Location: Inside the GARD Hangar, Quantico Station, 41 days ABG, Earth year 2035, May, 25th, 3:10 pm:
Riot found his way into the cabin of the cruiser. He was keen to discuss Julia, she was preoccupying his mind. Jumps on the other hand thought it better he speak to either Tens or Right'eye, 'they would know what to do,' he had said. Either way, his dilemma would have to wait, a battle was looming.
'What the…'
Riot found himself looking at his two older brothers sitting down intimately. He was so startled it took him a moment to figure out exactly what it was they were doing. His cheeks burned red with embarrassment.
Of course Riot knew Tens and Right'eye were close and what they were doing wasn't wrong. Cuddling wasn't quite the right word for it; neither was sleeping together, so Riot decided they were just resting. Taking a break, however small from the crazy adventure they were all on.
Riot looked away for a moment, realizing that he had inadvertently walked in on some much-needed private time. In this one man army, privacy didn't exist, there was always someone around; time alone was a rare and treasured commodity.
'I should leave; they're still asleep… wait! The droids are coming; I need to get them ready…. Fek! Well, kriff, if I have to wake them up one way or another, I might as well make the best of this wonderful opportunity.'
Positioning himself so he could run out of the ship if need be, Riot woke them up.
"So, ner vode, how long have you two been dating? I had my suspicions but now, well, without a doubt…"
Tens and Right'eye's eyes opened and immediately locked onto the shinie. Riot could see the anger in their brown eyes and the red of embarrassment on his brothers faces. Luckily for the young trooper he had positioned himself perfectly. A table meant guaranteed safety, for the time being anyway.
"Riot," Tens growled getting ready to pounce on the shinie, "I would get your sheb's moving if I were you…."
Riot, smiling, had one more joust to make at his brothers expense.
"Maybe it's too late to ask but would you mind making it a threesome?"
Riot was running before he even finished the sentence. Fast as a gundark he was down the ship's ramp. It was a good thing he ran too, for Tens and Right'eye had jumped up and tried to grab the trooper. Tens pursued Riot to the beginning of the ramp but stopped. Despite being thoroughly annoyed, he couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Let him go. We'll catch up with him later."
Right'eye chuckled a little, "you've got that right ner vod."
They went over to grab their helmets; right before Right'eye placed his on, Tens noticed it again. The same look of concern that passed over his brother's face earlier in the day. The 'there's something worrying me but I'm not telling you because I'm a di'kut' look.
"Okay, what's up? Is there something wrong with my face or are you just suddenly fascinated by your own?"
Right'eye just tilted his helmeted head to one side, giving Tens the impression he was getting that 'look' again.
"It's nothing we have to worry about right now. Let's get to the others; Riot wouldn't wake us up for nothing, even if he is a kriffing di'kut," Right'eye replied hurrying out of the ship before Tens could argue the point.
After a few moments of thought Tens clipped his helmet to his side and jogged down the ramp after his brother.
Location: Undisclosed West Coast Naval Base, 3:08 pm:
"Sir, are these orders confirmed?" a naval officer looked up in shock from the data pad his Commander had given him.
"Afraid so, never thought I'd see the day we'd actually have to do this."
The young officer just tilted his head, and looked back to the orders.
"But this seems a little excessive sir, don't you think? Overkill even?"
The Commander laughed which seemed odd given the circumstances.
"Overkill, really?" he questioned sarcastically, "Well, maybe, but it's the President's direct orders. She's enacted the Solus Protocol."
"Oh, it's that bad?"
The young naval officer looked worried; he was afraid what might happen if they failed.
"I can't answer that, but when the time comes, even if we don't get confirmation, you have the authority to fire, just don't miss, okay."
The young officer nodded and saluted his Commander.
"We don't miss, sir. Actually with these, it's not possible to miss."
The middle-aged Commander smiled, the boy was right.
"Good. Report to your post and get the men ready. I'll deal with locking the base down. We don't want any interference when the time comes."
The Naval officer nodded before turning to go. Just before he reached the Commander's office doors he turned around.
