Qiilura
A clearing was made just in time, the rubble moved; large amounts taken by the locals to reinforce their own insubstantial buildings. Maze did not begrudge them that. The GAR would provide its own portable barracks the troopers could erect and inhabit within hours.
Now he had reports to prepare.
The 35th Infantry were on their way.
.
Maze observed the LAATi's drop out of the atmosphere to the clearing; the new officer in charge, Commander Levet, jumped out of the first LAATi down. Maze looked for a Jedi behind him, none came.
"Sir!" Maze saluted. The Commander had a reputation as a dependable soldier, a good leader, looked after his men; he was a good brother.
"This way sir. The General's with the Commander in the building designated as your Command post, if it's to your satisfaction. It's big enough for a Garrison with room to expand. We have been using it as an HQ for the last couple of weeks. Imbraani's still insecure but a couple of more days and the last of the militia will be out."
Levet saluted back, "Thank you Captain. Walk with me."
Maze turned and accompanied him.
"Details please."
"The building allocated for the Garrison was Lik Ankkit's villa sir. Its in a strategic position, easily defensible. A little worse for wear now. He wasn't that bothered when he left. I've cleared it of booby traps."
"Thank you Captain."
"When Hokan, the Leader of the militia, died they lost purpose and the neimoidians didn't have the stomach to push them. He cleared out with what he could carry, more interested in that sir. Apparently they lost some of their contracts."
"Any militia stragglers?"
"A few as far as we know. Some of the farmers have complained of looting, as they retreated but we have not seen any here. Some of the younglings have been out scouting for us and nothing's been reported back and we've had a few losses so far, Sir. But now would be the first time a recce of the whole plant could be done."
"Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, Leveller's heading straight off to get reinforcements for us. No time for a planet wide aerial reconnaissance."
"Shab." Maze cursed and pulled out his datapad. "Here's the numbers sir. Who's trained and what on."
Levet scanned some of the figures. "Can we trust them?"
"We've vetted them as best we can." Maze replied, "One of the Jedi has done whatever they do to confirm whether or not they were loyal, or lying. Only accepted ones vouched for by others, which means they're mainly human. The majority have been loyal; we had a few who took the money but the Qiilurans dealt with their own, Sir.
"Hmm." Levet continued to scan through the report, it would be exactly as Maze said, "But the training on those high spec armaments, a little risky?" Levet continued.
"Orders, sir." Maze clarified.
"The General?"
"No higher."
Levet nodded, knowingly.
"The Jetii?"
"Sir?"
"What are they like?"
"Surprising, sir."
"Very tactful, Maze."
.
"Hey Captain Handsome!"
Suki jogged up to him, followed closely behind by one of the younglings who had been out scouting. A lanky ginger haired youth, who looked to be the clone equivalent of a seven year old.
"I knew that would make you stop." Suki said, as she slowed down on reaching him. Her rifle slung over her shoulder.
"Sir!" The youngling saluted him and meant it.
"Report Jag."
"Militia sir. Some remnant. I know cos they're Weequay. I've seen 'em before."
"How many lad?" They had turned heading back towards where Jag had been scouting.
"I counted twenty. Near old Lorgan's place."
Maze recalled the building.
"It's been empty since he died." Suki explained, "Not secure enough to be used for a cache. So not sure what they're using for it."
"It was clear two days ago, I checked." Jag added, "Just like you trained us sir."
"Thank you lad."
They reached the brow of the hill and dropped to their stomachs crawling to the brow. Maze pulled out his scopes and focused in on the figures.
"They're well armed lad. Well done."
He swept the area below him, as a number of militia, milled about moving crates but that was all he could see from this vantage point.
"Definitely not here two days ago?"
"No sir, all clear. I used the barn to shelter from the storm. So definitely empty. No sign of 'em."
"Wonder where they could've been?" He muttered. "Unless they had transport they would've been within the scouting area." Speaking his thoughts aloud.
He activated his helmet Com — nothing—although his helmet was working now. He was being jammed.
"Jag. I need you to get this information to the General and Commander Levet, as quick as possible. Can you do that?"
"Yes sir."
"Be careful lad." He watched as the youth scuttled off towards the Garrison. He was making good time heading down there.
"He's a good lad." Maze noted.
"So he should be. He's my brother."
