After the attack on the central plaza, Chancellor Organa Called for an emergency senate meeting. After weeks of debate the republic decides to send an expeditionary force made up of the 407th Hell fighters clone legion, part of the 91st recon corps, a portion of the 212th, and some coruscant guard. What would come next would change the galaxy forever
Walker was prepared for anything, but a warm welcome. In his hand was a DC-15s. "So, who's willing to bet the rest of those antique soldiers are waiting for us." Hornet asked spooling his personal Z-6 rotary cannon called the Stinger a bit. "I doubt it lieutenant. The reports say that a few had managed to escape back through the gate when we arrived to stop the attack." One of the camo scout troopers on the TX-130 with the three officers said.
"Besides, why should we have eggshells helping us. We don't need them. We're Hell Fighters after all." Another trooper said. "Contrary to what you believe trooper…" Walker began before looking at the cocky clone. "Just because we have the nickname Hell Fighters doesn't mean we're invincible." This comment deflated the cocky trooper immensely. "we've seen shiny troopers think that and get themselves killed." Blitz said. Hornet nodded. "The cocky ones are the first to go." He said.
"Here we go boys." Walker said as the other side of the gate came into view. He and the others raised their rifles bracing for conflict.
As they exited the gate's tunnel, Walker was a bit surprised that it was dark out. The commander furrowed his eyes seeing some movement in the distance. 'Something's off.' He thought. "Hornet check the opposite ridge." The clone lieutenant nodded and flipped his helmet binoculars down. Walker and Blitz saw hornet jerk his head back.
"What'd you see?" the Blitz asked gripping his DC-15 blaster rifle. "We got company. An extremely large amount of it." Hornet said raising his helmet binoculars. Suddenly flames lit up the opposing force. "The hell?" Blitz muttered. "Signal fires." Walker said before turning to the assembled republic forces.
"I want all AT-TEs and any UT-ATs here to bombard that enemy formation! Troopers dig in and brace for combat!" the commander ordered before sighing. "This is going to be a bloodbath." Walker looked at the enemy force as dawn broke.
2 HOURS AFTER DAYBREAK
Obi wan gazed across the battle-scarred ground. "Casey, are you sure you needed to fight them?" he asked looking at the 407th's commander. "In reality, no. in actuality, yes. If we didn't shoot first the archers would've been able to hit us. I don't take pleasure in killing another person Kenobi, but after the plaza attack I'm sure most of the boys were out for blood." Walker said. "And how many made it through the hail of artillery before being gunned down." Cody said.
"You'd be surprised commander." Walker said sparing a wounded trooper a glance. "20 were wounded by arrows. No casualties." Obi-wan placed a hand on the commander's shoulder. "I rather not wipe out a civilization general." Kenobi nodded but sensed that there was something up with the non-clone. It seemed that he felt sorry for the attackers he and his men slaughtered. "They chose this path Walker. Be better than them commander." Walker nodded. "Anyways I plan to make recon squads. one of which I'll lead. Cody, you're on paperwork duty." He said. this proclamation caught the 212th's commander off guard. "Excuse me?" Cody asked. "I prefer being in the field trooper. You're responsible for the base while I'm out."
Some nearby troopers both 407th and 212th snickered at walker's sudden assignment to Cody. Both legions, and the 501st had worked together in the past and knew that Walker absolutely HATED doing paperwork. Before Cody could complain, obi-wan spoke up. "This is technically a 407th operation Cody. The 212th is here as support." The jedi said. Cody sighed. "So, who're you thinking for recon?" he asked walker.
"Group 1 consists of myself, blitz, Hornet, Doc, scrap, and Sharpe." Walker said. "An all-hell fighter group?" Cody asked. "Nearly the entire 407th doesn't like to work with eggshell troopers Cody." Obi-wan raised an eyebrow. "Eggshell, Walker?" he asked. "It's a term we use for non-camo clones. Be it stark white or white with colored stripes." The 407th's commander said. "Anyways, for the other teams mix 212th with 91st recon." Cody nodded.
