Annnnnnnd Back again with chapter 2! Did a little timeskip sorta thing-a-ma-jig, and yeah. So uh yeah, don't have much to say about this one, not much fighting. Just some more information about the unit that Rex will be a part of, Echo Company, 2nd battalion, 7th Shock infantry regiment. Enjoy!
PLANET REACH, 2ND BAT 7TH SI REG, 105TH STD
February 18th, 2548
Chapter 2:
1st Lieutenant Reece Elijah Xander glanced up at the dark, clouded sky of the fortress world of Reach. 'Looks like it might rain today..' The ODST officer thought as he breathed in the refreshing mountain air. He turned his gaze downwards to look upon the battalion of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or ODSTS, mill about going about their training, maintenance, and PT periods. The 2-7 SI was set to deploy here in a few months, attached to a UNSC navy assault fleet. They didn't know their destination, all they knew was the enemy.
The Covenant, a collection of fanantical alien species hell-bent on wiping humanity off the face of the Galaxy. They had already taken and glassed the outer colonies, and were storming their way through the mid rim now, taking and destroying each colony by force and overwhelming numbers. The Navy could not keep up with the superior and technologically advanced Covenant ships, and took staggering losses with each engagement. The UNSC ground forces fared only slightly better, depending on the units they went up against.
The ODSTs had held against the covenant infantry better than the common Marine and Army infantry did, with their somewhat advanced armor and weaponry. They still took heavy losses against the Covvies, losing over four divisions in the past 25+ years, total unit losses, all hands lost. Thousands of helljumpers, lost to glassing, artillery, Covenant infantry and armor, and stupid deicisions made by the brass. There were only six divisions left out of the original 10, with the four lost divisions being rebuilt on this very planet.
Lieutenant Xander had been assigned to 1st platoon, Echo company, and he was currently making his way over to the Company's CQ desk. He entered the barracks building with an attached training room, arms room, CO and 1st Sergeant office. He stopped in front of the desk and turned his light brown eyes onto the Sergeant manning the desk, a bored-looking lance corporal seated next to him.
"Good morning sir, how can I help you?" the sergeant asked with a neutral expression. He looked like a vet with plenty of combat experience, having weary blue eyes, a freshly healed scar running down his left cheek. The lance corporal didn't look any different, with the same weary eyes, except they were brown, and a scar on his chin. "Good morning Sergeant, 1st lieutenant Xander, I'm the new PL for 1st platoon, Echo company." The sergeants eyes lit up only slightly.
"Ah, yes, welcome to Eclipse company. I'm Sergeant Ryder, 2nd squad leader for first sir. You can find top and the skipper over in the training room, both their offices are on the right." Xander offered the sergeant a nod and a soft grin and said. "Thank you sergeant, I look forward to learning from you all." Xander left the CQ desk and entered the training room, seeing a few NCOs and lower enlisted mingling about doing paperwork, counselings, and cleaning weapons and armor. He saw the two offices side by side, one being for the company First sergeant Grace Mallory, and the other belonging to Captain Matthew Callahan.
Xander decided it would be the correct option to go see the first sergeant first and so he walked over to the open door and knocked. The woman who looked like she could crush a super battle droid with just her steely gaze, fixated her grey eyes upon the Lieutenant and said one word. "Enter." Xander obeyed, knowing from experience to never leave top waiting. "1st Lieutenant Reece Xander, reporting to Echo company First sergeant." Xander spoke respectfully, but casually too. The woman looked him up and down.
She had weathered tan skin, and caramel hair that really accented her stormcloud grey eyes. "I've heard about you Lieutenant, but your file is surprisingly…. Short, and there's quite a bit of black ink on it." 1st Sergeant Mallory leaned back in her desk chair, crossing her arms as she continued to examine him. "I don't like unknowns in my company… sir." She said it with enough venom to let Xander know he needed to prove his worth to the company. He nodded, keeping hold of her eyes the entire time. "Understood First sergeant." He offered another nod, and moved to step out of the office, feeling those steely eyes boring into his back.
