Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter. Hope you like this one.
the mysterious Mr.E: No. Every country still does have its own military, but every country on Earth, as well as other planets that will join the Alliance in the future, contributes to the Starfleet.
Chapter 35- Counterattack
The atmosphere is tense as Anakin's group carefully makes their way along the path cut out of the cliff face.
Anakin lifts up his wrist and says into his commlink. "R2. Are you and your battle droids ready to go?" he asks. R2 beeps a few times in response.
"All right, get the ship fired up. We'll meet you at the pipeline exit after you've picked up Obi Wan, assuming he's still on schedule," Anakin says before cutting off the transmission.
Meanwhile, back in the Citadel, Obi Wan, Piell, Adams, and their team is hiding in the ducts over the hallways. Trying to get through the cramped space without alerting any droids in the hallway below, they slowly make their way to a vertical passage.
"This passage will get us near the landing pad," Obi Wan says. He then leaps up and starts climbing up through the passage. Slowly, the rest of the team begins to follow him.
Making it up a few floors, Obi Wan emerges onto a flat space. As Cody climbs up and keeps climbing, Obi Wan quickly activates his commlink and says, "R2, send the shuttle to the rear landing platform."
There's a beep from R2, followed by one of the battle droids under R2's command saying, "We've already been given the go-ahead by General Skywalker, sir, assuming you are still on schedule."
"The trick will be if Anakin arrives on time," Obi Wan says.
Cody emerges another level up, and to his surprise, sees a droid probe right in front of him. "Probe!" he calls out.
Piell acts quickly. He leaps up the shaft, igniting his lightsaber an cutting the probe in half as it tries to get away.
"Did you get it?" Obi Wan asks.
Before Piell answers, a new noise draws Obi Wan's attention. Looking up, he sees security doors closing. "Security doors! Move, or you'll be cut in half!"
The entire team scrambles to get somewhere where they won't get caught in the doors. Unfortunately, one clone doesn't move quick enough.
Piell ignites his lightsaber again and cuts a hole through one of the security doors. Looking up at Obi Wan through the hole he just cut, Piell says, "We lost one. Looks like we've got some cutting to do."
The two go to work trying to cut their way down through the shaft. One door below where Piell was, they find Adams working on the same task, and the three work together to free the rest of the clones. Unfortunately, they have to leave the dead clone behind.
As they work to find their way out, Anakin and Ahsoka are still leading their team along the path. Everyone has to be even more careful now, as the path has gotten even narrower in places.
Ahsoka and Tarkin are bringing up the front of the group, with the clones behind them, and Anakin and the SEALs bringing up the rear.
As they round a corner, Woods stops, then whips around, raising his assault blaster, and firing a burst at probe droid trying to follow them. The probe explodes after being hit six times.
"We best keep our eyes open. I doubt that'll be the last one," Woods says.
As the SEALS and Anakin hurry to keep close to the rest of the team, at the front, Tarkin says, "I'm beginning to admire the design of this fortress. It's rather formidable to evade."
"How can you admire such a horrible place?" Ahsoka asks incredulously.
"Ah, you reveal your shortsightedness. This ordeal only demonstrates how effective facilities like the Citadel are. Pity it ended up in Separatist hands and not ours," Tarkin replies.
Ahsoka stops, surprised at what Tarkin said. Then, Anakin walks up behind her and says, "He has a point." Ahsoka turns and gives him the "Really?" look.
"Alright, Snips. I need you to lead the group. Keep following the tunnel. I'll catch up," Anakin says.
"Hey, where are you going?" Ahsoka asks.
"Obi Wan's not here, so someone has to protect our flank. Lieutenant Woods, you're with me," Anakin says, and he and Woods return to the back of the line.
(Coruscant)
Mace Windu, Saesee Tinn, and Colonel Stasevich of the ASAT team walk into a room where Plo Koon is watching a hologram of the Citadel.