"Also, just in case, have an AT-TE with a squad of four AT-RTs in each be on standby for each recon group." Walker said before heading to his recon group standing by an LAAT. "Have fun out there Casey. Oh, riyo wishes you luck for this operation." Obi-wan said before smirking when Walker froze at the mention of the senator. "She also wants you to call and talk often. Said she has something to tell you." Walker gave a thumbs up before getting on the LAAT.
"Trooper, prepare an AT-TE and four AT-RTs to be on standby for recon 1." Cody said to a nearby 407th trooper. "Your commander's order." He said as an afterthought. He knew full well that the 407th wouldn't listen to an eggshell commander as walker had put it.
MEANWHILE WITH GROUP 1
"Smooth move assigning Cody desk duty sir." Hornet said as the other clones laughed. However, walker wasn't laughing. In fact, he was enjoying the countryside. "Commander, you ok?" Blitz asked. "Yeah, I am. Just enjoying the view is all." He said as the LAAT sped through the air.
"Commander, I see something on the path below." The pilot radioed to Walker. "Bring us about to what you see eagle eye." The commander said. the LAAT turned and hovered. "Hornet…" the clone lieutenant nodded. "Say no more chief." Hornet said kneeling and lowering his helmet's binoculars. "I see three wheeled transports. One appears to be a scout type. The middle seems to be a transport, and the third an armored escort armed with a heavy weapon mounted on top." He said before standing and raising his helmet's attachment.
"Orders commander?" eagle eye asked. "Follow but stay out of visual range." Walker said. "Yes sir!"
MEANWHILE WITH THE JSDF
Sergeant first class Shino Kuribayashi sighed. She listened as her commanding officer, Yoji Itami discussed his otaku life with a fellow soldier named Takeo Kurata. "Weirdos." She mumbled. Though she'd have to call herself a hypocrite if she said that out loud. She was an avid Star Wars fangirl after all. Especially of the animated series, Star wars: the clone wars. Her favorite characters were Rex, Cody, Riyo Chuchi, and Ahsoka. She knew the dimensions, manufacturer, and firepower of every walker, but her favorite was the AT-TE. Oh, how she wished could drive one or even fire its main cannon, and that the characters were real. Unaware to her, she'd soon get her wish
SUNSET
BACK WITH THE CLONE TROOPERS
"We should head back sir. It's getting dark plus, we're running out of fuel." Came eagle eye's voice. "Not yet. I'm getting the feeling they'll need our help." Walker said. "Kriffing hell!" Came eagle eye's co-pilot voice. "What?" Blitz asked. Walker leaned out of the LAAT's troop area. And his eyes widened. "Holy shit!" he yelled.
In front of them was a forest with a fire so big that it towered over the untouched trees. "Eagle eye touch down now! Recon group 1 will proceed on foot from here." The pilot gave an affirmative and landed.
"I'll be on standby to pick you guys up." Eagle eye said before leaving. "All right boys, let's go." Walker said hustling towards the fire. "We should be able to reach the burn zone by daybreak sir." Doc said, already prepared to treat burn victims. "Let's hope that there are survivors." Blitz said. "Uh guys.. is that A DRAGON!" Hornet yelled before a deafening roar was heard. "KRIFFING HELL. That thing is almost as large as the Zillo Beast." Scrap exclaimed as the form of a gigantic creature flew off into the night. "Sir, do you think that… dragon is the cause of the fire?" blitz asked. "Most likely, yes. Dragons back on Earth are usually myths and breath fire." Walker said. "Lets move. If that was a settlement it attacked. We need to hurry. Double time."
Unaware to the troopers, the 3rd recon team of the JSDF also saw the attack. Soon, two worlds connected to the special region by the phenomenon known as The GATE would collide.
THE NEXT DAY
With the JSDF
Ash and debris. That's what was around Lt. Itami. "This was a massacre." He said as Shino and Kurata came up next to him. "We found 25 bodies sir. Others might be trapped under the rubble." Shino said. "And judging that the average household has four people. That means 100 dead." Itami said. Shino said sadly before distant voices were heard.
