"Kix, how's it going?" Anakin asked the 501st medic as he knelt on the ground beside the trooper.
"Slowly sir." Kix answered looking over the fallen trooper in front of him. "Even with Wic moving everyone will be a challenge sir."
"Don't worry we'll figure it out."
"As you say, General."
Anaking spotted the Night Squad medic, Wic, moving around checking the injured and talking to some of the men. The medic's armor was battle worn with scratches throughout from many battles with black stripes on his arms and legs. And on his thigh armor of his left leg was the same black sunburst that was on Shadow's helmet like it was an insignia of the Squad. Walking over to where Rex stood surveying the area around waiting for the droids to return with Blade nearby.
"Any sign of the droids or Captain Shadow, Rex?" Anakin asked standing beside his Captain.
"None General." Rex responded glancing to the side. "The gunship and fighter have been making passes the last five minutes."
"Glider and Swoop want to be sure the droids don't get the upperhand before Captain Shadow, Ammo and Lee finish their mission." Blade told them looking to the sky. "Plus I think Swoop is itching for a fight."
Another trooper stood beside Blade, Brix, holding his blaster rifle loosely yet ready for an attack. Looking closer at Blade, Anakin could tell that they were both coiled; ready to spring at the first sign of trouble. If not for Blade's pauldron there was little difference between the two with their armor having the same jagged black stripes on their arms, legs, helmet and chest. Though the sunburst insignia was in different places on their armor, Blade's insignia was in the center of his chest just below his pauldron while Brix's was right above his visor.
"So how is it that your Squad is made up of officers, Lieutenant?" Anakin asked wanting to know more about the small squad.
Blade shrugged turning his head toward the General, "Night Squad was created to be a sort of commando unit, Sir. Or at least that's what I've been told. Captain Shadow, Commander Wolffe and General Plo Koon handpicked everyone that's been and is on the squad."
"Captain Shadow was once part of Wolfpack before given command of the Squad, General." Brix said leaning against the boulder beside him.
All heads turned to the sound of distant blasterfire and an explosion before the gunship reappeared in the sky circling above them.
"Blade, Captain's under heavy fire but wants the injured moved now." Glider reported over the commlink. "Swoop's heading their way now."
"We'll secure the area in front of us for you, Glider." Blade responded looking to Anakin who nodded. "get ready to land."
"Coming in now."
"You heard him." Anakin said loudly to his men. "Secure the area, Rex get some men ready to help Kix and Wic move the injured. Then be prepared to move."
"Copy that." Rex responded relaying orders to his troopers.
Blade and Brix were gone, taking off the second the General gave his orders ready for a fight or anything that was coming. Rex joined the two taking up a position with Anakin watching for the droids to attack as Glider touched down opening the doors of his ship. Wic and Kix worked together to get the men moved with the help of a few other troopers while Blade and Brix engaged a few driods who got too close.
"Wic, head out with Glider and the injured." Blade ordered the medic as he joined them.
"Fine but come back without too many holes in you." Wix told his Lieutenant. "Any of you."
"Don't worry about us Wic." Brix chuckled shooting the head off a droid.
"That's why I worry."
From the shadows of the rocky terrain, three troopers moved slowly placing charges along their route. Picking his way along the middle, Captain Shadow stopped signaling to his troopers to do the same as he listened to something. The sound of metallic marching heading toward them that made him curse softly to himself.
"Ammo, get to higher ground for a sniping position." he ordered quickly. "Lee get to cover and wait for my signal. We're gonna blow these clankers sky high."
"Copy that." Ammo said heading up onto the rocky outcrop behind them.
Lee nodded taking position behind a rock, heavy cannon at the ready as Shadow moved forward slightly. The Captain looked over to where Ammo lay in position then to Lee who nodded ready for action. Both blasters in hand, Shadow waited as the droids began to march passed them dumbly because they never looked anywhere except forward.
Waiting just a little longer, Shadow finally pushed the detonator watching as several droids exploded before opening fire. Lee and Ammo joined in the fire fight drawing the rest of the droid battalion to them and there was no backing out.
"Lee, droid poppers now!" Shadow shouted over the blasterfire.
Throwing the grenades, the two troopers moved to put more distance between themselves and the droids as some more fell.
"Ammo covering fire now!" Shadow said weaving in and out of cover.
"Captain, what's your status?" came Swoop's voice over the comlink.
Shadow rolled behind cover once more, "We're pinned down here. Get Glider to land and move out now! And Swoop get over here now!"
"On my way sir."
The three members of Night Squad held their ground as long as possible when Swoop screamed overhead in his fighter. Letting loose some shots before flying straight up into the sky, disappearing in the clouds overhead. Shadow took that chance to dive out of cover and throw some grenades into the droids.
"Lee, fall back now!" he called out diving back behind cover. "Ammo cover him."
