Author's Note: Sorry this one took longer than usual to crank out, but Geonosis is nothing short of poorly-organized chaos and I needed time to make sense of everything. But, hey, we're here now. So let's enjoy it!
-Chapter 30: Landing at Point Rain-
Location: Geonosis, 9:2:3632 ATC
"Believe in yourself or no one else will."
Geonosis, occasionally referred to as Geonosia by some, was the desert homeworld of the insectoid Geonosian race. Situated in the system of the same name in the Arkanis sector in the Outer Rim Territories, the planet of Geonosis was some 43,000 light years away from the Galactic Core and less than a parsec away from the neighboring Outer Rim world of Tatooine. Hot and arid, Geonosis' irradiated surface was covered in harsh, rocky deserts, marked by mesas and buttes tinted a shade of red that could be seen from space.
A comet crashed into one of the planet's many moons untold eons ago, resulting in massive rings of rock and ice that became rather iconic to the world. The collision debris not only formed the famous rings of Geonosis, but also formed a field of small asteroids which would periodically rain down on the planet's surface, prompting the native Geonosians to build massive underground hives.
Galactic colonizers were originally attracted to Geonosis due to its close proximity to Tatooine after the Tatoo system had been discovered. When the Galactic Republic made first contact with the Geonosians, it proved to be a successful and beneficial partnership to both groups. Due to this, the Geonosians became interested in Republic technology and became skilled in adapting and improving advanced tech in their own way. As such, Geonosians exported droids and other technology to the rest of the galaxy, although this didn't last long. Once Tatooine was almost entirely abandoned by the first wave of colonizers, Geonosis suffered from its distance from the Core Worlds as visitors to the planet grew fewer and fewer until visitors stopped traveling there altogether. Geonosian exports were more easily met by other manufacturers closer to the Core.
Geonosians became split over the idea of working with offworlders, and with the planet's economy in ruins, wars erupted across the planet for millennia while the rest of the galaxy largely forgot about Geonosis and left it to its endless wars. A few hundred years ago, the world was rediscovered by the Galactic Republic and manufacturing deals were made to re-ignite the old technology trade that had once been the lifeblood of Geonosis.
Geonosis soon became a major base of operations for the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The enormous Geonosian droid factories began to manufacture tens of thousands of different types of battle droids, thus maintaining their own Geonosian droid army. During that time, Geonosis built droid armies for large corporations such as the Trade Federation.
And then, a year ago, on this very planet, the Clone Wars began with the first battle of Geonosis. Right here, in fact, in the middle of the Petranaki Arena.
The floor was circular, and large enough for a regiment to hold exercises on, two hundred meters in diameter with more than enough room to accommodate creatures and sentients of any size. It was made of sand, pulled from the broader dunes beyond the rocky home domain of the Geonosian hive to make for uneven footing only the most competent of warriors and beasts could handle. Spaced at irregular intervals around the floor, stone pillars both complete and broken created endless opportunities for tactical ambush and blind-side attacks. Surrounding the floor, seven levels of seating rose vertically in an open-air design, allowing the blazing sun, Ea, to bathe the arena in merciless light. The stands were jammed with the bug-like sentients of every caste; warriors, engineers, servants, scouts, all chittering and vocalizing to the beat of their wings until the entire balconies of each level shuddered and quaked, tasting the limits of the hewn-stone's strength. The noise was already overwhelming, and would grow so loud in the course of the match that any participants on the floor would crave the chance to fight deaf, hearing nothing at all save a constant maxed-out white noise.
Above the noise of the Geonosians, the deafening bellow of a beastial creature. A Jotaz, from the Outer Rim, clearly rabid given its erratic movements. Its obese body jiggling with every swing of it's trunk-like arms, the Jotaz churned up sand in billowing waves of particulate with every thundering stomp and punch. With his audio receptors muted as much as possible and his optics polarized to handle the searing sunlight from above, Wraith was being extra careful dealing with the unpredictable Jotaz.
The super-soldier was on Geonosis at the behest of Separatist ally Archduke Poggle the Lesser and had opted to participate in the local arena games with some encouragement from Poggle himself. It was the first time the Geonosian people had assembled in the arena since the war broke out. With a small Republic occupation ensuring their enforced peace kept the natives pacified, the arrival of new droid factories and the destruction of the Republic forces on the planet gave the insectoid sentients hope for improvement. They felt like they could live again and took to one of their oldest pastimes in celebration.
