Seventy Eight

Rex watched as the blue isosceles triangle spun in front of him in the debriefing room. The mining facility was excellently positioned with only one direct route in. The 501st and 212th were delegated the south east and south west vertices respectively.

Their mission; to ambush anyone leaving once the full frontal assault was underway.

General Mundi would be in charge of the entire mission along with Commander Jet, the other two units merely along to stop anyone evacuating in a hurry.

"Seems a bit of overkill," Rex muttered to Cody during the hour long briefing. Cody had thought the same thing, wondering why there were so many men deployed for a relatively simple mission.

Both of their generals, Kenobi and Skywalker were held back on Coruscant for 'urgent matters' involving the Jedi. Rex didn't like it when Anakin was reassigned somewhere else.

"Gentlemen. Let's go through it once again, shall we?" Ki-Adi said in his perfectly clipped Basic.

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Niobus, also known as beta-Nb VI, was renowned for its abundance of Niobium. Initially used for mining, the Confederacy of Independent Systems bought the quarry site just before the Clone Wars began. It had been largely overlooked by the Republic, their focus on capturing Grievous and Dooku taking precedence.

Until now.

Spies for the Republic had reported an increase in mining activity on the insignificant moon.

Niobium was mined for various reasons; it was an excellent dielectric, thus able to hold and store immense electrical charge and when combined with titanium, it had the capability of producing powerful magnetic fields. But the Republics ear pricked when an informant reported the use of the precious metal for numismatics. The production of credits outside official parameters sent alarm bells ringing. Printing currency to continue funding the war had to cease.

It was simple, stop the flow of credits, stop the war.

The terrain of Niobus was unique. A series of shallow rift valleys, carved into the landscape from rivers that dried up millions of years ago meant that accessibility would be difficult, but not impossible. The trenches offering perfect camouflage from the extensive surveillance the Sep's had set up on the mines perimeters.

Rex informed his

men of the plan. They would be dropped under the guise of night, moving silently and maintain position. It was a huge foundry, with the maximum staff of just over 7000 employees in its heyday. Now, being run by the Sep's, they were unsure of who, or more importantly what, they would be up against.

.

It didn't go to plan.

None of the missions these days ever did.

The Separatist's weren't prepared to just hand the foundry over to the Republic without a fight. A brigade of XR-85 tank droids had pinned Rex and his men in a trench some 1200 metres from the 212th, keeping them also, well and truly hunkered down. Projectiles from a multi purpose missile bank-XVII bombarded the five oh first. It was a bitter battle for the new recruits, but up till now, they were managing to hold their own. There had been causalities, with parts of the trench collapsing under the relentless strafe.

"Kix," Rex yelled over the continual noise, "how we looking?"

"Sir, we have four fatalities. Seven causalities," he stopped before continuing, "including the new medic we picked up."

Rex swung around and looked at Kix, "how bad is he?"

"Crush syndrome," he stated matter of fact.

The smiling death.

"Can you save him?"

"Won't know until we can free him. We have a line in, but I need more if he's gonna make it."

"Arrgghhh," Rex growled as another missile pounded them, forcing him and Kix hard against the trenches anterior wall.

.

It continued for an hour, the relentless shelling of the trench, their blasters just out of range to do any real damage.

"All comms are gone," Appo was yelling at the captain, "Sir, awaiting orders." It was if a switch had been flicked and all communications had been severed, even between each other. Rex removed his helmet and thought for a minute. He couldn't use it to message Cody, all short wave frequencies were down, fek, he couldn't even comm Jesse at the other end of the trench. He tossed it slightly and tucked it delicately under his right arm. Running through the alternatives, Rex looked around at the buckets of the men all looking at him for an answer.

Boom!

He heard another cry of pain as another part of the trench gave way. They were sitting targets, all of them, unable to return effective fire.

It was the final straw.

He knew Jet would be coming in soon to light up the foundry, but in the meantime they were being whittled away, one soldier at a time. With a calm and authoritative voice he looked at Appo and finally replied, "try to raise the emergency long range freq's. Code red."

Nobody moved.

