It was an odd sight for Echo and Five to be wandering through the training halls of Kamino again. It wasn't long ago they were Cadets themselves, trying to finish the final Citadel Training Simulation with Domino Squad. So that they could become official Clone Infantry Privates in the Grand Army of the Republic. As nostalgic as it was, they were returning to Kamino as the only two survivors of their squad. They grew up alongside their fellow squad brothers; went through a lot of shared grief through the seemingly endless training drills. But after a Separatist attack on the Rishi Moon Outpost, Echo and Fives were all that was left. But Echo for one was not keen on keeping this unspoken dour mood around, instead, he wanted his return to Kamino to be of fonder memories, especially since the planet was apparently going to be under attack soon.
"Look around Fives, feels like yesterday we were here" Echo reminisced with a smile on his face, watching a group of young Cadets march in a dual-file line.
"Heh, heading to target practice" Fives commented as the Cadets passed them, recalling several moments when their squadmate Droidbait managed to get himself shot by his own training weapon. "Remember that?" Fives asked with a chuckle.
"Oh do I ever" responded Echo.
The sound of a loud clutter caused Echo and Fives to turn their attention further down the hallway where they could see their old friend, the hunchbacked clone janitor 99. The kind-hearted 99 was always a source of compassion amidst apathetic military instructors and indifferent Kaminoan scientists. It looked like he was carrying a large stack of DC-15a rifles which was too heavy for the weak-muscled janitor, causing him to drop them. Hence the loud noise that caught Echo and Fives' attention.
"Hey, Ninety-Nine!" yelled Echo.
99 stood up and immediately smiled at the sight of his two brothers, now emblazoned with the stripes of the Republic's famous 501st Legion.
"Echo! Fives!" 99 yelled back across the hallway with delight.
"You actually remember us?" Fives said with honest surprise. 99 had seen tens of thousands of clones go from child Cadet all the way to fully-fledged clone trooper, Fives did not think that 99 would be able to keep track of their nicknames amongst the swarm of others. Heck, Fives and Echo were likely not even the only clones to have their nicknames; the two had already been acquainted with a 501st clone sergeant called 'Fox', who shared the same name as the much more famous –or infamous—commander of the Coruscant Guard.
"I- I remember all my brothers," said 99 "is Hevy here, where's he?"
The question ached at the hearts of the two clone troopers, they knew out of all the members of their squad, Hevy and 99 left on a particularly poignant note. From what little Hevy said while they were stationed on the Rishi Moon Outpost, 99 inspired him to push forward with the Citadel Training Simulation that had stunted the squad's progress for nearly a whole year. They could not bear having to be the ones to tell 99 that he died during the droid attack on the outpost.
"There was… an incident on the Rishi Moon Outpost" started Fives.
"He saved our lives" continued Echo, "but he gave up his own."
"Oh," the single word uttered by 99 carried more grief than any speech could, not even the words of the greatest poet could compare. "I- I see" 99 fiddled through his pocket and pulled out a golden medallion for the graduation of clone cadets into official soldiers for the Grand Army of the Republic. This medal was the same awarded to Echo and Fives… as well as Hevy.
"Hevy gave you his medal?" asked Fives.
"Yeah, he did" 99 looked fondly at the medallion Hevy had given 99 before he and Domino Squad were shipped off to the Rishi Moon. "So-" before 99 could say anything more, he was interrupted by the arrival of another familiar face from Echo and Fives' trainee days, though this face was not one the pair had hoped to see again.
"Well, well, if it ain't the prodigal sons of Kamino in their big-boy armour?" the unmistakable condescending voice of their former training master chief, the Siniteen Bounty Hunter known as Bric, violently ripped through the previously happy reunion with 99. "Well let's see here, Fives, that eel on your helmet looks like it was painted by a toddler, and Echo, HAH! That handprint on your chest plate makes it look like you're being groped!" laughed Bric.
"Ah, and here we thought we'd be without your presence for the rest of our lives, Master Chief," said Fives with spiteful bitterness.