Maze gave her a quick look; he could see the pride in her face.
"Let's see if we can work around and find if there are more men or equipment that they're hiding."
.
Twenty minutes later and they had skirted around the barn mapping out the area currently occupied by the Separatists. Suki and Maze were on their stomachs again.
"We're going to have to stop doing this Maze, people will talk."
"Doing wha…" he didn't finish realising she was joking.
"Ha. Got 'ya."
"Shh!" He heard something.
Now he knew why the troopers called droids clankers.
"B1 battle droids." he muttered. "They must have landed them after Leveller left."
They scrambled backwards, into the undergrowth.
"We need to warn the Jedi and Garrison. They aren't at full capacity yet." Crouching they worked their way back towards the barn. The only problem being that the quickest way was to cross open ground. He didn't think they had another twenty minutes from the sound of the Clankers.
They reached the halfway point, when the blasts started; he was thankful that Clankers couldn't react quickly enough to hit them, if they kept zig zagging but that was the thing the droids used overwhelming odds to defeat the troopers. Then he heard an unfamiliar sound—shum!
"Get to cover Captain. We will deal with these!"
"Sir?"
"Levet's on his way."
He was surprised to see the General and Padawan batting away with unerring accuracy, the blaster bolts that were heading towards them.
Maze turned and started firing at the B1's they had a chance now.
"Suki— you get to the barn. We'll be there soon." He sensed her leave.
They dropped into a rhythm. Maze fired, the Jedi stopped the blaster bolts. It was like a well choreographed dance and they seemed to be pushing them back, gradually gaining ground.
Maze was in his element, this was what he had spent years training for and it felt good.
"Captain, I thought I ordered you to cover."
"With respect Sir. All of us working together is better. Besides I'm expendable, you're not."
"You may be a soldier and soldiers die, but no one is expendable." He shouted back.
Maze hesitated for a second; despite being an Alpha ARC, that comment went against everything he had been taught. "With respect.."
"With respect Captain, now is not the time or place to discuss semantics."
The Jedi pushed even further in front of Maze, batting the blaster bolts away with ease. Maze had to admit it was impressive seeing the Jedi fight like this.
Then they came, yet another wave of droids.
"Retreat. Regroup….Sir." Levet cried.
Zey took up the call and they raced zigzagging back to the barn.
.
The attack reached them, Maze couldn't see where the General was now; the last time he had seen him he and Levet were heaving an E Web up the side stairs of the Garrison. Intel hadn't indicated that the militia still had a number of members on planet, nor that they were this organised. Jag's details plus his and Suki's recce had showed nothing like this, only a small team a few miles away, unless the Separatists had brought in reinforcements—the only explanation.
An aerial reconnaissance could have helped prevent this.
"We need to get better at that." He grunted, as he hit the Weequay point blank. Their shrill screams had surprised him when he first blasted them, his training hadn't prepared him for that but now he was used to it.
He, Suki, Tur-Mukan and several others took refuge in the barn, he shouldered the doors shut and dropped the locking beam down. They moved to the walls of the barn, as the Commander switched off her lightsaber.
"What now?" Asked Suki.
"We wait." He replied, "The General and the troopers have the heavy artillery to take them out we don't."
It had gone eerily quiet outside; they all looked at each other. Then they heard them.
"Sorry Maze, what did you say," Commander Tur-Mukan was shouting by his side, batting away the blaster bolts again. The GAR and Republic didn't appear to have worked out the confusion caused by having different types of Commanders.
"We need to get better at obtaining the correct Intel." He fired his blasters alternately allowing them to cool slightly but still keeping up a barrage of shots at the droids, summoned by the militia. They had been closed down when the Separatists had left the system and the militia reinitialised and controlled them.
Blaster fumes filled the barn, together with the smell of burnt flesh and melted droid metal. Tur-Mukan was holding her own and finally he heard the stuttering screeches of heavy guns. Levet and Zey had reached the roof, and were attacking from above.
His adrenalin was high, as he continued to blast at the droids, although a few droid poppers would have been useful. He must requisition some more, if they were going to go one on one with droids.
"Fierfek!"
An SBD entered, there had never been any mention of those and Omega hadn't sighted any. Suki, next to him, went down, he stepped in front of the body to protect her, if still alive; she was a good pupil, excellent shot, sniper material, even if she had insisted on calling him 'Captain Handsome'.