"We've received a coded transmission. Apparently, they've split into two groups. The rendezvous points are this landing pad behind the tower, where R2 will pick up Obi Wan Kenobi, and the pipeline exit, where he will pick up Anakin Skywalker," Plo reports.
"And what if things don't go as planned?" Mace asks.
"The Terrans have their battleship Volgograd nearby, with fighters ready to provide support. However, it will likely not be enough, and we would likely have to send a fleet to get them out," Plo says.
(Lola Sayu)
Ahsoka continues to lead the team along the pathway, which has now widened out a bit.
As they are walking, Tarkin glances to the side and says to Rex, "I am concerned that the Jedi have elected this child to lead the group."
"I've served with her many times, and I trust her, Captain," Rex responds.
"Plus, she's a Jedi as well," Peterson says, biting his tongue to stop himself from saying what he really wants to to Tarkin.
As they round a corner, Ahsoka comes to a stop. "Uh oh," she says.
"Dead end," Rex says as he looks up ahead.
The rest of the team comes around the corner, staring at the dead end. Then, they hear blaster fire behind them. Turning around, the group sees a number of B2 battle droids approaching.
The clones and two SEALs begin to return fire as Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber, deflecting every blaster bolt fired at her. For several tense moments, the situation is at a stalemate. Then, Anakin and Woods appear out of nowhere and destroy the droids.
Unfortunately, it's not the end. Several commando droids, holding shields in their hands similar in appearance to Gungan shields, leap into view.
"What happened? Why didn't you blow the wall? That part of the plan was your job!" Anakin shouts at Ahsoka as he back up, lightsaber at the ready as the commando droids approach.
The commando droids open fire. Anakin blocks the bolts furiously as Ahsoka says, "I thought it was a dead end."
"Allow us, Commander," Peterson says. He, Collins, and Woods face the wall, load grenade into the M203 grenade launchers on their assault blasters, and snap the launchers into position. They raise their assault blasters, then fire their grenade launchers simultaneously. Three explosion tear through the wall, blasting right through the thin rock.
Collins then turns around, grabs a grenade from his belt, pulls the pin, and throws it towards the commando droids. It hits right behind them before it goes off, destroying all five of them.
The team, a little surprised at how quickly the SEALs handled the situation, make their way to the new exit, with Tarkin giving the SEALs a look of approval.
Meanwhile, back in the Citadel, Obi Wan's team is still in the ducts, though they are now overlooking the landing pad, where the shuttle is already parked.
"Hmm. I don't see R2. This could be a trap," Obi Wan says.
"I agree. Why don't we go around the other side so we can be sure?" Adams suggests.
"Agreed," Obi Wan responds.
Obi Wan kicks out a grate that opens to the outside. Using extension cables, he, followed by the rest of the team, rappel down to a walkway along the outside of the Citadel below them.
Slowly, they make their way over several platforms along their route. As they leap down onto one, Obi Wan decides to check in with Anakin. He raises his wrist and says into his commlink, "Anakin?"
Instead of Anakin, a different voice he hasn't heard before answers, "I must commend you on your escape tactics, but in the end, it was easy to predict your every move."
Right then, automatic gun turrets pop up out of nowhere. Several strange crab like droids fall onto the platform, and several droidekas and commando droids make their way out of the building. As they do, the team can hear the voice cackling on the other end of the commlink.
At this is happening, Anakin's team rounds a corner, and sees up ahead a massive metal pipe.
Ahsoka runs up to it, and Anakin says, "This pipe leads up to the top of the ride, where R2 will pick us up and get us out of here. There's the hatch." Anakin then leaps up onto a platform on the outside of the pipe, and opens a hatch leading into the pipe.
As he opens it, gas begins to flow out, causing Anakin, Ahsoka, and Tarkin to briefly cover their nose and mouth.
"Let's go! Let's go! Everyone in! Don't use your lights, and make sure your weapons are locked! The slightest electronic pulse could ignite this whole tube," Anakin orders.
"I hope somebody tells the droids that," Tarkin says before entering the pipe.