"Karabast, did anything survive?" one asked. "With this kind of damage hornet? I doubt it." Another said with a tone eerily similar to "Hornet's". This caused Shino's inner geek to kick in. 'those can't be…clones troopers can they?' she thought
"Whatever Blitz." 'Hornet' said as the owners of the voices came into view. "Weapons on the ground and hands in the air." Kurata yelled spooking the camo soldiers. Shino's eyes widened. 'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Real clone troopers! Eeeee!' she thought squealing in excitement. "Easy we're not here to fight we're investigating this burn zone like you that's all." The trooper that seemed to be the leader said placing his blaster on the ground.
"Shino grab their guns." Itami said. No response. "Kuribayashi, did you hear me?" he asked turning to the sergeant only to see her standing quivering. "Shino, you ok?" Kurata asked, gun still aimed at the troopers. Itami observed her and glanced at the troopers before snickering. He'd seen that kind of quivering before. "Go ahead sergeant. Let it out. Kurata and I won't tell." He whispered. That single sentence set Shino off before a shrill shriek of excitement resounded.
"REAL LIFE CLONE TROOPERS!" the sergeant squealed out before falling backwards to the ground laughing excitedly feet kicking the ground. "Must be a fangirl." The lead trooper said walking up to the trio before introducing himself. "I'm Commander Casey Walker of the 407th 'Hell fighter' clone legion."
"Commander?" Itami asked. Shino, having come out of her fangirl freakout, decided to explain. "During the clone wars. The clone trooper ranks were divided by colored stripes. However, when the legion gained diversity with colors the inclusion of the commander rank was introduced, only shiny troops remained colorless before being sent to a specific legion." She said as hornet helped her up.
Seeing no danger posed by the troopers Kurata lowered his rifle. "But the only fully named clone I know, was cut lawquane." Shino said eyebrow raised. "That's probably because the commander isn't a clone." Blitz said. WHAT!?" came the shrill reply. "But according to the Galactic Republic's laws if someone were to be caught impersonating a trooper, they'd face imprisonment or even the death penalty." Shino said.
"True, but after the battle of Mimban, he was the sole exception. The previous chancellor allowed him to be in the GAR and promoted him to commander." Shino raised an eyebrow. "The clone army wasn't around during the trade federation's occupation of Naboo." She said. "He means Palpatine. The bastard then assigned us as a relief unit afterwards." Hornet said. "The war's been over for two years now." Shino nodded as Kurata spoke up. "How'd you get the nickname Hell Fighters anyways?" he asked. Even though they couldn't see it, they knew Hornet and Blitz were grinning. "Now that's an exciting tale to tell. Hornet said. "Back then, I was a sergeant and Blitz here was a lieutenant. Walker was a captain."
3 YEARS AGO
18 BBY
MIMBAN
Several troopers kept their heads down as artillery rained around them. Two troopers, one with a binocular attached to his helmet and another without one rushed through the trenches of the republic forces on Mimban. Nearly all troopers wore an earth-green poncho to hide their white and drab striped armor.
"Kriffing hell. When is this artillery going to stop Hornet?" the one without the attachment asked. "Why don't you go over to the separatists and ask them Zac?" Hornet shot back before running into someone. "Sorry, Captain" Walker/Ranger nodded. Walker wore his typical late model phase II coruscant guard armor with its rangefinder lowered and a hood covering the helmet. "So, this is the Coruscant Guard's best trooper? What's a Coruscant Guard captain like you doing here with us rats." Zac asked. "He asked to be transferred Trooper." A voice with a harsh tone said. "Lieutenant Blitz! I'm so sorry. Zac has no respect for anyone from high esteemed units. Primarily the coruscant Guard."