Never before had he resorted to an immediate evac.

They suddenly knew they were in deep osik, but after Umbara, Rex would never risk men for a battle that just couldn't be won.

.

"Sir, we have an incoming from fleet command. They are requiring a confirmation for a Code Red."

"Well, we didn't send it! Get me the 501st."

"Commander, we can't raise Captain Rex, all short wave comm links appear to be down."

Cody annoyingly grabbed his macros and looked over to the area where the 501st were situated. They were under heavier enemy fire, and Rex had ingeniously dropped the AT-TE, using it as aerial cover.

"He needs to hang tight for another hour," he said studying the relentless attack on the boys in blue.

'Fek! They're in it up to their armpits again!'

"We need to get someone across with a message to hold out. Jet's going to blow the place, Rex knows the plan, we just need to remind him of it," his voice drifted off as he looked down the macros again and watched as a soldier emerged from the trench and scampered his way up the immobile tank. Cody then watched as the sniper started picking off droids closest to the 501st.

"Get me a runner," Cody bellowed, enthralled in the accuracy of the hidden trooper.

"Sir," it was a shinie and Cody took in his pristine armour, as he began to dictate a message to Rex on a hand held holo pad.

He handed the device over and spoke, "this is to go into Captain Rex's hand, think you can do that?"

"Yes Sir," the young trooper snapped to attention.

"Just remember, there is a mine field at the closest path between us. Go wide to avoid having to negotiate your way through. Let your bucket guide you, switch on the mine sensors just in case. Got it?"

"Sir, yes Sir."

Sats may not have been as sharp as Didge with the rifle, or had the gift of healing like Whisk, but the one thing he could do better than both his vat brothers, was run.

He jumped up and took off, weaving and dodging red enemy fire as he made his way across the 1200 long metres. Didge got him in his sights and knew the gait immediately. "You stupid di'kut," he said as provided cover fire and watched as his brother skidded into the safety of the trench.

"Sir, CT-43-5643," he was breathing heavy, "I have a communiqué from Commander Cody."

Sat's looked around for Whisk and Didge as he waited for Rex to answer the message.

"Take your bucket off trooper, all comms are down here." Sats took off his helmet and Rex immediately knew exactly who this brother was. While the captain dictated a message for him to return to the 212th, Kix stepped forward and guided the soldier aside.

"Sats," he had no time to be personal, "Whisk has been injured. In the initial bombardment part of the trench gave way and trapped him underneath. You might," he stopped giving the trooper time to understand the gravity of what he was saying, "might want to see him before you head back."

Sats nodded and followed the medic to where his vat brother was sitting under a pile of rubble. With part of his chest armour already off, Sats took in the various tubes coming out of his brothers arm in stunned silence. Whisk must have seen the surprise on his face and spoke first.

"Hey! Look at you. Always thought you'd look better in orange."

"They call it gamboge in the 212th. And what's this?" Sats collected himself, "I leave for 10 minutes and you get yourself all banged up without even facing a Sep!" He crouched down low and touched his forehead against the injured man's.

"K'oyacyi ner vod, k'oyacyi."

"Where's Didge," Sats, clearing his voice from the emotion, looked around for his other vat brother.

"Out there, somewhere," Whisk replied, flopping his arm towards the top of the trench, "you know him, any chance to hide and be alone, he'll jump at it."

"Aaray ner vod?"

"No, no Sats, I'm good. Really. Soon as they get this juice into me they can get me out from under all this osik."

Sats wasn't buying any of it.

"Kix?" He turned his head and questioned the seasoned combat medic. Kix moved forward and intonated for him to follow.

"Listen, we can't move him because we have run out of sodium bicarb. We need more."

"I can get some," Sats replied. "When I take the message back I can return with as much as we have over at the 212th."

"You know, it still may not help."

"But we have to try. Let me try?"

He had a new mission, not only to save the infamous 501st but to grab as much juice the medics could spare from his own unit. Knowing that Didge was above and would be covering his shebs, Sats took off, fueled with a message for Commander Cody and the will to save his true brother.