"I thought the same about you lot, surprised you two aren't dead yet" mocked Bric.
Fives' hand began to form a fist in frustration, something Bric took note of almost immediately.
"Looks like that armour ain't as thick as it looks, eh?" said Bric.
"We'd love to catch up, sir, really we would, but we're here by the orders of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, and we really must be going" said Echo, trying to stop this interaction before it becomes volatile, unfortunately for the more passive clone trooper, what Bric said next assured the reunion would turn violent.
"Looks like not all the bad batchers are accounted for, now where's that loudmouth laser-head Cutup, and his idiot squadmate who kept getting himself shot?" Asked Bric with a condescending smile "or did they get themselves blown up on day one?"
Bric's answer came in the form of Fives punching his former trainer in the jaw, sending him to the floor. Fives tries to get a second punch in, but Echo retrained him.
"Fives! What in blazes is wrong with you?!" spouted Echo.
"I'm no Cadet anymore, 'Master Chief'" declared Fives "I won't let you debase the death of my brothers!" Fives' voice was filled with rage, the rage of six years having to take Bric's yapping abuse at his squad for their incompetence building up into one glorious punch.
While on the floor, Bric's face was full of surprise, but it was not surprise over the punch that just planted him on the polished stark white floor, it was surprise over Fives telling him that Domino Squad –sparing the two men he saw before him—were all dead. As Fives stopped resisting Echo and settled down, he recognised a look of sadness on Bric's face, it was a fleeting microfeature he was able to keep largely hidden, but Fives recognised it nonetheless.
Two clone security guards ran up to the scene with their rifles raised "what the heck's going on here?" asked one of the guards.
99 held his hands out to try and steady tempers "hey now, let's not get riled up and make things worse."
"Get out of the way Ninety-Nine, I just caught that boy in blue assault a Drill Sergeant," said the guard.
The guard duo was preparing to make an arrest when Bric raised his hand "STAND DOWN!" he yelled.
"Sir?" the guards looked confused as Bric got himself back on his feet.
"That altercation was my mistake, you can go on your way trooper" ordered Bric as he rubbed his jaw.
The clone security guards nodded and left the scene. Bric wiped the purple blood leaking from his mouth, judging by the amount of blood, Fives might have knocked a tooth out. However, he didn't look at Fives with anger on his face, but a strange melancholy.
"For what little it's worth, I am genuinely sorry for your loss" Bric's words no longer had any gusto or emotion, just a dull gravel. Without saying another word, Bric left the clones. For Echo and Fives, this was the only time they had seen something even resembling remorse from their old trainer, who they remembered as a brutal and sadistic Drill Sergeant. For all they knew, he hated Domino Squad, even purposefully sabotaged one of their training simulations to get them washed out from military service. But now, it was as if Bric had shown them a fleeting moment of respect, from one soldier to another, mourning the loss of passed comrades. Fives pondered for a moment whether or not he ever really knew Bric, if all he ever knew was the façade he put on to scare his trainees and not his genuine self.
"Y'know, I think out of all the clones he trained, he actually missed you lot" 99 joked.
"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that" remarked Echo.
"So, why have you Kamino anyway?" asked 99.
"The General has received word of an impending attack here" responded Fives.
"Well, how can I help?" asked 99.
"Well, that depends, Ninety-Nine" said Fives "you still remember you still remember your Six P's?"
The old janitor chuckled "of course I do! Prior Planning Prevents Pi-" 99 stops himself from saying the crass fifth word as a group of young Cadets walk past him "-um, 'Poor' Performance" he finished with a more censored version of the Six P's.
Echo laughed "alright Ninety-Nine, you can help us get equipped and show us the best spot for a sniping position."
99 gives a haphazard salute "sir, yes sir" he said with a big smile on his face.
Despite the unpleasant reunion with their old bounty hunter training instructor, it did Echo and Fives' hearts good to see that 99 hadn't changed since they last saw him. 99 knew everything there was to know about Tipoca City, there was no one else on the planet more qualified to help the two find a defensible position. With his help, they were sure to keep Kamino safe from the impending invasion of their home world.