Next Xander went to the door right next to the first sergeants, and knocked on it. "Come in!" Came a male voice that sounded much more friendly compared to the company's SNCO. Xander walked into a sparsely decorated office and focused on a man in his late 30s. He had Green eyes, salt and pepper hair and pale skin. "Ah, you must be the new PL for first platoon, welcome to Eclipse company Lieutenant Xander, I'm Captain Callahan." He held out a hand to shake, which Xander shook.
Xander was impressed with the man's grip strength, and it appeared the feeling was mutual as Callahan offered him a small smile. "I won't lie to you, we are just finishing up some R&R and are soon to get sent out back to the front. Where too? Beyond me." Captain Callahan moved back to his desk chair and sat down with a sigh. "I've looked at your file, and some other bits that I maybe shouldn't know where I'm at." He looked up at Xander with a critical eye, analyzing him just as thoroughly as First sergeant Mallory had. "I understand you have...some previous combat experience, and know what you are doing as a Platoon Leader."
Xander met the captain's eyes, his own hard as steel from what he had seen from the battles he had fought. "Aye aye Skipper, I won't let you down." Callahan's eyes flickered back and forth for a moment between Xanders own, before he nodded and leaned back in his chair. "Good, I have a feeling that you mean that. Let's get down to business." Xander sat down, and both officers began to discuss the details about Xanders new billet, as the platoon leader for 1st platoon.
3 days later
"They move pretty well." First Lieutenant Reece Xander commented to his platoon sergeant, Staff Sergeant Jorden Spencer. The older ODST nodded in agreement, and spoke to his PLACE with an accent Xander couldn't quite place, but recognized it from a certain Jedi he used to work with in his old life. The two men were watching the four rifle squads of 1st platoon fighting against the four squads from Eclipses 3rd platoon. So far 1st was in the lead, having caught two of 3rds squads in an ambush on the assault course. With a half of 3rds manpower eliminated, the four squads from 1st quickly surrounded them and picked them all off, one by one.
1st platoon came out the victor, the four squad leaders moving over to Xander and Spencer for an After Action Report. "Hell of a job, I don't have anything to touch up on, Staff sergeant?" Xander said, turning over to the more experienced when it came to these men. Spencer stepped forwards and spoke. "That was some good maneuvering lads, but 3rd you all were a little bunched up, and 2nd you were too spread out. 1st the only note I have for you is to conserve ammo better, don't waste it all on one target. 4th same with you but grenades, you overkilled 3rd platoon's 2nd squad with eight grendades."
Xander stood back and listened intently, hearing how the platoon sergeant went into depth with each squad's faults and strengths, and the training they could do to fix said faults, and improve said strengths. "Anything you want to add sir?" Staff sergeant Spencer was looking at Xander now. Xander nodded and took a step forward. "I know I'm new to the company, and most of you all have your doubts of me. I accept those, and understand them, and that's why I am going to prove myself to you all that I know what I'm doing, who I'm replacing, and how your lives are in my hands." He looked at each of the troopers now, seeing and memorizing all of their faces through their depolarized helmet visors.
"I can't promise anything in combat, but I promise to give my all to you, as you deserve nothing but my best as your PL. I know it doesn't look like it, but I have combat experience of my own that I'll maybe share with you all some day." Xander hinted a smile on his lips and then said. "Alright, go get some chow and get your gear stowed, I'll see about getting you all released for the rest of the day. Jorden?" The Staff Sergeant shook his head with his arms, and Xander nodded. "Alright lads, dismissed."
Spencer turned his eyes onto Xander and looked him up and down. "Sir, you really do know what you're talking about don't you?" It sounded more like a statement than an actual question, and Xander nodded. "Yes Staff sergeant, I do...I'll tell you about it one day." He clapped the NCO on his shoulder and began walking towards the company. "Come on, I'll get you a cup of coffee, one of the helljumpers best." He joked, and laughed aloud as Spencer shook his head.
RSD RESOLUTE, ACCOMPANIED BY THE 501ST LEGION
19BBY
Commander Ahsoka Tano idly held the ID tag in her hand, rubbing it with her thumb. It was all that remained of CT-7567, no, Rex's armor. Her blue eyes were bloodshot, and puffy from grief. The 501st was being rotated back to Coruscant for some R&R, the Cato Neimoidia campaign had taken a toll on the legion, especially losing one of its highest ranked officers.