It was the longest forty minutes for the 501st medic. Whisk was deteriorating. His internal injuries were starting to take their toll. Kix knew he needed to get him out now or watch him silently slip away.

The injured man had now been trapped for over two hours. Gentle fluid perfusion before they moved any of the weight was imperative if he was to survive. Kix had everything ready for when the rocks were removed. He was pacing the trench waiting, kriffing waiting, continually going through the procedure over and over in his mind.

"Will you just relax," the voice was slow and thick.

Kix sprung around to look at the younger version of himself, and smiled. "sorry, are you in pain?" he asked as he crouched down and checked Whisk's vitals again, looking with dismay at the fluid running low through the tube going into his arm.

"No, just tired of sitting around," he smiled back before he grabbed the medics hand. Looking hard into Kix's eyes, Whisk nodded, "You've done everything you can do. Give me the shot. Your time is better spent on the ones you can save." Kix, shocked at what he was hearing stumbled back up to his feet.

"Last time I looked, you were the patient, not the medic, so shut the fek up soldier!"

It was getting to Kix.

.

Sats knew time was running out.

Loaded up with three units of sodium bicarbonate and various pharma's from the medics in his own unit he placed them into his pack before he was given the all clear to head out.

But this time he knew the way he would go.

Setting his HUD on mine scan, he would take the shortest route.

A hail of fire heralded the beginning of his run, the sniper retaliating from a hidden part of the AT-TE. Sats kept focused on the circles flashing blue in his bucket.

'Fek, what's he doing?' Rex thought as he watched the trooper side step and hop through the mine field.

Sats was doing an amazing job until he stopped.

Two thirds of the way through he just stopped. He heard the innocent click as his right foot depressed a relic of a mine, one that wasn't picked up by the modern technology that had created him.

Fek!

Slowly he crouched down, not moving or adjusting the weight through his boot. Men gathered to the edge of the trench, collectively holding their breath as they watched him carefully swing the back pack around and attached it to the end of his accession rifle. Satisfied it was secure and would make the distance he lifted it slowly, aimed and fired.

Slunk!

The end embedded itself into the hull of the downed Republic tank. He looked up and watched as someone grabbed the precious cargo.

'Thumbs up,' he said to himself. Whisk would get his life saving fluids.

His job was done.

.

"YOU fekking di'kut!" Didge had seen what had happened and was frantically making his way out of his hiding spot, firing randomly at anything that was metallic as he moved closer to the brother crouched low. He stopped when he realised that he too was on the fringe of the mine field.

"Sats! Sats, stay still, don't move," he screamed at the top of his voice.

"Move up those T-21's and cover fire," Cody ordered as he continued to watch the unthinkable unfold.

Didge began walking around in a circle, moving his hands in frustration at what he knew was inescapable.

Kix was frantically trying to prevent Whisk hearing the rumblings along the line of the trench, talking above his brothers as he replaced the empty IV pack with a full one.

Saving one brother at the cost of another.

Sats was frozen to the spot. Didge switched his HUD on, not being able to communicate other than yell to his brother as he too side stepped his way through the mine field and stopped just in front of his vat brother.

"Fine fekking mess you got yourself into." Didge said gently.

"It's a, - it's a metallic pressure sensitive with a, a -" he stopped for a second, he wasn't making sense, the enormity of the situation finally sinking in. "Didge - ," his voice trembled.

Didge ignored his brothers nerves, "just stay still will ya? These old mines can be switched off, just like our fekking commlinks apparently." He crouched down and removed his gloves attaching them to his utility belt and gently dusted away a small area under Sats boot.

Cody continued to watch through the macros and commed the young soldier. The VX's turning their attention towards the other trench.

"Trooper, what's the situation?"

"Pressure mine not picked up by the sensors, Sir. Didge, sorry CT-43-5641 thinks they can be disabled but with the commlink down, he's flying solo. Sir."

Cody turned to his immediate left and yelled, "bring Chopper up here a-sap."

"Listen carefully, this is what we are going to do. We are going to talk the other trooper through the disarming of the device. Swap your buckets so Chop can run through the mechanics behind it directly."