High above the atmosphere of the obscure little Inner Rim planetoid known as Salakotori Anchorage the spaceport home of the Bounty Hunters' Guild was holding a funeral service within the onboard cantina. The cantina was filled with nearly eighty or more bounty hunters, mercenaries and hired guns to mourn the loss of four premier bounty hunters who died on Felucia. The cantina patrons found seats where they could by the minimally stocked bar seats and tables littered around the establishment.
Placed horizontally along a mighty dining table were the gilded chairs of the Bounty Hunter Guild's council; each member representing the twelve houses of the Bounty Hunting profession. Unless you were trying your luck as a freelancer, these were the people you sought out for an official Bounty Hunting Licence and big-time marks. At the centre of the table seating was a Trandoshan in a red flightsuit; he was sitting at the largest chair of them all, with the fur of a white wookiee decorating the top rail. This was Cradossk, the undisputed Guildmaster of the Bounty Hunters' Guild –well, undisputed until someone with an unhealthy ego tries their luck and finds themselves the Trandoshan's dinner. To his right was the one-armed human known as Stroth; the leader of Crimson Nova, a faction that specialises in hunting Jedi and force users. To his left was a much younger human male in his early twenties by the name of Greef Kargo; the youthful leader of the upstart House Kargo operating out of the planet Nevarro; his group mainly hunted escaped convicts and bail jumpers.
While the Bounty Hunters' Guild rarely held funerals for deceased members –as death was just a part of the trade—these four bounty hunters were favourites of the pirate-hunting House Tresario, and thus they were given a rare exception. Placed on the dining table for the other cantina patrons to see were the holographic faces of the four dead hunters, with their names spelt in aurebesh above their heads: 'Sugi of Irodonia', 'Embo of Phatrong', 'Seripas the Living Droid' and 'Rumi Paramita'. All four of them died defending a rural community from a band of Weequay pirates. Judging by the estimated number of the pirate gang, it would have taken the intervention of the Jedi Knights to have given the bounty hunter crew a fighting chance. But still, their leader Sugi did not forfeit her contract with the Felucian farmers; it would have been said that this team of hunters died with honour and dignity if one cared about such things amongst this cesspool of murderers. Their ship the Halo, was located within a burned-out barn weeks after their deaths by a Gand Findsman, who delivered their bodies to House Tresario to receive proper burials by their families or friends... if they had any at all.
The Rodian leader of House Tresario, Vigo Clezo of the Black Sun, was in the middle of giving an overly poignant speech about the many missions the crew of the Halo went on. He also spouted on about how he was personally responsible for jumpstarting Sugi and Embo's legendary career as one of the top ten greatest Bounty Hunters in the Galaxy. Meanwhile, Cradossk was struggling to not fall asleep while his Black Sun contemporary continued to bore him with the laborious proceedings. His reptilian eyes began to grow heavy until finally Clezo was finished, and the clapping of his fellow council members jolted him back awake.
Greef Kargo stood up with a glass of Corellian Ale in hand "thank you, Vigo Clezo for that heart-warming speech, a surprise to all of us who thought Rodians were meant to be cold-blooded." The remark owed him a few light chuckles from the other patron guests who weren't already drunk. "While I think we all wish to live long enough to retire with enough credits to live on the beaches of Zeltros in the lap of luxury, the crew of the Halo reminds us all that even the greatest of us die. But, in this profession of ours, it is always important to that we instil ourselves with a sense of professionalism and honour, and these fine hunters showed that they would be willing to fight 'til the end, instead of spoiling their reputations with cowardice."
Greef raised his glass of ale for a toast in tribute to the crew of the Halo "To the hunt!" the young man proclaimed.
Greef Kargo's attempted toast was left unanswered by the cornucopia of mercs and hunters, who were far too busy guzzling down their ales to care about their dead colleagues. Cradossk scoffed at the embarrassing display and patted his fellow Guild Councilman on the shoulder out of pity.
"Next round of drinksssss issssss free!" announced Cradossk.