As this is happening, Obi Wan's team is being led into the Citadel command center by commando droids. In the center of the control room, the warden, a Phindian, is waiting for them.
"Welcome back," the Phindian says as he walks towards them.
"I must say, you're not at all what I pictured for someone with such a soft voice," Obi Wan says, a slight mocking tone in his voice.
The Phindian growls, then says to Piell, "I want your half of the information. Give it to me now, or I'll start executing your men!" the Phindian says.
"This is war, Sobek. We're all prepared to die to protect that intel," Piell says.
Sobek smirks. He grabs a blaster from a commando droid, and aims it right at Adams.
"You think that scares me? I've had guns pointed in my face before," Adams says.
Sobeck laughs. "Perhaps. But now, your hands are bound," he says.
Adams smirks. Then, he brings his hands out from behind his hand, revealing the binders off his wrists and dangling in his fingers.
"Really?" he asks. Then, he springs into action.
Adams grabs the blaster in one hand. He pulls it forward while ducking down, sending Sobeck flying over his shoulder and into a wall. He then lifts the blaster and fires at the two commando droids guarding them. A B1 droid raises it blaster, but Adams leaps forward, ducking to avoid a blaster bolt, then grabs the droid's head and twists it, breaking its circuits and causing it to then fires at the tactical droid setting at a control console, blasting a hole in its face.
"Move!" Adams shouts as he picks up his lightsaber from one of the fallen commando droids and uses it to cut the binders off the rest of the team. Obi Wan and Piell summon their lightsabers back, while the clones pick up their weapons. They then quickly follow Adams out of the control room.
"That was epic," Longshot says, drawing a grin from Adams as they run.
Rounding a corner, the team sees three B1 droids up ahead, painted blue. Before they can do anything, they see R2 in front of them, and they ease up.
"R2. We wondered where you'd been," Obi Wan says.
R2 beeps several times. One of the B1 droids says, "The Commander is pleased to see you as well, sir, but would like to return to the shuttle now."
"Yes, I couldn't agree more," Obi Wan says.
"What about General Skywalker, sir?" Cody asks.
"Not to worry. He'll switch to plan B," Obi Wan says as they start following R2 and his battle droids back towards the shuttle.
Meanwhile, Anakin's team is still climbing up the pipe. The gas inside is starting to affect those members of the team not wearing a helmet, but they push on. It's not too long before they reach the level portion of the pipe.
No longer climbing, it now becomes much easier. Tarkin, Anakin, and the clones without helmets plug their noses to avoid breathing in too much gas, while the three SEALs put on their gas masks.
"How much longer are we going to wander through this tunnel in the dark?" Tarkin asks impatiently.
"Captain Tarkin, haven't you learned to trust me by now?" Anakin asks.
"You may have earned my trust, General Skywalker, but my faith in your comrades is still lacking," Tarkin replies.
"You lack faith in the Jedi," Anakin states simply.
"I find their tactics ineffective. The Jedi code prevents them from going far enough to achieve victory, to do whatever it takes to win, the very reason why peacekeepers should not be leading a war. This is a concept even our new Terran allies seemed to have grasped," Tarkin says.
Anakin looks back at Tarkin. Tarkin looks back at him and asks, "Have I offended you?"
"No. I've also found that we sometimes fall short of victory because of our methods. However, at the same time, I'm reminded of a phrase I heard somewhere on Terra. It goes something like, 'What's the point in defeating your enemy if you only become as immoral as they are in the process?'" Tarkin doesn't respond to this.
"I think I found a way out," Ahsoka calls from above them. They follow her up to where a hatch is situated. Ahsoka opens the hatch, and looks out.
"What do you see, Snips?" Anakin asks.
"Coast is clear," she responds.
"Any sign of Obi Wan or the shuttle?" Anakin asks.
"No, I don't see him or R2 anywhere," Ahsoka says as she climbs out. Two battle droids she hadn't seen point their blasters at her, but she easily cuts them in two, some of their debris falling down into the pipe. However, she turns around to see a lot more droids approaching.