The troopers of Torrent company were holding a memorial for those lost during the Cato Neimoidia campaign, with Generals Anakin Skywalker, and Obi Wan-Kenobi, Commanders Cody and Ahsoka Tano. The troopers were in formation as teams of four carried individual capsules to an airlock. It was an ancient tradition of the old Army of the republic, to send their dead into the nearby star. The clones took up to it, sending their brothers into the warm embrace of a star.
As the teams carried their brothers to the airlock, Ahsoka stifled a sob as she saw four familiar blue and white figures carrying a decorated capsule with Rex's rank, serial number, name, and record. It detailed all the campaigns and battles he had fought in for Torrent company, the 501st, and the Republic. His capsule was carried by ARC-5555 Fives, CT-5597 Jesse, CT-5385 Tup, and CT-6116 Kix, all close friends of Rex during his time in Torrent. The four all had their helmets off, and each soldier had a steely look of acceptance, but Ahsoka knew better.
She could see the bloodshot eyes of Fives, the dark circles under Jesses, the weary lost look on Tup's face, and Kix's regret on not being able to save their captain. They marched in perfect step to the airlock, Rex's capsule being the last in the long line of fallen warriors. The four troopers carefully removed Rex's capsule from their shoulders, and placed it upon the pile of coffins, destined to be embraced by the searing heat of a star.
Sergeant Appo called the legion to attention, having been promoted to Sergeant major recently. The clones were unanimous, the sounds of plastoid boots slapping against the durasteel deck in perfect synchronization. Seven clone regulars stepped forwards with their DC-15A's at order arms, and when Sergeant Appo shouted, "Present, Arms!" The seven troopers took aim at the ray shielded hangar bay screen, and the rest of the legion saluted the fallen.
Lieutenant Vaughn pressed the controls to release the atmosphere in the funeral chamber, and the capulse began to slowly float out into the big dark of space. Sergeant Appo barked one word. "Fire!" The seven troopers fired once, seven cobalt blue bolts followed the capsules into the vacuum of space. They fired 14 more times, 105 bolts for 105 troopers lost in combat.
The jedi attending were silent, solemn. Anakin and Ahsoka felt Rex's loss hard, especially the young Togruta who had learned so much from the clone captain. Ahsoka stayed in the hangar bay, clinging to Rex's ID tag way past the dismissal of the burial detail and the legion. A few hours after the memorial, Obi wan and his old apprentice came by. "Hey Snips, still here huh?" Anakin said, his usual cocky, arrogant attitude gone with the loss of his close friend. Ahsoka nodded numbly, staring blankly into the darkness of space, long having since lost the sight of Rex's capsule.
Obi Wan studied the young alien for a soft moment and then also looked into the vastness of space. "Ahsoka, reach out to the force and tell me….do you feel Rex there?" He kept his eyes on the stars, even as the Togrutas' face scrunched in confusion and concentration. A soft moment went by in silence, Anakin having crossed his arms over his chest whilst watching Ahsoka with concern. Ahsoka was confused, because she couldn't feel Rex in the force, and she made it known.
"Master..I...don't feel Rex in the force." She sounded like she didn't believe herself as she said it, and looked at Obi Wan in confusion. "I know it's difficult to feel people in the force that we have…" she choked up, "..lost, but it's not impossible..and I can't feel Rex!" The older Jedi looked at Ahsoka now, his face neutral and calm. "I don't believe Rex is dead." Obi wan stroked his beard in thought, as he often did, and Anakin piped up. "If he isn't dead then where is he!?"
Obi wan turned his eyes onto Anakin and then looked back out into space. "I'm not sure, but something tells me it won't be too long till we find out for ourselves." Ahsoka wasn't paying attention anymore, gripping Rex's ID tags to her chest with wide eyes and increased breathing. "Rex is alive…" She murmured, and knew then that there still was hope.
And that's a wrap for Chapter two! I am over the moon with how well people enjoyed the first chapter of this story, and I'm going to be working on it plenty this month to give the people what they want! If anyone's got suggestions or comments, please feel free to review and follow the story, or PM me. Thank you all once again and I'll see you all next time.
Scorched Ajax, signing off.