Suffice to say, he never missed.

Combined with his agility and strength, the soldier was capable of firing at any given moment in any given environment and guaranteed to score a kill. But it was here in the confines of his base of operations that he honed his deadly skills. Putting into practice things he had only learned. From a young age, he was taught how to wield a weapon, to use its deadly force to his advantage. He was still a child by the time he become proficient with the use of a blaster. No record ever set by any mere Clone trooper could compare to his remarkable skills. Scipio loved every silent minute of watching his creation take aim and fire, the silence of the training deck punctuated by periodic blaster fire as his soldier scored bulls-eye after bulls-eye.

All possible, thanks to him.

It was all routine to the soldier. He followed the same steps over and over again: arm, aim, shoot, repeat. He practiced for hours until he had the steps down to one fluid motion, his blaster going from holstered to armed to firing in a matter of seconds. Some might say he had mastered the art of combat.

He would say he had perfected it.

Training and studying were the only things to keep him from growing bored, the only things to occupy his mind and keep his insatiable desire for battle and carnage at bay until he was called upon to be unleashed. His role was not yet big, his name not yet renown. But even in these humble duties, he performed to the best of his abilities... for the glory of the CIS.

It was in this state of mind that Scipio found him. As he entered the target range he paused to watch as the soldier scored head-shot after head-shot, always on target, always accurate. With a proud smile, the doctor moved to one of the weapon benches in the room, placed just so for the soldier to practice dismantling and rebuilding a weapon... a just-in-case lesson if the need ever arose. On this bench, he set down two cases, both of which contained his finished crafts, his new equipment for the soldier.

"If you could spare a few minutes, my boy, there are some things I need you to see." He quickly asked between blaster shots. Hearing his request, the soldier stood up and walked over, leaving his rifle behind at the range. Scipio unlocked the first case and opened it. The soldier took a look inside and discovered a vast array of weaponry stuffed inside. Scipio reached in and pulled out a pistol. It the soldier, it seemed like a regular blaster pistol. But one look at the hammer and firing mechanisms and he knew otherwise. "The KD-30 slugthrower pistol." Scipio explained. "Carries a clip of ten rounds and is capable of firing most variants of slugs." Reaching back into the case, Scipio withdrew a fully stocked ammo clip and loaded the gun. "I'm working on acquiring the acid-lined variant, perfect for killing armored foes like Clone troopers." He handed the pistol to the soldier. "There's two of them. To compliment your twin DE-20's, of course. With an arsenal like this you should be more than ready to handle Captain Rex's weak and pathetic DC-17's." Scipio fished out the other one, loaded it and handed it to the soldier. "Go ahead, try them out." He gestured to the target range. Walking back to where he once knelt, KD-30's in hand, the soldier sized up the cutout downrange and calculated the angle he needed for a heart shot. Quickly raising his arms, the soldier fired two rounds, one from each pistol. Not quite expecting a kickback, his arms bent at the elbows as they recoiled from the blast. He was on target though, both rounds puncturing the cutout right where the heart would've been. Admiring the firepower of his newly acquired weapons, the soldier nodded fondly at their performance. Scipio smirked. "With a little practice, you'll be as masterful with them as you are with your DE-20's." He stated. "But we'll do more of that later. Come back over here, there's more for you to receive." The soldier obediently complied, setting both slugthrowers down on the table. Scipio next lifted a large gauntlet from the case. "I built these myself. They'll be the primary focus of your new arsenal." He held it out to the soldier. "Let's get it on you." The soldier held out his right arm for Scipio to use. The doctor quickly opened the gauntlet and directed the soldier to insert his hand through the frame inside, pushing his hand through the gauntlet, the soldier soon realized the fram was engineered to fit his hand. Scipio strapped the gauntlet into place and stepped back so the soldier could look it over. The piece of armour covered his entire forearm, perfectly fitting the contours of his muscular limb. It wasn't that heavy but it did feel solid and durable. "There's quite a few gimmicks in this one." Scipio explained. "They're all controlled by your hand movements, hence that wire-frame. Each trigger does something different." Scipio stepped back and held up his hand. "I'll start big and work small. First, flick your wrist down." He instructed, making a motion with his hand. The soldier did so, bending his hand down until he felt a tug and click from the frame. Suddenly, a blade shot out from the wrist of the gauntlet over top his hand. The soldier was genuinely startled. But as he took in the weapon, he was amazed.

