Sorry for keeping you all waiting. I wanted to upload a few chapters of Mobile Suit Rwby, the RWBY Gundam Seed crossover challenge I excepted from MarkaRangos629 before I returned to this story.
Hope you all had a great holiday and a happy new year.
Before I begin, I would like to answer the questions sent to me by the guest reviewer Mogor.
First off, you were correct in Ahsoka being freed from accusation by the Jedi Order, but as we all know, the Senate demanded that the trial be done in accordance with the Republic Military law. Second, even if she left the order, she wouldn't follow Robert to Earth because he wouldn't be returning to earth. Leaving in the middle of a war is dereliction of a soldier's duty.
For the questions in your last review, Robert is more along the lines of Grey Jedi since he was taught how to control his powers and is more of a soldier than an actual Jedi, as you have seen in the series thus far. The Dragoons following him wouldn't actually work either, since they are 'owned' by the Republic, but I can assure you our hero will return to earth in the near future.
Hope that clears everything up.
Now onto the newest chapter and please, when you leave a review, give me ideas for 007 gadgets to use in an upcoming series of chapters. I could use the help.
Disclaimers are the same as before, enjoy.
Chapter 14: The Unknown
October 28th 2019 20BBY
Ringo Vinda, Mid Rim, Eurcer Sector
1025 hours
Normal point of view
Outside the massive space station that surrounded Ringo Vinda, republic and separatist forces clashed for control of the planet.
Separatist forces ambushed the garrison protecting the station and were quickly overwhelmed by the attack. In that time, the separatists had taken over nearly half the station and the republic forces there were almost destroyed.
Fortunately for twin sisters Tiplee and Tiplar, the 501st and the Wolfs Dragoons arrived to end the battle and each push forward meant the battle was turning to the Republic's favor.
In one of the many corridors of the station, The Dinobots, Kilo, 47, Kasumi, Rally, Charger, Redeye and Mixer were pinned down by a platoon of battle droids. They were given orders to scout the area ahead of them for any IED's and other traps the droids may have left for them.
They found one such trap, several canisters of raw, unrefined Rhydonium like what was used in the Skysitter Restaurant bombing last year were rigged with tripwires. Anyone who tripped the wires would be killed and an entire platoon or more would sent into the cold vacuum of space, since Rhydonium was so volatile that it could bunch a hole clean through a ship.
Dutch and Snarl had already deactivated the IED's in one area and were just about to disarm the next set of IED's when the droids attacked. Not surprisingly, members of Tarkin's own unit were among the attackers, all of who were no doubt paid a large amount of money to betray the Republic, that had arrested them.
Blaster fire rained around the group and a very large muscular human, with a Z6 Rotary blaster in their hands sprayed hundreds of blaster bolts around the area, keeping them from moving up. To think the Dinobots were being fired on by one of their own weapons really pissed them off.
"Why is it that these guys always seem to be where ever the Dragoons are?" Grimlock asked, blindly firing his M5 from behind a corner, downing three battle droids before pulling his weapon back as a heavy unit sprayed them with another volley of blaster fire.
"Its like they got something against us." Rally replied, firing her Gilboa Snake, a double-barreled automatic assault rifle back at the enemy, before lobbing a droid popper at the droids, short-circuiting them and leaving them vulnerable to the Red-Eye, Mixer and Charger who fired their own blasters at the disabled droids.
"Maybe it might have something to do with the fact that you guys killed a lot of these bastards on Lothal and Onderon. Maybe these guys are out for revenge." Dutch suggested from behind the makeshift barrier they had setup prior to the enemy's arrival.
"What ever the case is," Breach began before he pulled back as more reinforcements arrived. "We can't move up until the last of the IED's is deactivated. Hano, tell me we got back up coming." He added, turning his attention to Kasumi who had just reloaded her Saiga 20 shotgun with a fresh magazine.
"Honoka and the others are trying to flank them now, we just need to hold out a little longer." She called out, detaching her AN-94 from her armor, popped out of cover and fired a burst of 5.45x39mm rifle rounds at the enemy, but more just seemed to keep coming.
Normally in a situation like this, she would have fired her rifles under-barrel GP34 grenade launcher at them, but with the IED directly ahead of them, it would mean that she would kill them all. So instead she kept firing her rifle at them.
"I'm running out of ammo." Rally shouted, loading her second to last magazine into her rifle before shouldering it and pulled out the DC-17 pistols she took and opened up on the enemy. "Is it just me, or does it seem like every time we down a droid, two more take its place?" the young bounty-hunter asked as a squad of Super Battle Droids soon joined the party.