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what about China?"
The Commander leaned forward in his chair with solemn features.
"I'm afraid that's above your pay-grade, son. But if you must know I have assurances they won't interfere, they wouldn't want to start a world war."
The officer nodded slightly. He knew what the Commander said wasn't the full truth of the matter, but that was his problem, as for himself, he had a duty to carry out.
Location: Quantico Green Defense Fuller Road Blockade, 3:09 pm:
Speed and Roy had no problem getting to Yellow defense, warning them, and then continuing on to their Commander at Green. Unbeknownst to the two Marines, Orange defense had already fallen and Yellow was in the throes of being overrun.
Speeding up to the barricades on Fuller Rd, they slowed their Humvee down and stopped. Jumping out, they looked at the most heavily fortified part of all the defenses. It was impressive and almost impossible to get to the other side. They could see hundreds of MARS carbines pointing past them down the road from in-between all the sandbags and Jersey barriers.
"Hey, you two? Yeah you! Get over here," a Marine motioned from the woods just north of the road barricade. Heading over, the other Marine disappeared through a small gap in the wall, they followed. The scene that greeted them was one of immense relief and confusion.
In front of them stood just on a thousand Marines and this didn't include the few hundred or so they had just passed. There shouldn't be that many.
"So where did you guys come from?" asked the Marine that had brought them into Green Defense.
"Where's Commander Atkinson?" Roy asked, "We need to see him immediately."
The other Marine, pointed towards a well fortified command center farther down the road behind all the men, tanks and rail guns.
Both Roy and Speed quickly made their way over. Just before they were about to enter; the Commander, marked by insignia on his special op's armor, came out and met them face to face.
"Sir!" they both stated, before standing at attention.
"At ease, Marines. What is it?"
They quickly glanced at each other before Speed spoke.
"Sir, were from the Q-double-C under direct orders from Colonel Gregson. We have information that may prove invaluable."
Sighing the Commander waved a hand to the command center, "After you Marines, we have a lot to discuss…"
Location: White House Oval Office, 3:04 pm:
Needless to say the Presidents resolve to stay above ground dissolved utterly when the first droid forces started marching out of the transports, it was time to evacuate.
"Mrs. President, Vice President, please follow us," a Special Ops soldier stated, looking disapprovingly at the Marine who had failed to complete his earlier mission.
Lisa looked one last time south towards the thousands of metallic droids wrecking havoc on the city. Smoke bellowed and red blaster fire could be seen pelting into anything that resembled a building. On top of all this a mid-afternoon thunderstorm was rolling in, casting an unnatural light. Sighing she nodded her head. She couldn't stay here; it was suicide to do so.
The leader of the Special Ops unit nodded his head approvingly; it would have been much more difficult for him if she didn't come willingly. It was at that moment that a loud bang of an explosion and its shock wave rattled the windows of the White House, before all power went out. Seconds later red emergency lights flickered on illuminating the rooms in an eerie red glow.
"Okay, let's move it, do you have everything you need, Sir?"
Lisa nodded as she turned to exit the Oval office; James had the suitcase containing the finished national address.
It was that fateful moment, as they were about to leave for the underground bunker that the unthinkable happened. The young Marine, the one who'd first insisted on escorting the President out, yelled a warning before a red blaster bolt shot through his chest. The strength of the direct hit forced him back onto the President who he had just thrown himself in front of to protect.
Lisa fell to the ground; facing the window she saw several pairs of sinister glowing eyes looking through. Several of the special ops soldiers opened fire illuminating the Oval Office in bright flashes of light while the windows shattered. At the same time, one of the soldiers moved James farther down the corridor while another rushed down to grab her.
As she was being lifted up from under the dead Marine; Lisa glimpsed his vacant eyes staring blankly up at her. Those eyes which had minutes before been filled with joy as James made a particularly funny joke at her expense. But the Marine died protecting her, it was his duty.
