Fourth was aware that he had lost some points with the rest of his squad scaring the jedi-child away, but it couldn't be helped. The jedi had an amazing talent for forming bonds to their troops...which he found very strange since they weren't supposed to form attachment, then again they probably didn't count clones as people to form attachments to...Fourth snorted at the thought.
And of course once the jedi did that the jedi managed to get the clone killed by doing some stupid noble sacrifice due to the jedi doing some great enterprise that often resulted in guaranteed casualties...none jedi if they couldn't help it of course.
Still, he wasn't worried about the irritation he had created within the squad, even if they weren't right now gathering for the briefing that would show his point they knew him too well not to question his decisions.
Huddling up around the holographic map the clones were all in their armour, helmets on. There was no reason for it really, but it had become a tradition, an almost religious action performed to ascertain their success in the mission ahead of them. This time they would really need it...
To his right, in one of the short ends of the large table that was the holographic map Wrench stood. His armour surprisingly pristine, even bereft of any choice colours on the shoulder pads, the man always changed any chipped part...which was his own little tradition. Fourth was sure the man was wearing a distant look under his faceplate.
Opposite him Lip and Cutter stood side by side. Cutter's green shoulder pads was the only thing immediately differing him from Lip's purple, though if he'd wanted to Fourth could count their heavily scarred armour's, using their old damages to tell them apart. Under their helmets Lip probably looked smug while Cutter scowled at the map...Fourth grimaced, he almost loved this squad as much as his 'true' pod-mates.
The grimace got worse, sadness gripping his heart for a brief moment...before he forcefully pushed it aside.
Ned was to his left, the clone advisor leaning unto the table with one hand as the other pointed at the little glowing dot in the middle of the map. "There the target base is, in the south-central area of sector B7. Atop mountain top T1B687."
The silence was deafening.
Realising none would say anything Ned continued. "As you are all aware of 7B is deep in enemy territory, as such the covert insertion will be done with minimum obstructive gear, small packs boys."
"Small packs? And what when we run out of explosives to blow doors? Or food when we're forced to take a detour?" Wrench asked, his tone close to whining.
"We improvise." Fourth growled back, silencing any further protests. "Continue advisor."
"As pointed out equipment will be an issue, as such there is a need for a straight path and a minimum of enemy engagements." Ned gestured for the area north of the small dot on the map. "As such you will need to move at maximum stealth through this valley, sniper's trench."
Lip flinched, fingers now drumming the table. "Maximum stealth? With unaccustomed jedi? Through sniper's trench?"
Ned shrugged. "Yes."
"Permission to speak freely." Wrench growled, head turning to Fourth.
Despite his better judgement Fourth nodded. "Go ahead."
"That's pretty fucking stupid."
Lip chuckled, giving his squad mate a small push. "Language mate! What are you? A trandoshan?"
"You don't really want to go there? Do you?" Was the reply, eliciting a slight chuckle from all assembled.
Forcing himself to focus Fourth spoke, knowing the squad didn't really want to hear anything more, but they needed to, if nothing else so they could understand the seriousness of the situation and properly prepare their minds. "Men, mission, attention."
"Yes sir." The other three intoned, turning to look at the advisor, probably in apprehension.
"Thank you sir." Ned offered the sergeant a curt nod. "Now, as mentioned the base is atop mountain T1B687." He pressed a button and the hologram changed from a map to a red three-dimensional picture of the base. It resembled a spider carrying three large boxes on its back. "The topmost area is atop the mountain and is mostly three large hangars containing roughly fifty-six percent of their air forces in the area." There was a grumble all around the table, they had all learnt to hate the carpet bombing of their foes long ago...
Lip motioned for the three boxes atop the 'spider'. "And we'll...?"
"You will not enter through it however." Ned interrupted, sensing the question. "The top is too far up to reach in a satisfactory way, especially with the large sensor presence around the area...entering there will lead to detection and annihilation." He instead pointed at the 'feet' of the 'spider'. "You will enter through one of these shafts, they are used for dispersal of ground forces and various special missions."
"More troops than the hangars?" Cutter grunted, voice neutral, which meant he was apprehensive, at best.
Ned hesitated for a moment. "We don't know." He tilted his head to the side. "It all depends on their mission-schedule and their interior guard detail, we have no information on that. We do know that it almost bereft of sensors and mines due to the traffic."
"Well that's great." Lip grumbled. "No good Intel, only that there's less sensors due to enemy traffic. If a spider droid pops up I'm not doing the distraction. How will we enter silently while an army is waiting in the corridors and elevators?"
"Improvise." Ned grunted.
"Improvise!?" Wrench and Lip cried out. The first shaking his head furiously. "How did this even get cleared!?"
"Jedi magics." Fourth replied, keeping his voice as neutral as he could considering his opinion on the matter, he would not have the jedi take the squad away from him due to him being uncooperative, no coming suffering could compare to that. "Please continue Ned."
"When you've located a suitable shaft and sneaked your way into the facility comes the hard part." Someone muttered a curse under his breath at Ned's words. "Locating count Dooku within the facility..." He gestured at the 'body' of the 'spider'. "...will not be easy, the jedi believe he will most likely be in the meditation lounge here...or their command centre here." He indicated the two spots, too far into the facility for anyone's liking. "And while I agree that there is a certain probability of that...there is a risk he's somewhere else, meaning a search is needed."
"Locating a lone individual in such a large place would require a heavy security breach in their computers." Lip muttered, his cheery disposition having evaporated long ago. "The risk of detection in a breach bigger than a door slice and sensor deactivation would be very high...and within that base..." He let the sentence go unfinished.
"At which point you must move quickly." Ned snapped. "We believe that when Dooku is captured you could force yourself out of the facility by keeping him at blaster or lightsaber point."
Lip snorted, he was probably rolling his eyes as well. "Yes, because the seps are known for their negotiating skills."
"And if the jedi do not succeed in capturing Dooku?" Cutter asked, voice low.
Ned raised a hand, apparently about to answer, then he lowered it. "We...have no containment plan."
"Because there is no viable containment plan." Fourth cut in, silencing the brewing protests. "Therefore we must succeed with primary objective, at all costs, understand?"
All around the table heads were bowed in affirmations, all of them understanding what he was asking of them. And due to a jedi no less...Fourth felt disgust swell up within him. Damn politics...damn jedi getting their high rank based on nothing but some strange power no one seemed to understand. Damn the war...
"Once you've captured the sith..." Ned continued, choosing to ignore the growing consternation among the men. "...you will hold him at weapon-point and leave the enemy base. He will be incapacitated and you will move quickly to escape any enemy ambush or rescue operation, at sniper's trench you can call for backup if needed, a task force will be ready to intercept you."
Wrench shook his head, hands leaning on the table. "That is probably the most stupid plan I've ever heard, and I've run sniping missions on a separatist cruiser's hull!"
"You haven't told me about that!" Lip pipped in, sounding happy all of a sudden. "That sound awesome!"
"Maybe he can tell you before we die." Cutter grumbled, arms crossed in front of him.
"We are not dying on this mission men." Fourth growled back, fists pounding into the table, making them flinch, he glared at them through his visor, knowing they would be aware of it. "Not for them!" He raised one of the fists, holding it out over the table. "Do you hear me brothers!?"
The others slammed their fists into the chest plates, straightening where they stood, their jokes and familiarity as blown away as they turned into the warriors they were bred to be. Their voices hard and without hesitation, force he loved them...
"Sir yes sir!"
