"No!" Plank sat up violently, vivid images of his dream still dancing before his eyes. His helmet was next to him and sand crawled through every inch of his armour. Besides the discomfort, he was luckily uninjured.
Sly frowned in concern, looking over him."You alright then?"
"Yeah," Plank mumbled," Just a dream."
"You are by far the luckiest clone I've ever seen."
Plank had to laugh at that one.
That seemed to satisfy his brother. Plank gathered himself and he reached out to grab the hand Sly was offering to him. Glancing down at his datapad in his hand a relieved smile lit his face.
"Good news. Were here!"
A joyous cheer rose from the clones. Arriving at the top of the mount, they peered into a heap of scrap a few meters away. It was quite large so the pod wasn't the sole source of the towering pile.
"Do you think it's in there?" Snipe asked, gesturing with his blaster.
"It's got to be" Plank sighed scalded his helmetless head, hopefully, the next mission wouldn't be somewhere so darn hot!
Crusher heaved up his blasters hopefully," The quickest way to find the pod is to shoot the metal aside 'till we find it."
"Wait, we don't want to destroy the pod." Was he going to be the sole source of reason? Plank hoped not.
Camo jumped down the first sandy meter.
"Race you."
Plank considered this. Oh well, why not? Replacing his helmet, he jumped after Camo, the others took it as a cue that they could follow. He was so going to win. When they got to the bottom a sorrowing sight met their eyes. The scrap they saw from the peak of the hill was a rusted walker.
They stood for a minute until something screamed in Planks head. For a moment the nightmares came piercing his reality. It took his every ounce of energy to make sure he didn't do anything suspicious. He knew time was running out.
Grunting, though it was mostly hidden by the helmet Plank spoke," Let's find the escape pod. Plants should be nearby."
Nodding, his companions complied. Digging through the metal could take hours. There had to be a better way...
"Camo, did Mliss send over the pods credentials?"
"Yes but," Camo replied with a cock of his head," How did you know."
Plank didn't answer, "See if you can rewire them to your datapad. That should give you the location through this mess."
"Hold on. There, got it."
The datapad lit up and a loud screeching noise rang from it. Holding the pad at arms length. Camo walked to an especially rusty pile. Without warning three blaster bolts ripped the pile to shreds revealing the pod.
"Really Crusher," Camo snapped, his arms crossed, "You could have killed me."
"Nah. We're elite, remember."
Plank chuckled, It was good to know that the others were surprised to be chosen to be elite.
"I just hope that the ration packets in the pod are better than the ones on Kamino."
"You know there all the same, Sly."
"Might as well hope."
Crusher tore the door of the pod right off its hinges and threw it dramatically behind him with a roar.
"Yessssssssss!" Snipe shouted," Food, Amo, and some wicked technology! What else could we want."
Maybe the plant, Plank thought dryly. Being a leader was harder than expected. At least they were restocked so they wouldn't become bantha fodder.
"Droid to your right!"
Whipping around, a flurry of blaster bolts exploded from their newly charged weapons to find a single scout droid in a barely recognisable mass.
Plank laughed embarrassed," Guess we're itching for a fight."
That was met by low chuckles. Heading towards the scrap pile a strange plant caught his eye. It was pulsing violently and oozing some sort of pus. Repulsive.
"Ugh. Camo, tell me this thing isn't what we're supposed to collect."
"Affirmative Commander, that is indeed the plant we're meant to collect."
If you can call it a plant, Plank heard him mutter. Then bristling when he called him commander. You can't just be given that title. You have to earn it. Maybe that's what this mission is for.
Just then Sly came soundlessly up behind them and upon seeing the squirming growth yelled at the top of his lungs," What the force is that thing!?" Giving all of them a heart attack.
"Geeze Sly. What was that for? And that's one of our plants."
"Well I am Not touching that thing. Much less carrying it."
That brought up a question," So who is going to pick it up and carry it?"
"Not me."
"Nope."
"Never."
"Not on my life."
Plank considered. Should he through his new commander weight around or do what a responsible commander would do. He sighed, might as well earn their respect now.
Kneeling down, the almost alive plant bubbled and frothed. It can't get any worse than this. Placing it carefully in his hand, the plant turned a deep red colour.
"This is possibly the worst plant Mliss could have ever needed," Sly commented with slight pity in his voice.
Instead of answering, Plank just held it as far away from him as possible. Blah! What could possibly come of this - this horror.
"Let's just find that last plant. And get off this wet rock."
No one dared argue or comment on Planks foul mood. With that thing... it was understandable.
Peeking over the hill, Sly grinned.
"Looks like we're going to get to have fun."
"Droids?" Plank asked, practically begging to move off the conversation of the plant.
"10 legions," He said, almost joyfully.
"Let's do it."
Bolts flew everywhere but none hit the troopers. The only things in danger in that battle was the droids. Blasting apart droids here and there, he again marvelled at the skills of the group. Crusher tore apart droids both with his hands and with his blaster, Snipe was knelt down shooting droids from behind him so he could cover him and Sly with Camo were invisibly taking them down from behind. Too soon it was over and he was brought back from his fighting mindset to his Disgusting-little-nerf-like-plant. Apparently the others felt the same.
"Maybe there's more of them?" Sly piped up optimistically.
"I've got a lock on the next location of the plant. This plant according to my research, is not carnivorous."
"What, "Plank yelped,"This one is?!"
Kamino.
I'm forgetting something, Mliss thought.
"Oh... Rex." The second wave of anger that was aimed at her came stomping up the ramp.
"What is happening to the cadets?" He all but shouted.
Daja Vu.
"It's a different variant of the virus. The first cure delayed their deaths and now XYZ legion is on Siccitas getting the second cure which will cure the cadets."
Calming down but obviously still seething he asked, "How bad is it?"
"After it starts the cadets have a 12hr life span. It will take 6hrs to get back. I have just received word that they have obtained the first plant."
"One problem. It's 5hrs 50 minutes in and they only have one of the plants."
"I have full faith in them," She might as well try to not say what should be said.
"Faith won't be enough."
Force.
"The force will guide both them and me."
Rex turned and stomped off. Justifiable. Her comlink began beeping rapidly. Emergency call.
"Mliss here."
"The cadets are getting worse, "Kix's tired voice filled the room,"If they keep on there current track. The plants won't matter."
Mliss was filled with hopeful determination."I give you my Word Kix. No cadet will die while I'm on Kamino.