Before she could fully comprehend the emotions she felt at seeing such a horrid sight, three of the droids jumped through the windows and in several large zigzag bounds ploughed into the special ops soldiers, killing them with blaster fire and some sort of sword. The leader of the team was hewn in half before the droids killed the soldier moving Lisa. They were on top of her.
Hearing a shout and more gunfire Lisa, terrified, looked up into the glowing eyes of one of the droids. She suddenly felt a searing pain in her chest which darkened the world. Her last thoughts were those of her nation, her people and how she'd failed them.
Location: Fuller Road, somewhere between Orange and Yellow Defenses, 3:09 pm:
Unfortunately for Lance Corporal Damon, his plans hadn't taken into account how fast the droids would overwhelm Orange defenses blockade on Fuller Road. He heard with little pity over his short-range radio the desperate calls for help and screams of dying men as Orange defense was taken. If anything, he only sped faster down the winding Marine base road, but it wasn't fast enough.
Suddenly, the Humvee flipped as it was hit with blaster fire from two Droid STAP's. The next thing Damon new, the ground was fast approaching before everything went dark.
#
"Admiral, sir? This is B1 Commander Unit 1187. We have captured an enemy combatant alive, what do you want us to do with him?"
The Holographic Neimoidian Admiral leaned forward in his seat. He didn't want to have complications, his orders had been simple enough, get in, get the representatives, get out, and kill everything that got in the way. But evidently for B1's even simple orders were hard to follow.
"I told you to kill them all! We have no use for prisoners."
The B1 looked from it's Admiral to the wounded and now conscious soldier. Looking back to the Admiral it continued, "Sir, the prisoner says he has valuable information regarding enemy ground forces. Do you still want him eliminated?"
The Admiral sat back in his chair, contemplating this new information. Finally he came to a conclusion.
"On second thought, why don't you send our prisoner back to the ship. Have your units get as much information as you can out of him. Now, Commander, what is the progress of our attack?"
After waving for several B1's to take the Marine away, the droid continued, "We have broken through their third line of defense, sir. We are almost to the location of the Republic ship. However, our BX's report one last heavy line of resistance ahead; we may not be able to break through before the Republic's forces arrive. What are your orders, sir?"
The Neimoidian's lip twitched upward in an ever so slight smile, "Leave that to me, Commander, I'm sending in the Hyenas, all you have to do is wait for the smoke to clear; then you may advance. Understood?"
"Roger, Roger"
As the holograph flickered out and with a wave of its metallic hand the droid forces advanced, filling the surrounding forest with their hallmark clank, clank, clank.
Location: Inside the GARD Hangar, 3:12 pm:
Jumps watched with some humor as his brother-by-choice came out of the Consular Cruiser at full court press. Making a quick left turn he bounded towards Jumps, jumping over the Jersey barrier he was sitting on, and flattening himself out on the ground on the other side.
"What did you do? Did you tell them?" Jumps looked behind him to the ground were his brother now lay.
"Shhhhh... I'm not here, and no, and just go along with it okay," Riot managed to whisper before Right'eye and Tens proceeded out of the ship as well.
Walking over to where Jumps sat, Tens observed Riot's un-hidden boots sticking out from the end of the barrier.
"So Jumps, have you seen your brother anywhere? I need to, talk with him."
Jumps smiled innocently, knowing full well Tens had spotted Riot, "Nope. Did he tell you the news though?"
Tens frowned, "No, what news?"
Jumps pointed towards the Marines who were checking their gear and sighting their carbines, "Where getting ready to fight, ner vod, the sepp's have overrun three of the four main defenses. We're up next if the last fails."
Tens frown didn't disappear, "I see, well if you see Riot tell him I need to talk with him. It's urgent."
Tens and Right'eye walked over to the Marines, Trevor giving his Carbine one last appraising look, placed his helmet on.
"About time you two came around, what were you doing, sleeping?"
Tens and Right'eye shuffled in place uncomfortably; ignoring a sudden burst of laughter originating from a Jersey barrier behind them.
"No, we were, er, discussing strategies for the upcoming battle, yes that's it, we were discussing battle strategies," Tens finished with little conviction showing in his voice.