As soon as the Trandoshan said this, everyone in the spaceport cantina immediately stood up and raised their glasses "TO THE HUNT!" they all yelled before clinking their bottles with their fellow patrons.
"Remember who you're talking to, Kargo" reminded Cradossk "our lot doessssss not care for honouring the dead, only credits and liquor."
The humbled human merely nodded and sat back down on his council seat as Cradossk took the opportunity to quit this makeshift funeral and return to his office on the top floor of the spaceport. Awaiting him by the turbolift to his office level was the ginormous bounty hunting droid known as C-21 Highsinger. The droid approached the Guildmaster and began speaking to his Trandoshan superior in the intergalactic trading language of Bocce. Cradossk's vocabulary was limited in Bocce, but he knew enough to understand that Highsinger was essentially telling him that 'there was a message for him in his office.'
"I undersssstand" answered Cradossk as he entered the turbolitf and ascended to his private office.
The Trandoshan sat at his desk where a holo-projector was placed next to a collection of fangs and teeth from various Intergalactic predators he hunted in his youth. Leaning back in his blue nyix chair, Cradossk tapped the top of the holo-projector, causing the image of a tactical droid to appear before him. The projected avatar of a droid did not surprise Cradossk, many clients used droids as messengers in order to keep their identities anonymous, despite the Guild having a strict policy to never divulge a customer's name, some clientele were extra cautious.
"Greetings on behalf of my master, my designation is Blue-Four, and I wish to inquire about commissioning a bounty contract open to any who wish to claim it" explained the droid.
"That can be done, I assssssume your employer wants to keep their name vacant in this matter, ssssso I can put the contract under your identification numbersssss" said Cradossk "who is the target, and how much is your master willing to pay?"
"My master wishes for the head of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, with a payment of two-hundred thousand credits to the Bounty Hunter who delivers it" declared Blue-Four "provide the contact details for my hologram to any who wishes to claim the bounty, it is open to all."
"Well, well, well, that is a mighty ssssssum, but for a Jedi Massssster, it just barely breakssss even" said Cradossk.
"My master finds it quite equitable" said Blue-Four with cold indifference "can we count on the Bounty Hunters' Guild?"
"The Guild always get their mark" proudly stated Cradossk "I'll inform Ssssstroth of the Crimssssson Nova that another Jedi bounty is open, hissss sssspecialistssss will see thisssss Kenobi dead."
Blue-Four nodded in acknowledgment and promptly ended the holographic transmission. True to his word, Cradossk had the bounty on Obi-Wan Kenobi commissioned by the Crimson Nova. Wherever this Jedi Master was hiding; whatever battle he was in the middle of waging, the Bounty Hunters' Guild will find him.
Within the Umbara System, Admiral Panaka's vessel was currently being set upon by an attacking squad of Vulture Droids, anti-fighter turrets made short work of the hostiles, but the Separatist fleet orbiting Umbara was now aware of the Republic presence. Panaka yelled orders to the navigators of the Virdugo Plunge to try and manoeuvre the Star Destroyer through the cloud of debris the cruiser was now stuck in. A sinking realisation entered the Admiral's head, this debris was purposefully set up by General Grievous to appear as convenient camouflage against Separatist scanners, but in truth, it was meant to box the Republic fleet in for an ambush. Trapped in an enclosed space it could not easily manoeuvre through, making the fleet easy targets for the Separatist cruisers. Already off the port side of the Virdugo Plunge's bridge, Panaka could already see two Banking Clan Munificent-class frigates coming into view in attack position; supported by seven Hardcell-class battle corvettes. Far behind the two frigates was a single Providence-class Dreadnought on standby; no doubt it was General Grievous' capital ship, the Invisible Hand, spectating from a protected vantage point.
Admiral Panaka cursed himself for falling for such an obvious trap but lamenting one's failings would not help the Fourth Fleet. Obi-Wan Kenobi's Venator, Negotiator was stern-side behind the Virdugo Plunge, kept from being able to veer around the debris and use its turrets to assist against the incoming attack force.
