"Oh by the...how can any place smell this bad!?"
Weela's nose was stuck in a permanent wrinkle as she carefully made her way down a fallen tree trunk. To her left and right...and just about everywhere...there was the green sludge that apparently was supposed to be the only source of water around... That the animals around didn't get killed drinking it was a small miracle in itself.
Then again the animals were probably as disgusting as the swamp.
The commandos had, willingly, dipped themselves in the sludge, their armour now 'painted' green. Weela grimaced at them, half submerged in the green water the troopers had stayed silent for the journey so far, weapons trained against...nothing at all really. Talking to them had been useless so far as well...they didn't reply if they didn't have to, always looking over at the silent jungle around them.
Boc Fac chuckled as he stood at the end of the tree, holding his hand out to catch her as she approached. So far the two had managed to stay relatively clean, though the clone trooper boots the pair wore were now as green as the commandos. "You have clearly not met a hutt yet my padawan."
"If they smell as bad as this place I only have to assume that they're dying..." Weela gagged, desperately trying to think of something but the smell that refused to leave her alone for the last five hours. The only thing coming to mind was the weariness of holding up the concealment of theirs...which didn't help much. "I can't believe I'm already tired."
"It's the concentration, upholding our cover is draining." Boc caught her hand and pulled her off the tree trunk and unto relatively steady ground, ahead of them the commandos silently slid out of the water, weapons trained ahead. Wait...why did she only see three of them? "I feel it too, but do not worry, it will be easier after tonight."
Weela shook her head, letting her master guide her onwards after the commandos. How did they even know where to go? Everything looked the same! Perhaps they had some sort of compass in that helmets of theirs? "If you say so master...and we're stopping for the night?" She couldn't stop herself to have a tone of hopefulness in her voice, sleep would be nice...
Boc laughed. "Oh not for quite some time, we must make our way past the first separatist lines before we can rest." He noticed Weela's glum look and laughed even more. "Don't sulk padawan! Some exercise would be good for you!"
Not bothering to point out that she was as fit as any jedi Weela merely muttered something under her breath...and made sure she didn't walk on that small mushroom to her right. Last time she had done that she had barely avoided the resulting explosion of slime...
"Please keep it down." Looking over she found one of the clones look at them, it was hard to tell who due to their armour...but it sounded like Wrench. "We are closing unto separatist lines, and this place is known for their many sentries."
"My apologies." Boc bowed even as the pair marched on, their feet sinking into the soggy ground with each step, making the walk straining even without the effort of maintaining their concealment...Weela realised she had begun to pant, as had her master.
An instant later one of the clones dropped to his knee and raised a clenched fist, making them all duck on instinct, ready for anything. Curious Weela watched the clone tilt his head, listening to something, despite the place being eerily silent...a few seconds passed before the trooper got to his feet and spoke up, it was Fourth, of course: "Cutter has successfully knocked out two droid sentries ahead, we move silently by now." He looked back at the two jedi. "Am I understood?"
Weela forced herself to smile as she nodded. "Of course, we'll do as you say."
"Excellent padawan, diplomatic." Boc applauded her quietly while smiling at her.
"I said silence." Fourth snapped, apparently having heard the small piece of praise, Weela shot him an irritated look. "Follow." Oh, so he got to speak?
Following the three troopers Weela found herself hurrying to keep up. Having to walk on firm land while they simply waded through water reaching up to their shoulders was part of it, but mostly it was due to the commandos having increased the pace. For some reason she found it very worrying.
Then she saw something ahead, something white...
Moments later they stood among the remains of dead clone troopers. Weela cringed back, though she was used to dead people by now...she never really liked it, especially not when they looked like this.
Half submerged in the ground two dozen clone troopers lay dead, their armour stained by rust and plants that had begun to grow on them. One trooper's helmet had been torn off by a small shrub, the thick vines digging right through a gaping wound in his cheek...another had something growing out of the wound in his chest...Weela looked away, swaying slightly where she stood.
"Snipers sir, lots of them." The voice belonged to Cutter, the clone commando appearing right out of the water, sludge pouring off him. The 'camouflage' of his had been scorched in the chest, probably from a blaster shot, but he didn't look bothered by it...and it was already beginning to disappear under the new coat of sludge... "I got two but I believe others are still hiding in the area."
"Dormant?" Fourth asked, head turning left and right as he crouched down by one of the downed troopers, his hand came down to the head of one of them, grabbing a hold of something at the back of the dead man's helmet. A yank and he freed a rust covered little badge and held it aloft before him. "My tracker shows nothing."
The other clone nodded, moving to yank another badge from one one of the dead clones. "Yes sir, I am unsure of the activation zone...recommend moving around."
"No, it will take too long." Was is just Weela or did the other commandos cringe at that? "Get their badges and then we'll move out."
Watching three commandos start gather more of those little badges while the Fourth kept watch Weela couldn't help but ask: "What are you doing? Is that their identifications?" She glanced over at her grimacing master. "Shouldn't we bury them?"
"No time I'm afraid." Boc admitted, looking away.
Weela grimaced, looking over at the commandos looting the dead. It didn't seem right just to leave the dead here, to be eaten by animals and plants, as if their sacrifice meant nothing...
Fourth snorted. "There's never enough time." With a grunt he pried the tag off another helmet that had been partly covered in stringy lichen. "Besides, it's just a waste, they knew what to expect when dying."
"You're a very cold man." Weela muttered, pulling her robes closer to her, why were they escorted by these clones again? They were scary... "Why even bother to get their tags then?"
The commando snorted. "It's my job, and confirmed deaths is good, they help us getting more reinforcement."
Cold...
"Heh, not like we have any widows wanting closure." Lip spoke up with a chuckle even as he practically tore the head of one his fallen comrades in an effort to get the man's badge. They couldn't have been dead for long, yet they were already half rotten...Weela swallowed.
Boc was apparently equally bothered by the situation, bereft of his usual smile he pulled his robe tighter around himself. "Perhaps we should proceed...?"
"Yes sir." Fourth pulled the last tag free, the neck of the dead trooper snapping under his boot. "Moving on..."