Trevor tilted his head to the side; he just received an update, "Well, whatever you were doing I hope it works. Green Defense has fallen; the Commander is ordering a retreat. Everyone is either coming here to go underground or they'll be evacing in boats. Are you prepared?"
Tens was about to reply when the ground shuddered. Even with incredibly thick nuclear blast proof walls the Hangar couldn't completely muffle out the sound of an explosion. Everyone quickly glanced to each other before running to the smaller pedestrian door in the Hanger, even Riot got up from his hiding position to follow the others out.
Tens paused at the heavy blast door; everyone else falling in line behind him, giving them all a quick nod, he proceeded to push it open.
Looking to the Northwest they all watched as a massive fireball bellowed into the sky back-set by menacing storm clouds. Hundreds of Marines ran towards them across the tarmac of the airfield, Abrams tanks, too were making their way towards the hangar, stopping once in a while to fire a shot off behind them at an invisible enemy somewhere in the Marine base.
"Ah fek, they sent in the Hyenas!" Tens watched as two more squadrons of the deadly droids, being chased by Jet fighters, drop more bombs leveling another section of the Marine base.
Trevor's fist's clenched in rage, "That was Green Defense and the town of Quantico, there were still families there…"
Tens sighed, this was what he was afraid of, "I'm sorry Trevor, but we should get back, it won't take long for their ground forces to arrive."
No one would have known because of his helmet but Trevor was crying silently, "Right, keep the door open, the Marines that aren't able to make it to the boats need another option. Julia, Aaron, guard the door, as soon as you see droids coming, close and lock it."
With one last look at the war-torn base, Trevor and the rest went back inside, it wouldn't be long until it was their turn to fight.
Location: A few thousand miles from Earth, 3:12 pm:
Admiral Yularen stood on the Bridge, arms crossed as the new world; Earth, filled the Resolute's transparisteel view ports. It was a beautiful planet, blue and green, with white speckled in between. The planet even had its own ring, though as Dace had explained to him, it was actually composed of thousands of communication probes for the planet below. It was like so many planets he'd seen; it reminded him particularly of Naboo.
"Admiral, all troopers and starfighter's ready to deploy, awaiting for your orders, sir."
The Admiral brought up a hand to rub his chin; he couldn't help but feel this was just the start of something big. As they quickly approached, the planet completely filled the viewports; he could even see the Separatist ship in the lower atmosphere, though just a speck in contrast to the weather patterns and continents of the planet.
Turning around to face the clone officer, the Admiral nodded his head. He walked over to Dace's comm station, "General Skywalker, you are clear to deploy your forces, have a safe trip, General Kenobi; you are good to go; as soon as Skywalker clears a path to the surface for you. Good luck and happy hunting."
"Thank you Admiral, all squadrons follow me."
The Admiral couldn't help but smile slightly as the combined fighters of both Star Destroyers filed out of the two ships's Hangars and zoom away to the planet below. A few seconds later, eighty larties exited the ships and followed the fighters to the surface of the planet.
Yularen watched until the all ships disappeared from view. Turning his attention towards the massive Separatist ship looming menacingly next to some high altitude storms, he pointed to it.
"We need to chase that Providence destroyer away from their capital. Keep the Resolute above it, while the Negotiator flanks her. Remember, we only need to escort the ship out of the atmosphere, the US will do the rest."
A/N: Hey, as promised, chapter 18. Hope you like it. This has also been beta'ed! I can't thank him/her enough... Really, it helps a lot. Chapters 1 & 2 have been revised/re-written with my Beta and updated, not too much has been added, but still, if you have time look them over, please do. Will continue to work on later chapters.
As you can see, there's a lot of plot points I going on, some will merge, others will stay separate. Hopefully it isn't too confusing. If you notice the time in each scene, some scenes occur before others, but only just. In general, all these scenes happen within minutes of each other. What can I say, battles are busy...
Ch 19 is almost done, hopefully it will be posted either this coming weekend or the next. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. I really appreciate it and I love to hear what you think, the good, bad, and ugly. So please review...