"The Coming Storm"

The weather on Agamar wasn't the worse it had to offer. Where the conditions failed to harm many, the landscape would wear and tear a person's mind with its endless sea of snow and ice without a single break in sight. The only thing that the young officer could see as a landmark would be a large canyon that stretched for miles behind the Confederate's position. Hours had passed since the quick skirmish and droids were already taking up defensive positions however scarce they may be for the coming storm that was the Republic military, Wire, whom had arrived on the surface not too long after their battle was over, had been constantly checking comm frequencies and organizing different patrols and squads' composition to be as efficient as his processor could make them but he was no tactical droid. Sparks and a number of other droids had taken the liberty of gathering arms and recovering still useful droids for their forces while more and more droids were deployed on their location.

"Wire, can you tell me why exactly we need this planet?" Kvetina asked the droid as he was typing away at a datapad.

"Agamar serves as a staging point into both Confederacy and Republic space. Its resources and value are worthless compared to its strategic importance."

"Great, and now we have to defend it as its previous garrison was just about wiped out."

"Correct captain."

"Any word from command?"

"The CIS fleet from Onderon has been rerouted to join us here. Intelligence suggest another Republic fleet will likely try to take back the planet after losing contact with their token force."

"Let's hope you're wrong about that last one." The officer muttered to herself, pulling her cloak a little tighter to defend against the cool air. She contacted her ship in orbit, "Bit, how goes operations in orbit?" The Munificent had been quiet the last few hours but 4-Bit had made sure to regularly send all the droids from storage without fail.

"The last of the droids had been sent down Captain. It appears scanners seem to be picking up signatures from Hyperspace." She was surprised at the quick response the Republic had but now wasn't the time to wonder how they could do so, "Just as instructed, avoid confrontation at all costs and try to provide reports on the situation if possible."

"Roger, roger." He said. Kvetina shut off the comm, turning her attention to the many droids that surrounded the battlefield.

"Wire, Sparks, I'm going to need defensive positions made around the perimeter, trenches, hills, anything you can put together. The more the better. Take as many droids as you need to complete the task and prepare for combat with the coming week or hours even." The two droids nodded, taking their leave to rally more to their cause while the woman headed toward the incline they had arrived from. Out before her was a vast emptiness, a field of white with a cloudless sky, it would change soon after the first shot is fired but for now it would remain untouched by mortal or machine hands.

More hours had gone by without any sight or word of the enemy force. The Indomitable's scanners still registered the fleet in the system but nothing more than that. To make matters worse the chilly wind started to pick up, snow would swarm around the residents of the icy world and nip at any exposed skin it could find. Alas this was a matter Kvetina would face alone, perhaps the clones and Jedi would too wherever they were but the droids stood ever vigilant for any sign of the enemy. They would serve as her eyes as the storm started to devour the land around her and, being the only ones not too affected by the weather, it would be a time where the lone captain could do nothing but rely entirely on the droids. In a trench, an extra cloak draped around her, and an E-5 in her lap, Kvetina was not prepared for the winter season though admittedly she was not meant to stay planet side in the first place. She was just about to close her eyes for a quick nap until Sparks spoke through the now howling winds, "Clone speeders, two klicks North-East. I believe they are searching for their lost garrison." He said, putting his electrobinoculars down to grab his weapon. "At their speed they will arrive within minutes." Standing from her spot with snow stuck to her clothes, Kvetina looked out into the distance as much as she could but saw nothing but an approaching cloud.

"I don't see anything-" She began.

"The speeders are kicking up snow to use as cover, I am issuing the order to fire to all nearby droids." He interrupted. The commando droid took aim with his blaster pulling the trigger just as the silhouette of the speeders could be seen even by his owner. The thousands of other droids followed suit, spraying rapidly without much hope to hit anything as expected of most B1s. Sparks was right, and with the barrage of blaster bolts debris from nearly half a dozen speeders tumbled toward the droids' entrenched positions with the surviving ones taking evasive actions. With speed on their side the clones started picking off the droids one by one but even their superior combat prowess would not save them forever. Coming to her senses and rubbing the last of the melted snow and sleep from her eyes Kvetina took in all that was happening around her, barely able to keep up with the overload of information being taken in until finally the light show of red and blue died down. Still at a loss for the events that just happened the captain looked to her droids once more for explanation.

"What?" She asked in a confused tone having the battle start and end before she could even fire a shot.

"I suggest gathering your senses captain, the main force is on its way and off in the distance." Suggested Sparks with Wire now possessing the binoculars Sparks put down."

"I count two Republic AT-TEs, and thousands of clones on their way." Wire informed. Kvetina looked to the distance and with the cloud of snow faded and gone she could just barely see the haze that was the Republic army.

"When's the fleet from Onderon going to arrive?" She asked.

"I am unsure captain. Information on their departure from Onderon is not available to me." Wire responded.

"You could lie to me about it at least. You know, to get hopes up." Said a disgruntled captain.

"I am programmed to be incapable of lying to my master."

"Right. Sparks, situation report."

"We have lost three dozen droids in that encounter however I believe we may still achieve victory with our numbers and position." By now the Republic was just within range of the droids' weapons but on the opposite end of the spectrum the AT-TEs were certainly in range and within good accuracy of their intended targets. As expected the sound of heavy cannons were first to fire and within seconds they hit with an explosion each. In response the droids of the Confederacy opened fire with very few shots hitting their mark but even with the occasional death, the clones did not stop their advance toward the CIS. Plasma would evaporate pits of snow and ice little by little leaving a small river to form at the lowest depths of the recently made trench but the droids nor their leader paid much mind. Peeking her head beyond her haven of safety the Confederate captain watched as the clones took the first trench, the same strategy as she had pulled not too long ago.

"Sparks, toss me a Thermal. Both of you prepare for any clones that may leave that trench." After being tossed the explosive, Kvetina armed the silver grenade with the push and release of her thumb off the bright red button it was well known for (aside from its destructive potential). She threw it and watched it land just short its intended destination but roll the last few inches into the clone occupied trench. A few scrambled out from the snow and into the field hoping it would be safer than next to a primed explosive. They'd be right were it not for Sparks and Wire taking the shots not too long after. She opened a channel to the droids in reserve, "'A' through 'D' battalions, flank them. 'E' battalion engage as reinforcements for the front." She ordered. Even with her droids counting in the hundreds of thousands, her numbers were still being depleted even without the destructive power of the walkers. Things were turning out horribly as the Separatist defensive line could not hold against such skilled soldiers, so many droids on her line were lost to the point the officer couldn't get up without the risk of being shot by a dozen rifles. Kvetina began to move to a new position where moments later one of the AT-TEs' cannon rounds exploded meters behind her, the shockwave from the impact and detonation threw her forward and into the snow and still present small stream of freshly melted water.

AN: Just barely off schedule ah oh well. As always, enjoy!

~Firetoast312