"No, its not just you love." Kasumi joked.
Seconds later, an explosion was heard from behind the enemy forces and soon they were being attacked from the rear. Turning to face their attackers, the droids and traitors were gunned down by a barrage of weapons fire and couldn't see the faces of their attackers, due to the smoke grenades that were thrown just seconds ago. A Super Battle Droid turned around to fire its blaster, but was quickly cut down by a well-placed shot to the processing unit and signal receptor.
The rest of the enemy combatants were then quickly routed just as the smoke cleared and emerging from the smoke were Honoka, Marie, Hitomi, Robert and Ahsoka, who was wearing her own armor. "Sorry for keeping you guys waiting, the enemy had a few droid dispensers and they were giving the troops a hard time when they were pulling back." Robert explained, tossing a bag of rifle, shotgun, submachine gun and grenade launcher rounds to the squad.
"Timing couldn't be perfect Captain." Dutch said as he and Snarl began to disarm the last of the IED's. "We would have been dead if you hadn't shown up. Kind of wish you gave me the caseless LSAT for this job." Kilo's heavy weapons user half complained.
"I would have, but you didn't ask." Robert joked, getting a laugh from his squad mate as he finished disarming the explosives. "Explosives disarmed sir." Snarl stated.
"Good work," Robert stated as he pulled out his commlink. "Skywalker, IED's have been neutralized. You and the sisters can move up now. We'll go on ahead and see if we can't clear a path for you." He spoke into the commlink.
"Copy that, we're on the move now. Get to the rendezvous point and we'll meet you there." Anakin's reply came from the commlink. Putting away the device, Robert looked to the Arc Troopers and his friends, who nodded in agreement and went ahead of them while Robert stayed with Ahsoka. "You doing ok? I told you, you didn't have work with the Dragoons you could have left." He said sympathetically to his girlfriend.
"I know but being here with you, I feel happy and know that I have someone who can watch my back. I may not be a Jedi, but I am still a warrior." She stated and followed the others.
"That's my girl." Robert said quietly, pulled the bolt on his Morita and followed the others. He couldn't help but think of the events that transpired before coming to this place.
It had been several weeks after the trial of Ahsoka and her decision to leave the Jedi order. During those weeks quite, a lot had occurred.
The statement of Barriss claiming to be the bomber of the Temple proved to be false. Her alibi proved that she was in the hospital when the bombing occurred, had no contact with Letta or her husband and not to mention the fact that she and her newborn daughter were kidnaped by the formally escaped Doctor Vindi.
She was saved just before Tarkin had executed her for crime she never committed, but despite that, many people didn't trust her. Turns out during her time in prison, Tarkin had begun spreading propaganda against both Barriss, Ahsoka and the Jedi order. He claimed that the Jedi were no longer capable of leading the Grand Army, and that her betrayal was only the start of the something in the works.
At first, no one paid much attention, but the recent growth in the Chancellor's growing emergency powers, taxes were being raised to higher prices than before, rumors of Governors being appointed to every sector of the galaxy and the constitution was literally being destroyed by the man who the Republic was supposed to trust.
But then that's when things got worse.
An attack on a refugee camp on Vardos, caught the galaxy completely by surprise. The entire camp was completely destroyed and only a handful of survivors were located. During the rescue and treatment of the survivors, each of them claimed that it was a Jedi and a battalion of clones that attacked them without any warning.
These were thought to be statements from the shocked survivors, but many of the slain innocents were killed by a lightsaber and several bodies of clone troopers were found to have been killed by the few refugee's that managed to get a blaster into camp for protection.
Word of the attack spread quickly, despite the best efforts of the Jedi to keep the information from leaking until an investigation could be launched and more people were shouting for the Jedi to be removed from the frontlines, some even going as far to demand the Jedi be put on trial for their crimes against the galaxy. Even worse disruptor rifles were used on the refugees so there wasn't much left for some to find their loved ones.
But the worst had yet to come, with Ahsoka no longer a part of the Jedi order Tarkin was demanding that she be turned over to him so that they may acquire the half of the Nexus Route that Ahsoka was given by master Piel after his death on Lola Sayu. Sadly, Tarkin's demand were met with extreme opposition. Opposition in the form of the Dragoons, Torrent Company, Ghost Company, Admiral's Yularen, Killian, Coburn and Halberton along with Captain Veers and most surprisingly, one Garrick Versio, a native of Vardos. All of them had grown to distrust Tarkin and he soon gave up, but vowed that one way or another the Nexus Route will be handed over to the Republic.