Sats did as he was asked, taking his helmet off slowly and swapping it with the sniper.

"Man you reek in here," Didge joked.

"You got off easy, I think I just evac'd my bowels."

Didge couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "You always were the grubby one weren't you?"

"Don't want to interrupt," the larconic tone came down the comm into Didges ear, "but if you ladies are ready, we have a bomb to disarm?"

Didge cleared his throat and turned his attention back to mine. "It reads Trill Cresh dash five one dash Vev."

Chopper went through his flash and ordinance training and knew what the young trooper had stepped on. "OK. You're on a 20 cm diameter disk. Look for three small indentations in succession along the periphery."

Didge gently uncovered the mine around Sats boot. "Got them."

"OK, just try and slip your finger underneath and you should feel a circular button."

"Got it," Didge could feel the sweat beading along his upper lip. They would be safe, as long as Sats didn't move any weight off the foot resting on the mine and he didn't fall backwards onto another.

"Don't press it!"

"Fek! You could have told me that first!" Didge bellowed down the comm.

"Did you press it?"

"No, but my finger is just on it."

"Well, keep it there. Now, this is where things get tricky."

"No osik Ollie,"

"I'll ignore that, shinie. Now, leave one of those fancy fingers of yours on that button and move another towards the origin. You should feel a small ridge.

"Yep."

"OK, feel around in it for a little switch. It's small and rectangular. Flick it towards you with your nail while you depress the button with the other finger. Take your time, get this right and you are free to move."

Didge blew out a breath and looked up. "Won't be long now Sats," he didn't want to tell him that he was about to disarm the bomb.

Sats just nodded, feeling stupid that he had got them both into such a situation.

'I can do this,' the sniper thought to himself, 'I have to do this.'

Didge did exactly what Chopper had said. It was done, now all they had to do was step off.

Why was it so hard?

"On three brother, we'll step off towards the left. It's free. See? No mines." He could feel Sats trembling from holding his muscles tense for the past twelve standard minutes.

"Together?"

"Yeah ner vod, always together."

.

Kix didn't have time to watch the drama on the mine field unfold. Armed with the extra fluids and pharmas from the 212th he began to work frantically on the injured medic. The lines in and another hypo of Morpha into his neck they quickly pulled the rubble off and pulled the medic straight.

Kix quickly scanned his body.

"Fek! Fek it!" He yelled at the top of his voice. "No, not this time," he refused to give in, his brothers had risked too much for him to die now.

Frantically cutting his body suit free he emptied a bottle of decom over the reddened area. Grabbing a field scalpel, he ripped the plastoid packing off with his teeth and without thought, sliced down the centre of the medic's chest. "Pass me the fekking packing! No, not that, that," he hissed as his hands worked frantically. Men stood aside, dumbfounded at what they were witnessing.

Kix was renowned as one of the best, but what they watched over the next eleven minutes, was nothing short of a miracle.

He then sat back exhausted, wiping a blood soaked hand across his forehead. "He's stable. We need that immediate evac Sir," he said looking up at the Captain, their conversation broken by the enormous explosion.

Kix threw himself back down over the injured man, covering him from raining debris.

"Kriff," Rex said as he rushed to the front to see what had set the explosion off, hoping upon hope it was Jet finally blowing the foundry and not the two brothers setting off a field full of mines.

.

"I want him back," he said as they walked towards the infirmary in perfect unison.

"He was never yours to begin with," Cody laughed.

"It makes sense to keep them all together. I - ," he stopped, "I made a mistake."

"What did you say?" Cody had a smiled from one ear to the next.

"You heard me," Rex replied in all seriousness.

"What I just heard brother was Mustafar freezing over." He looked at Rex, grabbing both shoulders. "Just think for a minute Rex. You would have a dead medic and a code red next to your name if it weren't for that trooper."

Cody was right. The ingenuity and team work between Sats and Didge meant that the young medic had survived. His initial gut instinct not to select CT-43-5643 had payed off tenfold.

"I still want him back," he said belligerently as they continued weaving their way along the labyrinth of corridors, the gentle hum of the hyperdrives filling the silence.

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