Anakin's POV
I get a lump in my stomach as we approach Malastare. It seems like a giant marble from where I am positioned, but is much more intimidating than a mere marble. There has been legends of jedi who travel there, and don't make it out alive. Of course, that was when Malastare was Seperatist occupied, and I have been to the planet before, but never without another jedi. Today it's just me, Rex, and the rest of the 501st.
I'm sure Obi-Wan would be here if he could, but he travelled to Kamur with Ahsoka and Shmi last night, and I haven't heard from him since. Sort of hypocritical since he always talks about being punctual and communicating with others, but I guess I cannot do anything about it now.
The scars from my surgery had healed fairly quickly, but I didn't get cleared for dispatch until a few hours after Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had left. I guess I could say that is why I am so nervous right now. As right after I was cleared from the infirmary, the council sent me here, drifting slowly into a foggy marble.
"General, shall we proceed?" Rex's scratchy voice pulses on the other side of my comlink. I suppose it would have looked like I was asleep at the controls from his fighter, rather than thinking harshly.
"Yeah, let's move, slowly. We don't want to attract un-nessacary attention." I say, wiping sweat from my neck and cheeks. The council had a claim from an anonymous source on Malastare that the Separatists had begun production on a blockade, unknown to the commanding officers there. Odd, but the council stated that they shouldn't take any chances. I guess that is why I was dispatched so urgently.
I scoot further towards the atmosphere of the planet, Rex and his men following very close behind me. As the clouds clear and the dense forest revealed, I see that the claim is ever too real: a circular blockade is being prepped for launch, several droids preparing it. Security is not very good, not even a tank is standing by for protection.
Upon seeing the limited defensive materials, I decide to reroute around the planet. This tactic seems way too simple, even for droids. We settle in swamp bush, where we discuss what our next step is.
"- Why give the clankers an advantage to get the blockade in the air? I say we slice them to scraps while we can!" I hear one of the rookies, Polish, say.
Another rookie, Siff, steps forward, "No way, the army is obviously planning something we don't see. I bet they have a huge missile prepped for our arrival."
I climb upon my starfighter, getting everyone's attention, "Now men, we can't be very sure what the droids have in store over there. The only way we can know is to some observing."
A rise in arguments ensues over the crowd, Rex trying to hush them.
"But General, that could be even more dangerous than attacking head on," yet another rookie, a little more familiar named Oz (who I can recognize from his single green eye) raises his hand is disagreement, "maybe we should think of another way to get information than hiding amongst the bushes."
I can't help but agree with Oz's theory. The droids over there might have bombs lining the area around them, and we all might have been just too dense to think of it.
I sigh, waiting for another wave of squabble to settle. "Now just hold on. Oz may have a point. They must have some serious artillery over there. Head-on observation is definatley more dangerous than I first thought."
"Wait right there, Skywalker."
We all turn quickly to the forest clearing, where a squad of yellow armoured clones prance out from the foliage. Some of Rex's unfamiliar clones point their weapons startled, but to me the voice is all too familiar.
"Well Master Dell, I can't say I'm very surprised to see you here," I say laughingly, shaking his hand, "Please, do tell us what your tactic is."
Dell takes my place atop my starfighter where he can let his deep voice echo across his and my legion of clones. I cringe as he tumbles sloppily atop the expensive ship, but I guess I need to refurbish it anyways.
"Men, what is the only real way to understand your enemy? Hm, hm, any guesses?"
Oz and Siff shakily raise their hands, getting a sense of respect all of a sudden.
"Yes, you!"
"Get to know your enemy?" Oz asks, soundly like a meek mouse amongst a field of vultures.
"Correct! So that is what we have to do, more or less. The droids are definitely hiding something under our noses. But I guarantee they would talk their little vocal boxes of if a stern, demanding general comes to observe." Dell explains, winking at me once he says general.
"What are you suggesting, General?" Rex asks, stepping forward, looking almost as confused as I am.
"I say, before doing anything drastic, we send in Master Skywalker here, to get the info on the droids little set up." Great. Just as I was getting used to the fact that we're on this planet, I'm now a guinea pig.
Later in the night, the whole group of clones take their places in the trees, while Rex and Flint cover a large cave a few metres back from our hiding place. Not sure why, but Dell had said that it was all part of his plan. He had also taken the task of disguising me enough to be unrecognizable to the droids.
He had popped out the visor of a trooper helmet, covered it in black soot from a carefully lit fire, and had patched my robes up with golden tassels and trinkets to look like medals.
Once the sun had set, and the moon was a sparkling plate in the sky, our plan came into action. Master Dell told me one last instruction before heading up into the trees:
"Now Anakin, these droids aren't your typical battle droids. After scans by my ship, it has shown that their minds have been made in penetrable by the mind trick. Don't think of using it, or you'll blow your cover. If all goes according to plan, immediately return to camp."