Still firing he could feel the heat from his DC17 blasters now, he'd have to get another power pack in both of them soon, before they overheated. He fired his last blast with one, holstered it, retrieved a power pack and dropped to one knee, simultaneously ejecting the almost empty power pack, jamming the new power pack in and started firing again. He repeated the action with his other blaster. Leaving only seconds when he wasn't firing something.
Those few seconds prompted Tur-Mukan to do something different. Incredulously he saw her swing the Concussion rifle she carried, in front of her in preparation to fire. His shouted warning went unheard as she pulled the trigger; the resulting concussive energy charge imploded on impact with the SBD, affecting at least 5 meter radius, sending out a burst of energy and flinging everyone outwards. Maze's HUD went black from the energy charge.
"Fierfek!" He swore as something tore into his side, or rather he hit something and then something else hit his chest, he could barely breathe, couldn't move and was blind.
"Fierfek!" He cursed into the darkness.
.
Med Bay
Leveller, en route to Coruscant
Maze blinked several times, had he been in stasis again?
Body check.
Something was wrong— back injury, chest injury.
He tried to push himself upright and grunted from the searing pain in his side. No, it had been Bacta. He should have known by the taste in his mouth. Those seconds in the barn, before it went black came back to him.
"Serves you right, don't move till I tell you."
Aw Kriff! a clone medic. The worst. At least you could kick a droid.
He leant back, slowly, feeling something pull at him. He lifted the sheets. Kriff!. He hated catheters.
"How long?" He asked, dropping the sheet back.
"Two days on Qiilura. The two Jedi kept you alive, took it in turns, according to Commander Levet. Don't ask me how, but what I could do with that power. Four days in Bacta. It was touch and go with your Liver, some nasty toxins, but it responded well to the Bacta. You're lucky. We were en route bringing reinforcements for the Garrison." The medic pushed more pain meds into his line. "There. Should be better soon."
He dropped the used phials on a tray, then lifted the sheet. "Let me get rid of that, just don't do to me what you did to the med droid." He gestured to the corner, where a decapitated med droid lay. "We had to sedate you again." He carefully pulled out the catheter then pulled off his synth gloves before sanitising his hands.
"What do you expect?' Maze asked, "a droid was the last thing I saw before it went black?" Although he couldn't remember doing that to the med droid.
The medic snorted, "Yeah, they should have thought of that, we get through a lot. Good job they're interchangeable but it's usually the head that goes." He disposed of the catheter and bag, "Some nasty little bugs on that planet, you know. I'm going to fumigate the whole bay when you leave." He came around and tidied Maze's sheet
"Are there really little furry animals that can eat you and are full of bacteria on that planet?"
"Gdans." Maze replied, "Nasty little buggers."
The medic shuddered.
Maze decided all medics were odd. Must be something in their growth jars. He relaxed a little as the pain finally subsided and he felt more comfortable.
The medic placed a disposable urinal for him on the side. Maze eyed it suspiciously. He wasn't going to use that, he would walk to the fresher.
"There's someone to see you. A Jedi."
Maze adjusted himself to make him more presentable to Zey.
"Hello." Tur-Mukan entered. "How are you feeling?"
"Like something's been stuck in my back and I've been shot in my chest."
She smiled, tentatively.
Shit. She thinks I'm joking.
"Captain. I apologise. I ignored your warning."
"Yes, ma'am. You did."
At least she has apologised.
"The General and the Garrison?" He asked.
"Commander Levet has taken over command and the Garrison is up and running. We're heading back to Coruscant now. Further orders."
"The General?" Maze needed to know where he was.
"In conference with the Council."
"Good to barn? Suki?" He asked.
"The red haired woman?" She checked with him.
He nodded.
She shook her head, "I'm sorry."
"She was a good sniper."
They were quiet for a few seconds.
"It's General now." She told him. "The Council accepted that I have passed my trials on Qiilura.
"Congratulations, Ma'am." He could play nice. "A word of advice General."
"Yes?"
"Listen to your Clone Commander next time."
"I will. Thank you Captain."
"And General. Thank you."
She frowned.
"Back on Qiilura, the medic tells me you saved my life."
