Venator-Class Star Destroyer.
"Valkyrie."
"Mass cal mass cal mass cal!" Asher yelled into the tent.
The medics scrambled to work, setting the beds, ripping open the cases holding everything they'd need. Nero sat calmly at the radio, clearing the net for a mass casualty event. Jace strode up and down the beds, datapad in hand for triage info. Kincaid stood ready for drugs, notionally of course, didn't want to get the "casualties" high.
Cutter stood at the door, the gatekeeper, ready to step in to help the medics in the triage section and to decide who would enter the aid station first.
They'd rehearsed this dozens of times now, and they'd never slipped up, never showed signs of fatigue. The Jedi had blended seamlessly into the unit, standing by with a higher level of proficiency than the rank and file medics.
Asher merely observed, arms crossed, HUD set to record. They'd use the videos in the after action briefings tomorrow.
Elsewhere the infantry platoons practiced their firing and maneuver, under the eye of Walker and Dice, he'd review the footage from each Lieutenant later.
So far so good, but the real test would be under fire.
Setting up the tent aid station was the best case scenario, odds are they'd be doing it in the mud and blood. They'd be severely limited by aid bags, the tent would be set up after the lines had been drawn.
The casualties came in, litter bound. Each with fake wounds on that had already been treated.
"Pass me a tourniquet!" One medic shouted.
"I need vitals on this one!"
"I need TXA on bed three now!"
Kincaid got to work, drawing fake drugs into syringes. Before he passed them off with a yell of the dosage for their request.
The head man on Bed 4 yelled the dose and time, before sending the drugs.
"Not bad." He mused.
Communication on point, no man went without what he needed.
The Padawan, Reha Sul seemed flustered at first, but had slowly eased into the organized chaos of the training. He couldn't really tell if she was blushing, but the wide look in her onyx eyes said it all.
He really hoped that Jedi mysticism would come into play when it was time to work. He'd never openly admit it, but the incompetence of the Jedi's leadership during Geonosis had lead to the death of so many good troopers.
Asher grimly noted that it was probably the same kind of raw panic he'd seen in the young Jedi's face that had sent them into a pissing match against the Seppies.
He truly hoped she proved him wrong.
The hours ticked by, the assembly line of treatment flowed well. He'd even "killed" the power forcing them to work in low light.
Flawless, but that meant little in a training environment. But it at least eased away at some of his anxiety, at least a little bit.
Casualties were stripped, down to the skin, tourniquets applied and gauze packed wounds wrapped. Prior interventions were double and triple checked. Vitals were logged, casualty cards filled.
Asher walked up and down the aid station, eying everything with a critical eye.
Not bad, not bad at all.
He checked his datapad for the time, smiled and slung it back onto his belt.
"Alright brothers! Index!" Asher barked.
The tension melted away, the air seemed to clear almost. Hands stayed somewhat shaky but the posture of everyone relaxed.
The clones stretched afterward, some took their helmets off to drink water and wipe away the stubborn beads of sweat that stung their eyes.
Both the Jedi moved for the canteens they'd left out of the way, taking small sips and some grateful breaths.
It was around 1600, two hours before dinner chow would be served. The first few iterations had been somewhat slow, as the group went on their pace picked up until they'd gotten every iteration evacuated in under an hour.
"Not bad everyone not bad." He mused as they tidied up, the casualties slowly got dressed after being manhandled, one groaned as he pulled a tube out of his nose.
General Nema dabbed at her face with some spare gauze before tossing it into the bin. Joining Asher as they watched the cleanup.
"How did it go you think?" She asked.
"Not bad, the videos should show whatever flaws need working out."
"And Reha?"
Asher's look soured behind his helmet, and he tilted his head toward the Jedi Doctor.
"She's… hesitant, a tad overwhelmed it seems. She's out of her element."
"Indeed, the Temple is nowhere near as chaotic. And her missions have been mostly humanitarian alongside myself."
"Hmm…" He grunted.
"I believe she will do well."
"You be optimistic, I'll be realistic." He said with a cross of his arms, "This is war."
"Do you believe she'll fail?"
"I believe she'll be in for a rude awakening."
Rig Nema frowned but said nothing.
They had four days before the drop, so much to do and so little time.
"Drink up boys, hydrate, see your squad leaders and see what they need. After that you're free for the rest of the day." Asher announced.
"Captain?" Commander Sul asked.
"Yes ma'am?"
He removed his bucket, clipping it to his belt.
"I've been talking with the men, talking unit colors. We originally wanted a yellow green but, the 327th already took yellow."
He chuckled, the color clearly taken from the skin color of their General.
"What did you have in mind?" He asked.
"Silver, like Master Nema's headdress and black."
"Like your hair?" He mused with a slight smile.
"Yes indeed." She smiled wide,"The boys weren't too crazy about pink if I'm being honest."
Asher smirked as he thought of what he'd do with his own armor.
"I like it, I'll pass it along."
Reha gave another dazzling smile, his system flooding with an unfamiliar warmth of happiness as she turned on her heel to help clean up.
"Zeltrons." He muttered with a chuckle and grin.
No doubt she'd used her people's best trait, it seemed the men's spirits had soared with the rush of a job well done mixed with her pheromones.
Could prove useful, that much was certain.
Asher moved to help clean.