However, despite falling for the enemy's environmental trap, Admiral Panaka did not enter the debris field thoughtlessly. He made sure the Virdugo Plunge was the first to lead, not because of some antiquated notion of the glory of being the first vessel to fire on the Separatists. But instead, because his Secutor-class cruiser had a significantly wider hull than the Negotiator, and thus, it was Panaka's belief that his ship could shield the other cruisers and shepherd them through the debris, clearing a path for them. The same strategy still applied, Panaka's Secutor did not have an onboard starfighter garrison. But the Venator behind did have a healthy supply of starfighter squadrons. The width of the Virdugo Plunge's hull could allow the cruiser to shield the Venators while they deploy fighter squadrons to fight back against the two frigates and their Hardcell escorts.
"General Kenobi, how much of an air force did the 212th bring?" asked the Admiral
"Commander Odd Ball is standing by with Flight Group Seven, which accounts for a dozen V-19s, Z-95s and Y-Wing Bomber squads" responded Kenobi "a sizable force, but that won't do them any good without proper cruiser support, they'd have to stay within the debris to bring the Separatist frigates into our range of fire."
Indeed Obi-Wan was correct, not only that but the Munificent frigates will be able to target them before the Virdugo Plunge ca,e in range to return fire. With the cruiser unable to veer port or starboard thanks to the debris, Panaka's vessel did not have access to its full range. By that time the ship may already have taken catastrophic damage, its job of shielding the rest of the fleet becoming a moot gesture.
"We have to move somehow" Panaka muttered "can't go left, can't go right, but…" Panaka paused for a moment as he turned away from the bridge's viewing screen and instead looked to the ceiling "…up, we have to turn the ship ninety degrees upright!"
Obi-Wan already knew what Panaka was thinking "if we face the Separatist fleet with the underbelly of the cruiser, the bridge and all vital components will be shielded," said the Jedi Master with wide eyes.
"Exactly, General Kenobi," said Panaka, now with some added enthusiasm with the plan germinating in his head. "If we use the width of the Virdugo Plunge as a shield, we can deploy fighters from the Venators behind us, protecting their deployment by making us the central target."
"Though there are two ships," commented Obi-Wan "not even Flight Group Seven could stand up against their combined firepower."
"That is why I plan to take out the nearest frigate that comes in firing range," declared Panaka with a growing smile on his face.
"But with the Plunge's underbelly facing the enemy advance, none of its cannons will be able to shoot," Obi-Wan said. The Jedi was correct, like most Star Destroyers, the vast majority of turbo laser cannons and auto turrets were placed on the upper portion of the ship, with no armaments underneath. "Maybe we could angle a few proton torpedos, but the frigates would be able to target them before they made contact."
"We won't be using any protons," said Panaka "the underbelly of the Secutor has a secondary hanger that will be facing the enemy, and I just remembered that we have an SPHA-M Tank in inventory. If the Seppies draw the same conclusion you just did, they might not raise their shields immediately, hoping to fire all weapons in an immediate barrage. We angle the Artillery Tank just outside of the hanger, it'll fire a concentrated plasma beam right through the command bridge of the first frigate that comes in sight."
"You sound just like Anakin, Admiral" Obi-Wan joked, though in all seriousness, this plan had merit, the Jedi Master would have to tell his former Padawan of this tactic later. "Make it so Admiral."
The helmsmen and navigators began imputing the proper coordinates to tilt the bow of the Secutor Star Destroyer ninety degrees upwards. Meanwhile, in the underbelly hanger bay, a Clone Gunner aptly nicknamed 'Hot Shot' began piloting the SPHA-M Tank outside of the protective vacuum shield and into the void of space. To keep the tank attached to the Secutor, Hot Shot had the twelve legs of the vehicle magnetically climb upside down. Leaning out of the hanger bay, the immensely long barrel of the mass-driver beam cannon began triangulating the appropriate angle to hit the bridge of the first Munificent in range point-blank.
"This is Hot Shot, we're in position" radioed the gunner to Admiral Panaka.
"Excellent, standby for my order to fire" replied Panaka over the intercom.