The blade was thin and sharp, about a foot and a half long. Ending in a sharpened point, the blade was intricately designed, bearing the mark of the Separatists at its base. Scipio grinned at the reveal. "Forged from pure phrik, able to block even a lightsaber." He explained. "It's double-edged, honed to a tenth of a mechanometer. You'll be able to slice through anything with it!" He beamed. The soldier nodded his head in understanding, slowly coming to terms with his new weapon. "To store it, just repeat the same motion with your wrist." The soldier did so and the blade instantly retracted, sliding into the gauntlet with a metallic ring. Satisfied, Scipio continued. "Now flick your wrist up." The soldier did so and a smaller blade shot up from under his hand. If he wasn't careful with these motions, he just might impale himself on a hidden blade. The soldier quickly surmised he would have to be extra diligent with his hand motions, to avoid triggering a blade by mistake. This smaller blade was significantly thicker, but looked just as sharp. "Perfect for a quick, up-close stab. You can just walk up, deploy and no know would notice until it was too late." Scipio stated. The soldier practiced a few quick attacks, slicing away at the air. He could certainly see a benefit to having this 'assassin blade'. He would be a much more effective infiltrator and would be able to get the drop on his opponents easier with weaponry like this. "I think you know how to store it." Scipio reached back into the case as the soldier flicked his wrist again and the blade retracted. Scipio now carried a variety of small knives in his hands, bearing no handles and seemingly carved as one single unit. "These are throwing knives." He stated. "I've witnessed moments where you could've thrown your knives but chose not to, so I had these engineered as an alternative." Scipio motioned for the soldier to flip over his arm. "They store underneath your gauntlet and are thin enough for you to carry multiples." Scipio pried open a storage rack on the underside of the gauntlet and carefully inserted each blade, one atop the other. Closing the storage rack, Scipio spoke again. "The knives are located on the left. Just flick your wrist that way and one will launch into your hand." Scipio returned to the case as the soldier practiced, learning he could easily slide the throwing blades back in if he didn't need them. Scipio brought forth more of the explosive discs the soldier had used on Geonosis, recognizing them instantly. "I had more of these manufactured for you after witnessing just how useful they were. They'll work just the same as the knives, only you'll flick your wrist to the right." Scipio loaded up the discs, a significantly less amount than the knives, and stepped back to pronounce him completely armed. But he wasn't quite finished. "Oh! I almost forgot, curl your index and middle finger together at the same time to fire the new grapple I've mounted on top. This should help you scale walls and drop down from ceilings, generally making you more nimble and mobile." The doctor informed him, reaching back into the case for the second gauntlet. The soldier examined the launcher while Scipio loaded up the gauntlet for the soldier's left arm, placing each knife and disc in its proper compartment. Once outfitted, Scipio handed over the gauntlet and the soldier suited up. He looked much better with two, giving him and even bulky appearance than he already possessed. "Both of your gauntlets were forged from phrik," Scipio added, "so don't hesitate to block a lightsaber or deflect a shot." Closing up the first case, Scipio moved the other one over and opened it up. "These are mostly cosmetic upgrades, but you may yet find them useful." The soldier walked over and watched as Scipio pulled out a folded article of clothing. "I've been working on a new jacket for you." The doctor informed him, allowing the new one to unfold. "This one is far more armored along the arms, chest and back. Christophsis taught me that you needed to be better protected to avoid giving a false impression, so I had the plates made from phrik as well." The soldier turned around and let Scipio helped him put it on, although the shorter Pau'un was unable to lift the jacket all the way up the soldier's towering six-foot frame. "I've included some additional armor sewn in around the gauntlets, for double the protection." Scipio stated as he circled around the soldier, checking the size lengths. The first thing the soldier noticed as he did up the chest was how long this new jacket was. It trailed down to his ankles, forming more of a trench coat or duster-like appearance.

A nice touch to enhance his look.

