Chapter II

The down draft of the air car blew through the ventilators of the clone's helmets, as it sped away after dropping Jedi Tyre off. His tan robes swirled around him and ruffled his hair.

"Jedi Tyre," Zero said. "We are ready to depart as soon as you are."

"Alor'ad, captain," said a clone working the terminal. "You transport is ready, good luck."

"Vor entye alor'uus, Thank you corporal," Zero replied. "Boom, Klank lets get the rest of the gear in, Six, prime the engines we're heading out." The engines roared to life, as the last of the gear was hauled in. "Jedi Tyre, if you would get on board please." Zero and Valdar marched up the ramp and Six activated the repulsors.

"This is Coruscant Air Traffic control to IIB AA-00, we are sending an ascent corridor."

"Thank you control, can you alert our escort squadron that we are en route," Six asked.

"Already done, control out."

As the IIB transport reached the outer limits of Coruscant's atmosphere and cleared the planetary shield, seven ARC-170s formed up on the IIB's six.

"Su cuy'gar alor'ad, hello captain," said the wing-leader. "It is an honor sir!"

"Thank you clone," Zero replied. "What's your operating number?"

"EX-0338, sir."

"Mouth?" Boom asked. "It's been awhile!"

"Yes, that's my name," Mouth replied curiously. "Tion'ad? Who are you?"

"Ne takisi ni Mouth, Don't insult me Mouth. This is SO-5700, Zero."

"My apologies sir, I was only told what I was escorting, not who."

"Cuy ogir'olar. It doesn't matter. Do you have the jump coordinates?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, see you on the other side."

The squadron left hyperspace in complete formation not wavering even a centimeter. Before them lay the Fondor shipyards where their target would make it's last stop to refuel before going to Mustafar. In utter silence they switched on their targeting computers and all received the same message:

"The vase is cracked. The nest now has hawks."

Six turned to face Zero, with a look of bewilderment.

"Sir, does this doesn't mean…does it?"

"Yes, alert the fighters," Zero replied. "We've got a counter trap." Zero went to the keyboard. "Tell them to keep calm. I'm getting more information as we speak."

"Yes sir."

Zero keyed in a return message to the frequency of the one he had received.

"We are in the stream and are swimming without any sharks." Zero sent.

"Sharks hide until they smell blood from out system." Said the reply message.

"Sharks are various and we are blind."

"Odd sharks with three fins stalk until first blood."

With that Zero severed the connection and turned to his squad. "Patch in the fighters, they need to here this." Six flicked two switches on the control board and the comm crackled to life. "Are we secure?" He asked Six.

"More then a Hutt's wallet."

"Good, alright listen up, I'm not sure how much time we have. Some how the word got out about this operation. We now have about a squadron of Tri-Fighters waiting just out-system for us waiting until we attacked to jump in. This is the plan: Mouth, you and two others go in and attack the freighter, we'll hang back just out of sensor range, and in the traffic of the dock lanes until we get your signal that the Tri-Fighters are in-system. Acknowledge."

"Copy that Zero," Mouth replied. "Peewee, Slash, follow on my wings."

"Zero," shouted Klank. "Mouth just signaled. The enemy fighters are in-system."

"Right, Boom, Ghost," Zero said. "Power up the cannons, we're heading in."

"Brace yourselves," Six warned. "We'll be in range in 5…4…3…2…1…mark!"

The targeting computers on each of the cannon's sprung up targets and tactical information as the IIB and remanding ARC-170s moved out of the docking traffic and in to a wedge formation. Two ARCs, pulled off and fired on the two Tri-fighters tailing Mouth, Slash and Peewee. Three salvos from each turned them into superheated dust clouds. The other two flew on the wings of the IIB and covered it as they flew in for a close pass along the freighter firing off ion salvos, taking it's shields out quickly. Five more enemy fighters remained. Mouth and Slash passed under the freighter and came up behind them firing two torpedoes. The IIB's tail cannon, with Boom inside, took care of one more, and its two wingmen took out the last two. The freighter was defenseless and quickly incapacitated.