Still, in the back of his mind Robert couldn't help but feel that Tarkin's threat had something to do with the fact that most of own men were joining the separatists left and right. He was brought back into reality as a blaster bolt hit him square in the chest of his armor. Thankfully, his shields held and he turned to the unlucky battle droid that had shot him.
The droid attempted to run for its life, but Robert pulled the droid towards him with the Force and literally ripped the machine in half. "Don't mess with the wolf." He joked as the droid ceased functioning and he ran up to rejoin the others.
A storm of blaster fire continued to be sent towards the group, but with five of the Hellfighters up front firing their own weapons they kept the pressure on the droids long enough for Robert to power up the BFG and fired a low-powered shot towards the enemy, eliminating them. "COME ON YOU APES! YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER!?" Robert shouted, reloaded his weapon, attached it to his back, took out his Morita and fired.
The others followed suit and no matter how hard the enemy tried they were no match for them. Soon enough, they caught up with Anakin and the others as they reached the rendezvous point. "Don't get too comfortable, this battle hasn't been won yet." Anakin reminded his men as Treadshot and Barney arrived with the rest of the Expendables, minus Cassie of course.
"Master Skywalker, we must get to the command post. Admiral Trench has sent for reinforcements. We need to take it before they arrive." Tiplee admitted as a holographic map of their location appeared before them.
"Time for phase two. We're at this position," Anakin began pointing to the area they had just captured. "Tiplar, you'll take your men along with Generals Ross, Christmas, Clay and McCall down the left passageway, Tiplee, you'll move along the right with Generals Caesar, Candle, Jensen and Armstrong. They'll have to divide their forces to counter us and when they do, Rex, Generals Payne, Black, Lee, Bowers and me will press through the middle. If we time this right, we'll all converge on the same spot at the same time and the droids won't know what hit them." He explained.
Doom, the commander of the unit under the twins then spoke. "If we're making a run, we'll need back up. My men are severely depleted." The commander stated.
"Fives, Tup take ten of your best men and support master Tiplar, Robert think you, Kilo and the Dinobots can support Tiplee?" Anakin asked.
"As if you had to ask. We'll give her support. Hitomi, the second you get a clear shot, take it and put that spider down for good." Robert said to his sniper friend. She was dying to use the LAR Grizzly Big Boar on something and Trench was just as good a chance as there ever would be.
The moment everyone was about to head forwards, Honoka saw that Tup holding his head before looking at Tiplar as if he was in a trance. Fortunately, Five's brought Tup back to his sense's and the two raced off to join the others. "Hey Treadshot," Honoka called to the Captain of the Dragoons. "You notice anything different about Tup? It looked he was focusing on Tiplar." The Japanese girl asked.
"Yeah, I noticed it. I just hope it's not what I think it is." Treadshot replied. Before Honoka could ask, Treadshot had raced after the other men, leaving a very confused Honoka behind before she too followed the others. None of them knew what was about to happen would cause a great deal of concern for the enemy.
Ahsoka's point of view
Watching Robert fight without being restricted by the Jedi code, I realized why I loved him.
His courage, determination and willingness to put himself in harms way to protect those he cares about, coupled with the fact that he never cared for recognition for his work along with fame, fortune and glory showed he was a true warrior.
My heart pounded as I watched him push several droids back with the force before downing them with his Morita. On and off the battlefield I knew I loved him more than anything in the galaxy. Still, I couldn't help but feel concerned when Tarkin was demanding I turn over the half of the Nexus Route I had over to the Republic.
Not only did Robert stand up for me, but he promised that he would protect me from anything that came our way. At first, I thought he was going to propose, but he already mentioned he wanted to take things slow since I had only recently left the Jedi order.
Still, I was relieved to know that Barriss wasn't the true culprit of the bombing. But I didn't understand why she, off all people would take the blame for a crime she would never commit and have her daughter grow up with out knowing her mother.
It still puzzled me, but the answers would have to wait as we entered the Cargo hold and began to move up quickly. Both clones and droids fell to blaster fire as we struggled for control of the cargo hold. I watched Tiplar take down several spider droids as a squad of fighters flew overhead on their way back to the Retribution for rearming.