I agree, feeling a pit form in my stomach. After the rustle settles from inside the trees, I march prominently towards the droids base.
Maybe I'm not ready to go back into battle. I've never felt this way going into battle, and I sure do not like it. That feeling of when your throat feels covered in sand, both itchy and hot at the same time. Ahsoka had never told me she felt this herself, but then again she can sometimes over think situations, which cloud her true feelings.
As the sounds of tools and machinery get closer, I focus my thoughts on the task ahead of me, literally.
The droid's set up is definetly more complex from ground level from my speeder: several cannons, which were much larger and intimidating, are spread across the bay at random. A large armoury is heavily guarded, by two MagnaGuards standing at the ready. But the most surprising addition to the bay is the central command portal, right in the middle of the bay.
It is odd as I never believed these command portals to be portable, stationed only to cruisers. However, I cannot really focus on the unknown right now.
As I march pompously to a single command droid, several others lock eyes with me, turning to whisper to the nearest companion. I doubt they suspect anything, but I can't be very sure: my makeshift helmet makes it nearly impossible to see directly beside me. For all I know, the whole lot of droids could be pointing their guns at me and I wouldn't notice.
"You," I say to the command droid. He turns and stands at attention: I assume he believes me to be of a higher rank than himself, "state your identification."
"Uhh, B1 series commander, general." He mumbles, fiddling with his fingers, "what do we owe the unexpected welcome?"
I can hardly believe that this offbeat plan is actually working. I never knew the droids were this naïve.
"Mere inspection commander, but I must ask what exactly this is all for."
He doesn't answer at first. The droid glares around looking lost, like a schoolboy unable to conjure enough words to say next. Does he not know? Or is this whole plan about to become useless.
He finally leans forward, glaring at my medals. "Um, well uhh, can I ask your name, general? I just need a little more identification to tell you the plans in more detail than I would be able to otherwise."
My mouth goes dry. Identification? We had never planned any questions on my part. For some reason, I connect with a scaly lizard plopping his large webbed feet around the jungle ground.
"Drazil, General Drazil of the Seperatist Confederacy, one of the Count's personal cabinet" I jumble the letters of lizard backwards to create my façade, "Now what exactly is your purpose here, droid?"
"Well, the Count had sent a faulty distress call to the jedi, saying there was an armoured blockade in production. So were just here to carry out the alibi, of course these structures are nowhere near post-production. But they jedi wont suspect a thing, right?"
Alibi? So this whole mission was a mere ploy by Dooku, for an unknown reason.
"But what exactly is this whole plan for?" I ask, blocking the moving sun from entering my eyes.
"Well, that's phase two, so the Count says. This is all for the capturing of that jedi child. Shim or Schmidt I think the name is? As long as we have the jedi here, they can't protect the child. "
Once I reach for my saber, our plan comes to fruition. I slice through the commander, proceeding to slash at all the flabbergasted droids, too slow to reach for a gun. However, the heavily guarded armoury is suddenly opened like a monster's mouth: out quickly pops a silver cannon in a split second, a real one.
I dodge the first few explosions, nearly escaping the next: my helmet is blasted of my head and my brown hair flushes in the swirly smoke. I hesitantly run back into the forest, looking back only when the gunfire sounds close.
Soon, I reach the outpost where I see Dell perched high in the tree.
"Skywalker? What is-"
Clones fall from the trees, smashing to the ground in a fatal thud. One lands just near me, clinging to life while his leg is shrivelled from a grenade. I manage to push back the droids, but they regain balance and start to shoot again. Dell and I run further into the forest, some of the unwounded clones following close behind.
"Back to the cave, men; we'll be safe there!" I hear Dell yell over the explosions in the distance. I speed up my pace, now knowing where I am running to.
Once we run for a minute or two, the gunfire slowly stops in behind us. At first I think we should stop here, but we almost make a grave mistake:
A single orange glow spins wildly through the trees, looking like an enlarged bullet. It deflects off a tree, and engorges the area around with spitting flames. The fire spreads furiously, all of our men trying to outrun it.
We see the cave just metres ahead of us. The fire is right on our heels and we can't stop running. One clone trips and gets sucked into the mouth of the flames. Unfortunately, the one clone who tries to help him gets sucked in as well.
I start throwing clones into the cave with the force; careful to throw them light enough to simply land unharmed. Dell dives in mid-air into the cave, while I tackle I dumfounded Rex down away from the flames.
The wall of fire stops with all of us inside. It stretches over the mouth of the cave, becoming impenetrable. Most of the clones are alright. The only one who got injured was Polish: one side of his face is completely scorched and charred. He screams vilely as Oz and Siff spread some medical leaves on his burn.
I can't help but feel for the deceased: if I would have just kept calm back at the bay, no one would have gotten hurt.
So much for a good day back in battle.