"What about you, Captain?" Lee shouted as he moved.
"I have a plan. Now go!"
Lee nodded heading back as Ammo fired from his new position just a little ways above the battle. With his men falling back, Shadow pushed forward throwing down charges as he went once more while firing with blasters. The Night Squad Captain dodged the droids fire by jumping in and out of cover before letting the charges blow.
"Captain!" Ammo and Lee called out as their Captain disappeared in the dust.
There was silence for a moment before the droids started to fire once more on the two remaining troopers. Ammo jumped down from his position as the place he had been was blown to debris by the droids who were still advancing on them. Lee opened fire on the droids trying to figure out where the Captain had gone or if he had fallen in the explosion.
"We gotta go Lee." Ammo called out over the blaster fire. "Rollies inbound."
"But the Captain." Lee shouted back. "Plus I'm not running."
"Captain Shadow, do you read me?" came Anakin Skywalker's voice over the comm. "Glider has taken off with Swoop and Wic. What's your status?"
"General Skywalker, we're under heavy fire." Ammo responded. "We've lost visual of Captain Shadow."
"We're on our way."
"Well that's just great." Lee shouted to his companion. "Captain's disappeared and now Blade and Brix are on their way to save us with the 501st."
"Lee you complain about the strangest things especially when we're pinned down." Ammo called to his brother.
"Well it's true! The Lieutenant always seems to save our butts or the Captain comes outta nowhere."
"Rollies!"
The droids opened fire activating their shields as the two clones hit the ground once more as debris rained down on them. Lee threw a grenade into the middle of a group of droids before hitting the ground once more.
"Funny how we get sent in to save others and wind up needing saved ourselves." Lee called out to Ammo.
"Yeah yeah." Ammo responded when he cried out.
"Ammo!"
The injured trooper huddled behind cover looking down at his leg, a hole in the armor of his thigh. Taking in a shaky breath he returned fire on the droids as Lee made his way to his side and took in the shape of his partner. Ammo grinned slightly beneath his helmet keeping himself going just as he had watched his Captain and others do many times before.
"Ammo pull back now." Lee told him suddenly.
Turning into cover he heard Lee laugh more to himself then anything when he heard several voices shouting coming from beyond their cover.
"Having fun guys?" came a voice from their left.
"As always, Blade." Lee answered with a chuckle. "Ammo's been hit."
"I'm fine." Ammo said hopping slightly so he could stand up straight.
"Sure sure Ammo." Brix told his squad mate as he came around. "Where's the Captain?"
Lee glanced over to Ammo who shook his head then pointed, " Lost sight of him over there."
The 501st surrounded them completely taking out the remaining enemy droids that had nearly taken them out. Blade nodded heading in the direction that Ammo had pointed just as Anakin and Rex joined the group.
"Kix!" Anakin called out to the medic as he looked Ammo and Lee over. "Are you alright? Where's Captain Shadow?"
"We're alright mostly." Ammo answered as Kix showed up. "Follow Blade, General."
Brix and Lee began to trade stories as though they didn't care but anyone who looked close could see the tension in their bodies. Anakin glanced at the men before moving off to follow the Lieutenant who moved slowly through the carnage.
"What do you think Rex?" Anakin asked surveying the area.
"They are something, General." Rex answered quietly blasters ready.
"Shadow!" Blade called out running to the right.
Following Anakin and Rex were there when Blade stopped sliding on his knees besides the remains of a few droids. They could just make out the body of the Night Squad Captain laying there unmoving and seemingly... no Anakin would not think like that just yet.
"Captain?" Blade asked removing his helmet. "Shadow?"
The Night Squad Lieutenant removed his Captain's helmet gently to reveal both their faces to the world. Even then the fallen made no noise just laid there beneath the remains of droids as Blade watched him.
"I'm sorry Lieutenant." Anakin said quietly looking down at Shadow.
The fallen Captain looked like the other clones yet he was different with his fine features instead of the usual chiseled feature. Shadow was small and delicate looking with long black hair that was pulled back into a bun that was held tight against his head. Blade seemed to shake, the tattoo on his head blurring when he heard something. All three men looked around until the noise got louder drawing their attention to the only other one near them.
One eye cracked open, Shadow looked up at them with a dark eye them smiled, "M-mind getting' these c-cl-clankers off me?"
Without wasting time, Anaking used the Force to lift the droids off the Captain who took a deep breath after the weight was gone.
"Don't scare me like that, Captain." Blade told him as he and Rex helped Shadow to his feet. "Wic's gonna have a field day with lecturing you again."
"Can't say I'm sorry." Shadow said slowly with a smile. "But we got the job done."
As they walked back to the main part of the troop gunships fell overhead as reinforcements finally arrived. Another battle had been won but there many more to come in the coming days, every soldier knew that.