"Really, if he transferred like you did, then why is he still wearing his old unit's armor?" unaware to the argument going on, Walker narrowed his eyes and saw pink flashes over the separatist lines. 'Oh no.' he though. "PROTON ARTILLERY!" the captain yelled as the shells hit, pummeling the trenches and the shockwaves knocked Hornet out.
"And when I came to, the trench was pure hell." Came hornet's disembodied voice
"My head." Hornet said waking up. "What happened?" the trooper frowned seeing fellow clones slightly burned, arms in slings or even bandages on their head. "You good Sergeant?" came the voice of the captain, but it sounded different. Hornet looked up to see the captain. "You aren't a…!" Walker looked away. He was missing his helmet. "Yeah, I'm not a clone. And I know the repercussions of impersonating a trooper." The captain said sitting down and resting against the remains of the trench wall. "The men are still looking to me for leadership even after they learned the truth." Hornet saw the dejected look on his face.
"You haven't led us astray yet so why should we not still look to you?" Hornet said as blitz limped to them. "The men are waiting for your orders Casey." He said. before either walker or hornet could respond… the sound of marching was heard. "Hornet, you have binoculars on your helmet can you see what that is? Blitz can you help him?" Both troopers nodded.
Hornet climbed up just above the trench wall with blitz keeping him steady. "Karabast." He said before sliding. "Well?" Walker asked. "Clankers. Hundreds of them. All B1s. bastards were strutting across No man's land." Hornet groaned. Blitz could see the gears turning in Casey's heard. "They're marching?" Hornet nodded
"We can use that to our advantage. Have the men ready for a counterattack and I want everyone that's able to walk to partake. Those with arms in slings, fire your carbine blasters with one hand. I also want people on our remaining blaster turrets. Stay hidden till the first droid falls" The captain said picking up a pair of binoculars and drawing a DC-17 blaster pistol.
Blitz and hornet looked at him as Walker prepared to climb the mound of dirt. "What are you doing?" Blitz asked. "if the separatists are marching without a care, then they think the proton artillery killed all of us. If we counterattack, it'll scare them into retreating." The two clones looked at him in bewilderment. "So, we'd be zombies in their eyes?" Hornet pondered. "Exactly."
SEPARATIST POV
The battle droids cockily marched across no man's land. The separatist general, a Rodian, was with them thinking there'd be no threat. While he hated using the proton artillery on the clone troopers, it was the only way to dislodge them from the trench. He only wished that their deaths were quick and painless. "Uh, sir." His B1 commander droid said. "Look." The general's eyes widened.
There climbing up over the trench, was a helmetless ARC trooper, armor covered in dirt and scorch marks. As it finally stood, other troopers with and without helmets followed suit. Many had burns from the proton artillery others had bandages around their heads. Others with arms in slings. The General and Droids were in utter shock. "Undead clones!" a B1 yelled. "FOR THE REPUBLIC!" the ARC trooper yelled.
(Attack of the dead men by sabaton begins)
A single blaster shot rang out hitting a droid. Shortly after, the remaining blaster turrets opened up. Walker sighed before yelling. "FORWARD!" with that single command, the men of the 407th slowly pursued the retreating droids
[and that's when the dead men march again]
As the troopers gave chase, many stumbled due to exhaustion or having limps fired a single blaster bolt every so often
[Mimban, then and again Attack of the dead; hundred men]
[facing the droids once again; hundred men]
[charge again, die again]
The separatist general was in shock either many clones had survived or these soldiers came from hell to fight.
[Mimban, then and again Attack of the dead; hundred men]
[Facing the droids once again; hundred men]
[charge again, die again]
As the clones got closer, the general tripped and froze at the sight of two clones aiming their blasters at him while the rest continued their slow counterattack against the droids.
[that's when the dead men are marching again, marching again]
[that's when the dead march again]
CLONES POV
Walker yelled more encouragement to his troopers to keep moving as the sound of LAATs began to become louder.