"Anytime Captain." She swept out of the med bay. He leaned further back onto the pillow.
He never thought he would say this but he would miss the red haired woman, Suki.
He felt the subtle change in the engines, as the hyperdrive engaged, planning when he would able to start training again. Despite what the medic said.
.
Coruscant,
GAR Medical
Maze woke. He felt warm.
Body check.
Still not fully recovered.
He'd rather forget the end of the Qiilura Mission, with Generals Zey and Tur-Mukan. He was injured, through inexperience. Just because the General had fought with Republic Commandos once, she thought she knew what all clones were like; she had apologised and, he hoped, learned from the experience.
He was an Alpha, a one man army; this injury had led to an enforced period of convalescence, forced inactivity which was galling to him.
"Captain Maze." General Zey took only a few strides to get by his bedside, he tried to salute but the General waved his hand away. "I understand you're arguing with the trained medical professionals in this establishment."
Traitors.
"I just said that I could do my role as an aide, perfectly well and complete my physical therapy during my downtime."
"That's not what I heard."
"Well, I may have used different words."
He thought the General nearly smiled.
"Qiilura. Commander Levet has it all in hand now."
"Yes sir."
"I need you fully recovered Captain. You need to complete the physical therapy first. That's an order. You're no good to me injured."
"Yes sir."
He lay back resigned to his fate.
.
He needed to do something, after his physical therapy. He'd tried training but the medics caught him several times doing over and above the allotted reps and now watched him like a hawk, so he was at a loss.
He started watching the Holonews and found it repeated itself on a loop, every 90 minutes and was cleansed for the general populace; he could not see the point of the asinine holovids that some of the other troopers in the therapy area watched. Cartoons! Privately, he thought they addled your brain if you watched too many. If he couldn't exercise his body, he could exercise his brain.
He walked slowly to the small reading room and sat; he should be recovering quicker than this, he thought as he flicked through the holozines but there was very little that interested him. He picked up the latest 'Mens's Health and Fitness' Holozine, thinking he may get some details on lesser training he could do and started reading.
"Fek you can see where they have implants." He muttered looking at one image. He needed something with more intellectual meat in it. Flicking through the guest features, he found a small essay on the Republic Political scene interesting; it intrigued him.
Every day, after physical therapy, he read, devouring all he could find on Republic politics, Senate, Judiciary and Chancellorship, the history and processes. The Holonet was full of it but he knew it could be tampered with, having sliced in and tampered with some of it himself, when he was bored one afternoon.
"So Captain, a few more days they say." The General Jusik watched him closely.
"Yes sir."
"So what have you been doing with your time?"
"Reading but I've exhausted everything."
"Non fiction, Captain?"
"Yes."
"Even on the Holonet?"
"Yes."
Jusik frowned, "You could try the University library. They have the largest texts available and some original flimzi documents still exist there."
"Thank you General." The idea that he could read non redacted original documents on flimzi fascinated him.
He made his request through the normal channels and was refused; some bureaucrat, Devro, at the library decided his request not research worthy, apparently it was only a research library but it had everything that he needed.
.
It was dark in the medical centre when Maze accessed his datapad, inserting his slicing tool into the port, watching for the medics, they were bound to stop him. He scrolled through the sections until he found it – there - University Galactic Political and Historical Library.
The slicing tool worked, as it went through the protocols, overriding them and finally, he was in. There was a huge amount of work in their catalogue, much more than he originally thought. Just what he wanted. He tried to access it.
Another Security protocol came up; the slicing tool struggled, it was checking who was accessing. He pulled the slicing tool out immediately.
It had more security than the Chancellors office, the Coruscant Guard logo popped up and he just managed to avoid it, he hoped. The last thing he needed was Thire on his back, nosying around. He'd done some research on Armand Isard and he wasn't impressed; that man had too much power in the Intelligence Community and Thire had been working for him. He also didn't want Republic Intelligence being tipped off, he didn't trust them, even though they and SOB were both fighting on the same side, it sometimes didn't appear so. SOB were under the Jedi control and Isard had already made several attempts to gain control of it; he couldn't afford to give them a way in. He didn't trust him, the man made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end; Jango said it was a soldiers sixth sense.
He had set his mind on reading those documents and it was a matter of pride, so nothing was going to keep him out of the Library once he was mobile.
.