Scipio reached back into the case and pulled out two new components, both parts of a helmet. "This is a new variant of your helmet, call it a 'Mark Two' if you will. New scanners in the optics, an improved live recording feed, enhanced listening devices and the inclusion of a long-range communication system. I've had controls built into the side so you can adjust the settings more fluidly." Scipio described the new upgrades as the soldier pulled off his old helmet. "Given the increased AV abilities I had to remove the retractable mask feature and use that space for circuitry. Not that you used it anyway," he commented, "so I engineered a new face mask to cover your nose and mouth by wrapping around your lower jaw. It clips together via a strap and fits under the helmet." He explained as the soldier fitted the new mask in place before he slid the helmet on over top. Once in place, the headgear locked in around his head, plates sliding and clicking into place in order to solidly secure its position. "The mask also includes a synthetic voice modulator so your voice can be disguised." Scipio added with a slight grin. The soldier gave him a sideways glance.

"You really want me to talk, don't you?" His voice came out deep and threatening with a hint of mechanization from the mask. Scipio's grin broadened at the soldier's query.

"Indeed I do my boy, and it seems like yesterday's reconditioning session had proven effective." He mused.

"We'll see." The soldier rumbled. Scipio gave him a once over, looking sharp and menacing in his newest attire.

"You certainly look good. Combined with what you already have, you're sure to be unstoppable now." He noted, crossing his arms. "Just before my arrival here, Count Dooku contacted me with a dossier. He wants you on Muunilinst to run counter operations against the Republic. You recall that the Republic took it early in the war."

"I do." The soldier nodded.

"Good. Than you know San Hill barely escaped before ARC Troopers came crashing in, lead by Kenobi. Use these new tools to terrorize the Republic, show them we do not back down so easily."

"I always do." The soldier growled as he moved to leave. Rolling his shoulders and adjusting to the new jacket, it looked like he'd get to try out this new arsenal a lot sooner than he had anticipated.


The Republic grip on Muunilinst was a strong one. Ever since they had invaded and captured the capital city of Harnaidan, the Clone presence was strong and unrelenting. They had lost much trying to take this world and they would not lose it so easily.

But like all great things, the end must come. It may not be today, but it would be soon.

The soldier was glad for an opportunity to practice his 'urban warfare' techniques. It seemed like a very long time since he had hidden out in the buildings of Crystal City on Christophsis, killing Clones in the shadow of high-rises.

The soldier soon learned about the ARC Trooper detachment, known as the Muunilinst Ten, who had made Republic victory possible. He vowed that one day he would make them pay for their efforts. Grievous had managed to kill some on Hypori, but the soldier was after a much bigger prize: the head of Captain Fordo, leader of the Muunilinst Ten.

But Fordo was not his current objective. Weakening Republic forces was.

He was observing a convoy of tanks making their way through the city. Must be a patrol of some kind. He wasn't quite sure why the Republic was so heavy-handed in securing this world. Perhaps it could be traced to those who ran it: the Muuns. Although Muunilinst was the home of the InterGalactic Banking Clan and its leader San Hill, who were both aligned with the Separatist cause, the general population had cried out to the Republic for aid in overcoming Separatist forces. Such a contrast to Geonosis, where Poggle the Lesser served the CIS along with the entirety of the planet.

The slow-moving tanks would become his first victims. He'd attack from the rear, either causing a chain reaction or a spectacle to lure Clone away from the tanks. Suffice to say, his new explosive disks were about to become very handy. He waited in an alleyway, concealed by shadows. A pair of glowing red eyes standing out amidst the buildings. He watched as the tanks filed by, slowly counting them and their personnel. When the seventh tank reached him, the last one in the line, the soldier quickly sprinted from his cover and slid underneath the vehicle. Rising several feet off the ground, he was thankful these tanks were of the repulsorlift variety. It made dismantling them all the easier. Flicking his wrist and shooting a disc into his hand, the soldier planted one towards the rear of the vehicle, right by the drive system. He rolled out from underneath and counted ten seconds before the device exploded and the tank came to an abrupt halt. Scaling up the back of the vehicle, the soldier waited for the hatch to open, reaching behind him for one of his knives. He listened to the brief chatter inside as one of the Clones moved to get out and check the damage. He silently leaned back as the hatch opened and a trooper bearing the markings of a gunner popped up. But as the Clone moved to lift himself out, the soldier grabbed hold of him from behind and plunged his knife through the Clone's helmet. Blood soaked his knife as the trooper grunted in pain and died from his wound. But the pilot below took notice and cried in surprise. The soldier silenced him by drawing his blaster pistol and fired twin rounds into the cockpit of the tank, killing him. Holstering his weapon, the soldier looked up to see the hatch on the tank in front of them open as another Clone gunner appeared. Quickly reaching for his carbine, the soldier took aim at the unsuspecting trooper and fired three shots to the back of his head. His body slumped forward as the soldier returned his rifle to his back and jumped down onto the tank, dashing forward and jumping onto the tank before him. He climbed up to the hatch to hear the pilot mutter in confusion, knowing he was still alive. Arming another disc, the soldier leapt over the hatch and dropped his explosive down into the tank. Trapped by the dead body above, the Clone couldn't escape the disc as it detonated seconds after being armed. The tank exploded from the inside as smoke billowed up from the open hatch, the dead Clone flung away by the explosion. By now many other Clones from the final five tanks had climbed out upon hearing the clamor from behind.