"Copy that, Admiral" Hot Shot said before signing off.
Meanwhile, the Munificent frigate known as the Harrowing Sight was rapidly approaching the Republic cruiser. On the frigate's bridge, a TX tactical droid watched as Admiral Panaka's flagship began taking its unorthodox maneuverer. The Tactical Droid found the strategy immensely amusing, Captain Mar Tuuk encountered a similar tactical plan during the Naval Battle of Ryloth. The droid calculated that the Virdugo Plunge was attempting to paint itself as the central target while it shields clone fighter squadrons deploying from behind.
"Lower shields and program all automated turrets to prioritise Republic starfighter squadrons and proton torpedos" commanded the droid.
"Roger, roger" replied one of the many blue-painted battle droid pilots within the bridge of the Harrowing Sight. The automated turrets of the frigate began angling themselves just beyond the rim of the Virdugo Plunge's triangular form and waited for the predicted deployment of clone starfighter squadrons.
Obi-Wan contacted Admiral Block; the commanding officer of both the Negotiator and another Venator that was behind the Virdugo Plunge known as the Vigilance. Obi-Wan ordered the Admiral to open the hanger bay doors of both Venators under his command and ready Flight Group Seven for deployment on Admiral Panaka's signal.
The Harrowing Sight flew closer, edging closer to the SPHA-M's firing range. Both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Admiral Panaka held their breath in nervous anticipation. The second Munificent frigate adjacent to the Harrowing Sight was also priming its turrets for combat, with the escort group of Hardcell-class corvettes meeting in between the two frigates; forming a sort of net to prevent the starfighters from escaping.
"Ready forward turbolaser cannons, open fire on the Secutor" ordered the tactical droid "force the Republic's fighters into revealing themselves."
"Firing forward turbolasers" confirmed the battle droid pilot. As the droid spoke, the orders were programmed into the cannons, which began firing a steady barrage of orange laser blasts at the underbelly of the Virdugo Plunge.
"We are taking fire, Admiral!" said the Clone helmsman to Admiral Panaka.
Admiral Panaka radioed Hot Shot "Are we in range, gunner?"
"Sir…" Hot Shot paused "yes, sir" he declared.
"Open fire!" ordered Admiral Panaka.
Hot Shot immediately began charging the mass-driver beam cannon, a surge of blue energy glowing at the end of the tank's barrel. On the bridge of the Harrowing Sight, one of the consoles began beeping, picking up the energy signature of a charging mass-driver cannon.
"Impossible, the Secutor-class Star Destroyer has no-" before the tactical droid could finish, the SPHA-M tank fired its mass-driver cannon. An electric blue beam flew through the vacuum of space. The tactical droid suddenly realised what just happened "VEER PORT!" the droid tried to yell before the beam made contact with the bridge. A spectacular explosion cascaded through the bridge of the frigate, travelling into the base of the ship and causing numerous chain-reaction detonations. Massive kilometre-wide pieces of shrapnel shot out from the Harrowing Sight, crashing into some of the Hardcell corvettes nestled between it and the other Munificent frigate.
"Admiral Block! Deploy Flight Group Seven!" ordered Obi-Wan.
Within the hanger bay of the Negotiator, Odd Ball began revving the thrusters of his V-19 starfighter. "Alright boys, we're on! Let's give them a show!" said Odd Ball to the rest of the starfighters as they began flying out of the Venator, navigating through the debris field with great haste.
"Fire proton torpedos, let's give Flight Group Seven some support!" ordered Admiral Panaka.
The remaining three Hardcells began blasting at the proton torpedos, destroying them before they made contact with the hull of the last standing frigate. However, in focusing on the proton torpedos, the Hardcells were too distracted when Odd Ball and the rest of Flight Group Seven arced around the Virdugo Plunge and began charging at the Separatist forces. The naval battle had now officially commenced, with V-19's and Y-Wing squads now engaged with the Separatist fleet. Now, Obi-Wan Kenobi had to worry about getting the 212th infantry on Umbara's surface.