"We've got to go!" Ahsoka calls down, deflecting blaster bolts with her lightsaber as she does so.
"There could be a whole battalion of droids out there," Tarkin protests.
"Nothing we can't handle," Peterson says confidently.
"And it's better than hiding in a fuel line," Anakin says as he climbs out.
Anakin immediately ignites his lightsaber and helps Ahsoka in covering the rest of the team as they make their way out of the pipe. Collins fires his grenade launcher down into the droids, destroying a number of them, but the rest keep up their fire, forcing Collins to retreat with the others.
As they take cover behind a massive boulder, Tarkin says, "The plan's been compromised! The shuttle isn't coming!"
Ignoring Tarkin, Anakin says, "Throw me a charge!" Rex throws him a grenade, which Anakin throws into the pipe. When it detonates, the entire pipe blows up, taking all the droids with it.
Anakin walks up, brushing some dust off his shoulders, as he says, "Come on. Time for Plan B."
"There's a Plan B?" Tarkin asks.
"I'm starting to wonder how much military experience you actually have, because you should know there's always a Plan B," Collins says impatiently before following Anakin.
"Yup, Collins. We're gonna meet R2 at Obi-Wan's position," Anakin says. The rest of the team gets up and follows Anakin.
As they make their way towards the Citadel, Obi Wan and his team arrive at the landing pad, where the shuttle is waiting. Battle droids are standing around the shuttle, and manning the gun turrets overlooking the pad. Everyone finds themselves hoping desperately that their battle droids can fool the Separatist battle droids.
As they approach the shuttle, a Separatist battle droid asks, "Hold it. Where are you going with these prisoners?"
"We're transferring them aboard the shuttle from Citadel to Point Tarron," one of R2's droids says.
"Point Tarron? There's no outpost there," the Separatist droid says.
"Uh, it's new," R2's droid says. After a beep from R2, it says, "We have orders. We're coming aboard."
The Separatist droids step back and allow R2's droid to begin moving the team onto the shuttle.
Suddenly, one of the droids says, "Wait." He holds a hand up to his head, as if listening to something in his ear.
Recognizing that the game is up, Adams react smoothly as he draws his lightsaber, activates it, and beheads the droid. He then swiftly deactivates it, returns it to his belt, and draws his assault blaster in one quick movement. He whips around and begins firing his assault blaster at any droid in sight.
Multiple droids are gunned down. R2's droids join him in firing as the others race for cover, as the turrets overlooking the pad begin to fire.
More droids hurry out to reinforce the Separatists. Adams and the clones return fire, but the droids keep coming.
Then, several droids manning the gun turrets are shot down. Moments later, Anakin's team races onto the landing pad, with the three SEALs leading the charge.
Anakin races up to where Obi Wan is hiding and says, "Sorry I'm late."
"How nice of you to join us," Obi Wan says.
Ahsoka and Tarkin hurry up to them. "The ship is surrounded!" Ahsoka says.
"We need to launch a full forward assault and take that vessel," Tarkin says.
"We have a bigger problem. Those turrets. If we don't take them out, they will use them to destroy the shuttle and prevent our escape," Obi Wan says.
"Leave that to me," Adams says. He then shouts, "Collins! Woods! With me!" And with that, he leaps out of his hiding spot and charges towards the walls where the turrets are mounted. Collins and Woods follow him close behind.
"Americans are so reckless sometimes," Ahsoka says.
Adams and the two SEALs race to the base of the wall, then fire extension cables and host themselves up. As they reach the top, they raise their assault blasters and begin to gun down any droid in sight. The droids try to return fire, but are dropping like flies.
As this firefight is breaking out, half a dozen commando droids holding ray shields race out of the building. Echo throws a grenade, destroying one and forcing another to drop his shield, but the commando droids press the attack.
As they do, the one that was forced to drop his shield leaps up towards one of the turrets that is currently unmanned and starts tapping the control panel. Echo immediately spots it and says into his commlink, "Captain Adams, a droid is manning one of those turrets. They're gonna blow up the shuttle, sir!"