I slashed apart several battle droids before I noticed that Tup had pointed his blaster directly at Tiplar's head. "Tup, no!" I heard Fives shout, followed by a blaster shot. Tup had just killed Tiplar and the sudden distraction caused her sister to run to her, cradling her in sadness as Fives tackled his brother to the ground.
Enemy reinforcements had arrived and Anakin ordered us to fall back.
"Hate to say it, but I agree. We need to fall back. Hitomi, take the shot and kill that spider." Robert shouted. His friend nodded and fired. A single .50BMG round broke the glass on the overlook in the cargo hold and made its mark in Trench's head, killing him and sending his body slumping to the ground.
"Scratch one bug." Robert quipped and laid down some covering fire with his Morita, allowing the rest of the clones to fallback. I pulled Tiplar's lightsaber to me and followed the others. Troopers behind us had setup automated turrets to hold off the enemy while we retreated.
One trooper caught a blaster bolt to the leg and fell to the ground, clutching his wounded leg. Fortunately for him, Robert grabbed unholstered the Punisher and started dragging him back to Republic lines while I deflected enemy fire back to the enemy.
We made it just in time as the clones began to weld the doors shut. Robert handed the wounded trooper over to one of the medics and no sooner had he given the wounded soldier over, slammed his fists on one of the consoles. "Hey, come on. At least Hitomi killed Admiral Trench." I said, trying to assure him.
"And that's supposed to make this any better. Tup did something that shouldn't have happened. Its no worse than what Slick did on Christophsis!" he exclaimed before walking over to Tup who had almost lashed out at Tiplee, who was still grieving over the loss of her sister.
What happened next shocked me, Robert grabbed Tup by the throat and was about to punch his fist right through the trooper's head until Barney stopped him. "He's no good dead. We need to get him out of here and examine him. Shelia can help him." Barney reminded his nephew.
He spoke the truth, Sheila was indeed the best choice to help Tup. When she returned to the order, she was sent to Kamino to not only oversee the training of additional soldiers but also tend to the wounded clones that were brought back to the planet.
By the time Tup was brought to the medical center, Kix was already considering the possibility of a virus of some kind could be responsible and Tiplee mentioned that the Separatists have been trying to develop an anti-clone virus in their biological warfare program.
I was about to speak when I noticed Keeli walk by and saw the wound on his head. "What if it's not a virus, but something else entirely." I hypothesized.
"What are you getting at Ahsoka?" My old master asked.
"What if it's something from when the Clones were created. Think about it, the clone army was created without the Jedi's knowledge, what if someone had made an alteration into Tup's programming and forced him to kill master Tiplar?" I suggested.
"That's messed up." Robert answered, clenching his fist even tighter.
"Either way, we aren't prepared to handle this kind of situation. Like General Ross said, he'll have to be taken back to Kamino, only then will we have our answers." Kix stated.
"Send a message to Taun We and Boba. She can take care of the clone's better and Boba is on Kamino, maybe he can find something else about what the hell is going on." Robert added before he turned towards the hanger.
Waiting for us was a medical transport. I watched as Five's promised his bother that they would fix him and the two of them would be sharing a drink real soon.
The transport and its fighter escort departed and I walked over to Robert, who was instructing Zip and Zug to get the rest of the Blood Hound's ready for his Uncle's fighters before he and R4 began to weld up the damaged parts of the Angel.
"You're worried about Tup, aren't you?" I asked grabbing a nearby welding torch and began to help fix up his fighter.
"Wouldn't you? I consider everyone in Torrent Company and the Dragoon's as my family and if one of them is down, that means something is up. Sure, Tup stunned Krell on Umbara, but he wouldn't just kill a general without reason. There is more to this than we know." He stated, shutting down the torch.
"I think we need to talk to Dooku, he was the last person to see Sifo-Dyas, the Jedi who supposedly ordered the creation of the clone army alive. The two were old friends, so Dooku must know something about the clone army." Robert suggested quietly.
"That's crazy. Have you forgotten that Admiral Tarkin is looking for any chance he can get to arrest you? He still has it in for you after you nearly gave him a blood clot, what now three times?" I whispered back.
"Two times actually and here's hoping a third time will never happen." Robert reminded me before looking out the hanger bay towards the separatist controlled side of the station. "What's say we go see if we can't give the clankers a bit of rust in their joints." He asked.
"Like a date?" I asked back.
"No, a little search and destroy. You, me a whole lot of droids and a couple of guns. It'll be fun." He answered.