The soldier now had a fight on his hands.

Leaping into the air, he quickly launched a throwing knife into his hand and tossed it towards the nearest trooper. His superior aim was true to its mark and the knife was impaled in the Clone's neck. Dropping down from above, the soldier triggered the new assassin blade on his right hand and plunged it through the Clone's visor as he tackled him. Blood spurted from the wound as the dead Clone hit the ground, the soldier still atop him. Drawing his newest sidearm, the soldier snapped up his arm and fired two slugs, killing a Clone before him with a pair of successful head-shots, blood spraying from the punctured head. Retracting his blade and stowing his sidearm, the soldier quickly climbed aboard the next tank just as the pilot was popping his head out. Drawing a knife, the soldier jumped up and brought his weapon down, impaling the Clone through the top of his head. Not wasting any more time, the Separatist freed his knife and somersaulted off the tank, whipping a throwing knife at another nearby Clone, this time spearing his leg. As the trooper cried out in pain, the soldier charged forward, extending both arm blades. Lunging forward he brought his arms around in a scissor-like motion, cleanly cutting the Clone in half. Cortosis blades passed through armor and flesh like so much air, bisecting his opponent with a gory spray of blood and severed guts. The soldier rolled forward and retracted his blades, the two halves of the Clone falling to the ground with a meaty thud. Rearming his carbine, the soldier rose, took aim and fired at the exposed fuel tanks on the rear of the second tank. His shot hit home and the tank was engulfed by a fiery explosion which killed both pilot and gunner. With a burning barricade before them, tanks three, four and five weren't going anywhere.

None of them were.

Lobbing four different discs at the fifth tank in line, the soldier watched as explosions ripped clean through the outer armor, creating large holes in the now destroyed vehicle.

Another Republic weapon made useless.

Turning his sights on the fourth tank, the soldier watched as the Clone gunner climbed out and spotted him. Snapping up an arm, the soldier fired one of his new tethers, a new plan forming in his mind. The cable caught between sections of armor and, summoning his vast strength, he yanked the surprised Clone towards him. The soldier caught the flying Clone with a hard punch, laying him out flat on the ground. Grabbing the trooper by his armor, the soldier dragged him back over to the tank and pushed his body underneath. Activating his arm blade, he quickly stabbed the drive system, short circuiting the repulsor engines. The multi-ton vehicle dropped like a rock, crushing the Clone underneath. The remaining pilots were quickly disposed of by way of the soldier's blaster carbine. Only one tank remained manned, evident by the way it turned around and trained its weaponry on the soldier. He quickly rolled out of the way as a pair of cannon rounds exploded the ground next to him... and an idea quickly formed in his mind.

He would use their own tank to destroy the others.

Breaking into a sprint he moved back past the wreckage of the fifth tank and climbed aboard sixth tank, now unmanned. Turning around to face his pursuer, he waited until the tank had lined him up in its sights. The soldier stared down the twin barrels, waiting for the perfect opportunity. As soon as the tank fired, he jumped forward and landed on the ground as the shots slammed into the tank he was just sitting on. The vehicle exploded in a fireball as the solider grinned beneath his mask. As long as the pilot and gunner kept tracking him, he could use their firepower to destroy these other tanks. He sprinted back, drawing his pistols as he approached the next tank, the last one in the line. Turning about he sprayed blaster fire at the heavily armored body, knowing it wouldn't be affected.

He just wanted to keep their attention.

He stopped before the seventh tank and laid down more fire on the incoming tank, watching as the barrels swiveled towards him and took aim. The soldier rolled out of the way just in time, rounds exploding the tank behind him, piercing through the armor.