PRESENT DAY
[Clone theme plays]
"Shortly after, walker was arrested by the 212th which was sent to relieve us of trench duty." Hornet said. "It was thanks to our testimony and a certain senator that he was permitted to continue to serve in the GAR." Blitz said. Shino and Kurata looked at the commander. "He's one of the best soldiers I've ever fought beside.
[Clone theme ends]
"So, how's Earth? Planet doing well since I left?" Walker asked. "Same as when you disappeared." Itami said jokingly. Itami was at first shocked that Walker was born and raised on earth, but once the shock vanished they talked topics such as world events.
"So, the gate incident occurred on your world too huh?" Itami asked. "Yeah, it did." Walker said having his helmet off. "Well, if you're leaders are willing to me with ours, we might be able to work together." The lieutenant said tossing a bucket into a well. Instead of hearing a splash, the wood bucket gave a loud thud when it hit the bottom catching both squad leaders' attention.
Walker turned his handheld flashlight on before he and Itami looked down the well. What they saw made them gasp. "Hornet, Blitz get some rope. We have a survivor!"
LATER
The rest of the 3rd recon team arrived and after much discussion between Itami and the sergeant-major both parties worked together to bring the survivor up. Itami was on the edge of the well with the survivor on his back. "Blitz, give me a hand." Walker asked grabbing one of Itami's arms. Blitz nodded. "Hornet, you and doc keep her steady while blitz and I pull Itami up."
"Ok, she's stable." Kurokawa, the 3rd' recon's medic, said. "But we'll need to get her out of these wet clothes." Doc, who'd been ordered to aid Kurokawa, nodded. "Sorry miss, but these clothes need to go." He said using some scissors
"AH, AN ELF NOT JUST ANY ELF, BUT A BLONDE ONE." Kurata screamed in excitement. "Okay, you're into elves." Itami said as Walker shook his head. "What about you walker? Did you have any otaku preferences when you still lived on Earth?" the lieutenant asked the commander. Walker looked disinterested. "Wolf girls," he said flatly. "But since I got married and lived in another galaxy, the interest died off." This caused both JSDF soldiers to look at him. "it's kind of hard to keep an otaku obsession going when there's no manga shops on coruscant or any city on different planets." The two nodded in understanding. "So, who's the lucky lady?" Kurata asked.
Walker glanced at Kuribayashi, whom was chatting with hornet obviously interested by the Z-6 Rotary cannon he had. "Riyo Chuchi." The commander said. "Seriously? A lot of people pair her with commander Fox." Kurata said. Walker shrugged as Doc and Kurokawa approached.
"She's stable sir, but she'll be unconscious for a while." Doc said. "Understood." Walker said "What now?" Kurokawa asked. "Well, for starters, a dry pair of boots would do." Itami said. Doc nodded. "Trench foot is the last thing you need to worry about right now. But she means the elf, lieutenant." Itami smiled "well, she's a Refugee. We're going to help her." He said before Kurokawa gave a smile that made both the two JSDF soldiers and Republic Troopers nervous. "Are you sure you're not doing it because she's an elf." Itami and Kurata sweat dropped. "He isn't. I can tell if someone has other motives. Lieutenant Itami is telling the truth." Walker said.
"Wait, lieutenant if this settlement was attacked wouldn't that mean that this Koda village you mentioned is in danger of that dragon as well?" Itami nodded. "Kurata, get everyone mounted up. We have a village to warn." He said. "Yes sir." Kurata said before he and Kurokawa rushed off. "I know this isn't your problem, but would you…" Itami began "Yes. We will. I just have to report in and as for reinforcements."
NEXT TIME: KODA VILLAGE AND THE FLAME DRAGON
A/N: oof. This has to be the longest chapter I've written thus far. Anyways for looks, Doc has the appearance of a tri-camo scout trooper with the medic emblem on the upper shoulder armor. He's armed with a DC-15s and two DC-17 pistols. Next chapter will see the JSDF's 3rd recon and the 407th's evacuation of Koda Village and the confrontation with the flame dragon. Constructive criticism is allowed. Please read and review. That being said. peace.