I was about to answer when Anakin came over to us. "Better save that plan of yours for later. We just lost contact with the shuttle. Fives, Rex and I are going to check it out, we're going to need some back up."
"Beggars can't be choosers. Come on." Robert said to me. I sighed, I wanted to have sometime with just the two of us, but it looked like that would have to wait, again. Still, I had the strangest feeling that something was wrong.
Normal point of view
It didn't the group long to find the remains of the shuttle. "Looks like some buzz droids got on the hull and opened it right up." Rex surmised, taking note of the damage to the ship.
"Strategically, this attack doesn't make any sense." Fives said.
"Unless they were after something in particular." Ahsoka added.
"Tup!" Robert said in realization.
Anakin went to take a look with Rex, Fives, Robert and Ahsoka. The wreckage and floating frozen bodies of the dead clones was like something similar to the Titanic, people dying and their eyes wide open with their last moments being slowly frozen.
"Over here." Fives called out, getting them to look in his direction. "This is Tup's gurney, the restraints have been cut." He stated.
"The Clankers took Tup, why?" Rex asked.
"Maybe they know something we don't. Trench may be dead, but the tactical droid might have reported it to separatist command. If I had to guess, Sidious may want Tup for some kind of experiment." Robert hypothesized.
"All I know is that they went to great lengths to capture him and that means something." Anakin stated.
Determined to get their comrade back, the group headed for the separatist side of the station, determining that it was the ideal place for them to find the missing trooper. The closer they got to the separatist side, the stronger Tup's signal became.
As soon as they were close enough, the group exited the shuttle and space-walked to the lower part of a small hanger. Inside the hanger was a Maxillipede shuttle, two hundred battle droids and six droid starfighters. The group watched as Tup was loaded onto the shuttle, followed by the Tactical droid and several Commando droids.
Fighting the droids was out of the question since it was two clone's, one Jedi, a former Jedi and a soldier who were armed with lightsabers, blaster pistols and a .45 caliber pistol. That's when Five's had an idea, grapple onto the shuttle with the ascension cables given to all soldiers in the republic military.
"Looks like I'm going to be sick again." Robert joked, preparing his own cable lined up and fired as the shuttle began to depart from the station. The cables attached to the shuttle and the group was pulled to the shuttle.
Inside the shuttle, the commando droids guarded Tup while the pilots maintained their present course. To their surprise, the doors opened up and Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, Fives and Robert appeared. Stabbing his saber into one of the droids, Anakin initiated the rescue operation while Robert, Rex and Fives used their pistols to shoot the droids.
Diving forwards, Anakin attacked the four droids ahead of them, grabbing one with the force and throwing it back to the others, which Ahsoka then destroyed before grabbing one of the remaining droids and used it as a shield before grabbing the last droid and threw it back to Robert who fired a full clip of .45ACP rounds into the droid's head, destroying it.
The tactical droid, who had arrived to investigate the noise tried to beat Anakin down, but it was no use and ended up getting his arms sliced off and his head grabbed by Anakin. Rex shot the pilots while Five tended to Tup.
"What's going on? What do you know about this clone?" Anakin demanded, holding his lightsaber just inches from the tactical droid's head. The refused to answer, but fortunately for them Robert had a better way to get answers. Pulling out a datapad, he hooked it up to the droid's head and downloaded a recording of the droid talking to Dark Star who ordered Tup to be captured and brought to a secure facility to determine the cause of Tup's 'breakdown.' Still unsatisfied with the answer, Anakin slashed the droids head but it didn't help what was discovered next. Tup was dying.
Returning to Republic side of the station, Tup was loaded up into another shuttle and this time, Rex was going to accompany the shuttle. "I want a full report from Kamino. If Tup is the victim of a separatist plot, we don't know who far spread it is. If it already isn't." Anakin ordered Rex.
Five's decided to go with him since he felt responsible for what happened with Tup. Rex agreed and the two boarded the shuttle.
From the observation deck, Robert and Ahsoka watched as the shuttle entered hyperspace, both couldn't help but worry about their comrade and were beginning to wonder what was really going on.
Meanwhile, Marie and the other girls were just finishing up a conversation of their own. "Good, then its settled. Once we get back, we carry out the plan. Those two love birds are going to love it." Marie said, grinning with delight.
Short chapter I know, but you can't really blame me. Not a whole lot of action with the situation with Tup. Either way, Trench is dead, but that doesn't mean a certain group of clones won't appear.
Once again, my new poll is up and if you want to vote, please do so and I will see you all next time.