Only one left to destroy.

Stowing his pistols, the soldier charged ahead and leapt atop the tank, triggering both arm blades. He scaled up the turret and sliced off first one barrel than the other, permanently disabling the weapons. Using his blade to pry open the cockpit hatch, he was promptly greeted by the Clone gunner who attempted to fight him off with his hands. The soldier promptly buried one of his blades in the Clone's helmet, almost cleaving his head in two. Blood sprayed from the gaping wound as the soldier grabbed hold of the body and yanked it out, arming twin discs and dropping them in on top of the startled pilot. He hopped off the tank and hit the ground just as his explosives detonated, consuming the interior of the tank with fire and smoke. Standing up straight, the soldier dusted off his hands and examined the chaos around him. Burning tanks, bludgeoned bodies, the smell of burning metal and spilt blood... there was nothing else like it.

But it was time for him to move on. There was a supply depot he wanted to hit before he left, and he dearly hoped there was a flamethrower for him to make use of.


Some time later...

CT-1489, or 'Thatch', approached the gruesome scene before him, flanked by Clone sergeants. The sight of burning tanks and scorched earth was one thing, but the bloody remains of Clones laying across vehicles, sprawled across the ground, their blood splattered everywhere, that was a much more disturbing sight. He didn't bother counting the bodies or the tanks, reports had already informed him that each one had been destroyed.

"Any idea what happened here trooper?" He asked one of the Clones by his side.

"No sir. It was reported by one of our scouts out on recon."

"Any witnesses?"

"None sir. There were no survivors." Thatch balled his hand into a fist. It aggravated him when he had nothing to work with. He approached one of the tanks that had a gaping hole blown in the side, a small fire still burning within. His red streaked armor was similar in color to the decals on the now scorched tank. He ran a hand along the edge of the hole, wondering what could've possibly done this. The Muuns had no qualms with them, the IGBC was either on the run or captured...

"And you say this has happened elsewhere?" He asked, turning back to the trooper. The sergeant nodded in affirmation.

"Yes sir. A supply depot was attacked in the southern quadrant and another convoy was destroyed in the western quadrant. They all look the same sir: bodies everywhere, vehicles and resources left destroyed and burning, signs of a fight are everywhere... but our men were the losers." Thatch looked to a wall where a trio of blaster marks had been etched into the permacrete.

Nothing about this situation sat well with him. And he couldn't help but feel like there was a common cause behind this. He had read reports and heard rumors... but to see it first hand was something else. And it unnerved the Clone commander.

"Have either of you ever heard about the Geonosis incident a few weeks ago?" He asked. The second sergeant nodded in affirmation.

"I read through Sergeant Zed's report, sir."

"Notice any similarities between here and there?" Thatch asked, gesturing to the carnage around him. The sergeant glanced around.

"Now that you mention it, the pattern does look the same. Do you think they're connected?"

"Maybe. Now have either of you heard the report filed by Private Glock on Malastare?" Thatch asked again.

"You mean the one about the 'night phantom'?" The other sergeant piped up. "Yeah, sounds pretty crazy if you ask me." Thatch looked back at the ruined tanks before them.

"Maybe it's not." He mused.


Report by Clone Commander Thatch: Muunilinst Attacks

"Having taken control of Muunilinst, regular patrols have been order to ensure no Separatist uprisings. While the Muun's are grateful for our help, San Hill and the InterGalactic Banking Clan were a problem and the possibility of mass sentiment for his cause is possible. During one such patrol, a group of seven Sabre Tanks were attacked and destroyed, their gunners and pilots slaughtered. There were no survivors. Hours later one of our southern supply depots was attacked in a similar fashion, Clones were bloodily killed and any valuable supplies were systematically destroyed by fire or other means. Then another convoy in the western sector was hit, also destroyed in a similar fashion to the first.

Having read through Sergeant Zed's Geonosis report, I can't help but notice similarities between these incidents: the mass destruction, high body count and use of explosives and fire to achieve a level of sabotage. Perhaps there is a connection between these incidences that may very well unlock the mystery of this Separatist saboteur. Recommend that Private Glock's report from Malastare also be taken into account. Something about a shadow with red eyes may just shine a light on who's responsible for these setbacks."

Report #1289

Filed by Clone Commander CT-1489 'Thatch'