——
As he moved to the other training room, he saw the Infantry just wrapping up, Lieutenants Walker and Dice strode up to him, pride in their step.
"Sir." They both said in unison.
"How'd the training go?" He asked.
"Fire and maneuver is on point, heavy weapons brought to bear flawlessly."
"Good, I'll review the footage later. Get your boys chow, clean the weapons tomorrow."
"Yes sir." They both said again in unison.
Asher left them to it, moving for the chow hall.
They didn't have much longer until the drop.
As he moved his commlink beeped.
"Captain Asher, report to the bridge." General Nema droned.
"Roger that, moving." He said into it.
This was a surprise, he wondered internally what the General wanted.
He made his way to the bridge to find General Nema, Commander Sul and two newcomers.
One was undoubtedly a Jedi, young with a cocky air about him, scar on his face and a smirk. The other was a brother, officer type, blue markings on his armor, Jaig eyes above the visor.
"Captain Asher," General Nema greeted, "This is Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex of the 501st."
"Sir." Asher shook Skywalker's hand first, the hotshot Jedi giving an enthusiastic nod.
"Su cuy'gar ner vod." Asher greeted in Mando'a. (Hello my brother.)
They clasped forearms as if they'd known each other for years, Rex smiling fondly which Asher returned.
"Good to meet you brother." Rex said.
The Clones removed their helmets and set them onto the holo projector they gathered around.
"General Skywalker and the five-oh-first will be the vanguard of the ground forces on Arantara." General Nema explained.
"The First Medical Support Company will dig in, establish their aid station, and provide assistance once the lines are drawn." Captain Rex explained.
"What's the order of battle?" Asher asked.
Rex worked the holo projector bringing up a model of the planet, zooming into a region.
"The Seppies have dug in, the planet is mostly uninhabited and they've been using it as a staging area into the outer rim." He explained.
"Pathfinder recon confirm this?" Asher asked,
"They have, it's a got a droid factory, as well as a shipyard for maintenance."
The images changed to the droid factory, massive in its scale, alongside it were two of the massive core ships.
"I remember those." Asher growled.
"Recon confirms they're some of the ships that escaped on Geonosis. They're rearming their compliment of droids for something big, we don't know what." General Skywalker explained.
Asher crossed his arms, the hull of the bulbous Starcraft was marred with laser scars from Republic heavy armament. Shame they didn't bring it down completely.
"It's going to be a hard drop, what do the planetary defenses look like?" Asher asked.
"Usual small scale blockade, they probably hoped using this backwater planet would keep them from being found." Rex explained.
Asher sighed and leaned onto the holo projector.
"We don't need another Geonosis, what's the plan on dismantling that factory? If we don't cut off their supply the tinnies can overrun us."
"I have a plan." Skywalker grinned.
"What do you propose?" Rig Nema asked, her face held slight tinges of worry.
"The five-oh-first and I can flush out the Seperatists. Make them think we're just using brute force."
"To draw them all out?" Commander Sul asked.
"Exactly." Skywalker grinned.
"To what end?" General Nema asked.
"Those core ships cannot leave this planet, they won't push through the atmosphere and risk getting shot down. They'll likely bring up their shields and try to squash the ground resistance."
Skywalker's blue eyes flicked over to Asher with a smile.
"That's where you guys come in."
Asher raised a brow.
"Sir, we're a medical unit." He reminded.
"With two infantry platoons, I propose you to take a squad or two of good men, and blow the ships and the factory sky high." Skywalker explained, "I can give you some of Torrent Company's best to go with you."
Asher pressed his lips into a thin line, this plan was daring, risky and above all else dangerous.
He chuckled darkly, he liked it.
Asher couldn't believe it but he did.
This mad Jedi might've been onto something.
The medical Captain knew who he'd bring, and he knew a certain crazed di'kut that would fly into hell to get them out.
"I can make it work, my company can do what they need to without us aid station wise."
"I understand this is unconventional for you, but the five-oh-first can handle the brunt of the assault. You're ARC qualified aren't you?" General Skywalker asked.
Asher smirked.
"ARC qualified with Commando urban ops training. Which my boys are very proficient at." The Medic Captain boasted.
Both the 501st's General and Captain smiled at Asher's candor.
"Method of insertion?" Captain Rex asked.
Asher crossed his arms, eying the recon images with a critical eye.
"Tinnies will ping us on radar if we do a drop off on the gunships, probably going to have to do a high altitude airborne drop."
"Your troopers are Airborne qualified?" Rex asked impressed.
"Airborne, air assault, the list continues." Asher explained.
"Covered all your bases brother." Captain Rex complimented.
Asher shrugged.
"The Jedi's instructions were to create a formidable force, that's what I did."
Skywalker pointed with a gloved hand at the clone medic.
"I like you." He chuckled.
They went over everything, from the 501st's assault to Asher's insertion. The establishment of the casualty collection points and the placement of the aid station.
It took a total of two hours of discussion before they were satisfied.
When Asher was dismissed he shook the hands of Rex and Skywalker and took his leave.
He rolled his shoulders as he walked, before he commed Jace.
"Hey brother the boys start painting yet?" He asked.
"Yes sir, both their armor and the gunships. Showtime's had a field day with it."
Asher chuckled.
"I'll be right down."
It was time for the First Medical Support Company to hoist its colors.