Adams turns and races towards the turret in question, leaving Collins and Woods to take down the two they had targeted first. However, several more commando droids appear almost out of nowhere, forcing him back.
Seeing Adams being stalled, Echo says, "This is our chance! We have to stop him!" He races out of cover, with Fives firing in support, and picks up a fallen shield. Peterson and Longshot race out to provide Echo some more fire support.
Fives looks up and sees the commando droid aiming the turret at the shuttle. "Echo! Look out!" Fives shouts as Echo fires his blaster towards the turret.
Then, the turret fires, and the shuttle explodes. "Echo!" Fives shouts.
Everyone looks towards the wreckage. Then, to their shock, they see Echo, struggling to get back to his feet. But, just a few feet from him, Peterson is lying face down on the pad, completely still, smoke rising from his back.
Collins and Woods both glance down and see their brother in arms lying on the pad. Roaring with anger, they pull out their last grenades, fit them into their grenade launchers, and fire them, taking out the two turrets they were attacking.
At the same time, no longer needing to attack the turret as wreckage from the shuttle destroyed it, leaps down from the wall and races over to where Peterson is lying. Putting his finger to Peterson's neck, he feels for a pulse, but finds none.
The other two SEALs race up to him. "Is he…?" Woods asks.
Adams just turns his head and nods. Then, he says, "Come on. Let's get him out of here." Together, the ASAT commando and the two SEALs pick up Peterson's body and hurry off.
As the rest of the team is retreating, Fives turns to Echo and asks, "What happened?"
"Lieutenant Peterson came up and shoved me out of the way at the last second," Echo says, clearly shaken by the ordeal and the fact that Peterson died to save him.
The team hurries away from the landing pad before eventually finding a place to rest. As they come to a rest, the three Americans set down their comrades' body.
Obi Wan walks up to them and says, "I'm so sorry."
The Americans don't respond. Though, after a few moments, Adams says, "I know we have little time. But he deserves a burial."
Obi Wan nods, then asks, "What can I do?"
Adams gives him quick directions, and Obi Wan helps the three Americans gather stones to build a cairn of sorts to cover Peterson. They then stretch Peterson's American flag and stretch it over the cairn, using the stones to keep it held down.
The three Americans step back, then Adams says, "Cody. Rex. Fives. Echo. Come forward."
The four clones solemnly step forward into line with the three Americans. Adams then says, "The 21 gun salute is a custom to honor the fallen. Now, we offer the 21 gun salute to our friend, Lieutenant Peterson."
Adams, Woods, and Collins raise their blaster pistols, not having rifles. The four clones also raise their guns, having seen a 21 gun salute at a military funeral following the Terran campaign.
"Ready, fire!" Adams says. The seven men fire their blasters once.
"Ready, fire!" Adams says again. The seven men fire their blasters again.
"Ready, fire!" Adams says for a third time. And for the third time, the seven blasters are fired again.
They lower their guns, and the three American holster their blasters. Then, Adams, using a recording device he acquired on Coruscant, plays a track he has stored on it, and Taps begins to play as the Americans salute the cairn. The four clones copy them, and slowly, the rest of the team, including the Jedi and even Tarkin, follow their example.
The team holds the salute until Taps concludes, at which Adams lowers his salute, as do the others, and then Adams says, "We need to keep moving."
"I agree. Let's move," Obi Wan says. The team slowly follow him, leaving behind the grave of a hero.
And, I'll end there.
So, I did save Echo, and he will have a future role in this series. I did feel like there was kind of a need for someone to die, as I don't think you could escape the Citadel without someone dying. So, I decided to have one of the SEALs save his life.
I don't know if any of you have ever seen a military funeral, but I've seen videos of one, and trust me, when they start playing Taps, it gets emotional. I tried to capture some of that emotion, but I know it probably didn't do it too well.
So, the final chapter of the Citadel arc will be up soon. Until then, leave a review, and stay tuned.