Arena combat was like an archaic form of training, really. The life or death consequences, however, kept Wraith on his toes the entire time. The Jotaz had come bursting out into the open, barely waiting for its cage door to open wide enough, and the super-soldier had been on the move since. Wildly, flailing limbs narrowly missed him as the hellbent Jotaz came charging after him. The trick, he learned, was breaking eyesight with the creature. What it could not see, it could not attack. In its diseased state, the Jotaz was confused by the deafening sounds of the eager Geonosian crowd and further enraged by the occasional electric shock received from a stun-prod whenever it veered too close to the arena wall.
Best put it out of its misery.
Grasping a chunk of collapsed pillar, the Jotaz hurled the debris with all its might. Wraith slid under the piece, passing from light to shadow and back to light before bolting to his feet and sprinting towards the creature. The Jotaz roared and lumbered to meet him, raising its arms high with pudgy hands clenched into fists.
Not yet…. Don't be too early, can't dive yet… now!
Executing a forward roll to the left, the Jotaz's fists struck the sand and kicked up a small storm of particulate the showered the super-soldier, sand clinging to his duster and dirtying the blue synthweave. Popping an arm blade, Wraith turned and sank his weapon into the forearm, the Jotaz responding predictably. A roar of pain, a sudden flail of his arm that would've given Wraith whiplash had he not released his grip, turning the effort to shake him off into one that propelled him skyward. Having dodged the Jotaz for ten standard minutes beforehand had given him enough experience and insight to learn how to defeat the creature.
Drawing his collapsible blade, he flicked it into the open position as he dropped down on the creature's back, stabbing his sword clean through it's burly neck. The Jotaz squealed, high and piercing, as it recoiled from the strike. Gripping the handle with both hands, Wraith jerked hard to the right and Jotaz followed, stumbling across the arena floor. It tripped and fell, but Wraith remained in control and rode the beast to the arena floor. Whipping his blade out of its neck the super-soldier rolled backwards to steady himself, rising to catch the Jotaz turning over. He charged in, looking to end things, and swung his sword down between it's open jaws. The speed and strength of the swing nearly clove the head in two, bone and sinew of the jaw doing almost nothing against his blade and the power behind it, sword stopping just short of the spine.
Blood darkened the sandy floor as Wraith pulled his weapon free, pausing to readjust his audio receptors to take in the cheers of the crowd… cheers being a charitable description of the noises they were making. It was a mass of sound, a fusion of clicks, screeches and otherwise alien speech that hit him like a wall. But at least they were happy. Confederate allies were happy and he could think of no greater sign of a job well done. They wanted this, they got it, with him providing. Perhaps they were praising him but he preferred to think of it as them celebrating a return to form, a change to watch spectacles unfold in the Petranaki Arena.
And to think the war started right here, where he was standing.
The super-soldier looked up to the viewers box where Poggle the Lesser stood with a tactical droid, watching with hands clasped around his cane. Wraith knew that, in that very box, Count Dooku had born witness to the Jedi fighting the droid army as well as the arrival of the first Clone Army to engage them.
I wish I could have been here. I wish I could've stood alongside him. I wish…
Wistful thoughts aside, the super-soldier accepted that he was here now, ready to take part in the war again. He looked to the caramel-coloured sky and took a moment to reflect… to remember what had happened and how he came to be here…
Five days ago, Senator Padme Amidala managed to covertly secure secret Separatist data tracks containing the plans and locations of new, massive droid factories being constructed on Geonosis from Senator Rush Clovis during a visit to Cato Neimodia.
Four days ago, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine authorized military action against Geonosis. Captain Rex of the 501st Legion was put in charge of the initial reconaissance and scouting mission.
Three days ago, Captain Rex and his men failed to make contact with the existing Clone trooper contingent on Geonosis (leftover from the first battle for the planet at the onset of the Clone Wars), only able to pinpoint the locations of the new Geonosian droid factories.
Two days ago, Captain Rex submitted his report which was reviewed by the Jedi High Council and Office of the Supreme Chancellor, suggesting immediate invasion of Geonosis in order to retake the hemispheres where the droid factories were being constructed by force.
One day ago, the Republic assembled an invasion fleet, consisting of a task force comprised of the combined 501st Legion, 212th Attack Battalion, 13th Legion, the Galactic Marines, and 41st Elite Corps, and charged it with the destruction of these weapons factories as well as the complete and total subjugation of Geonosis.
Today, that same invasion fleet arrived in the Geonosis System and moved into orbital position above the planet…
As the fleet of six Venator-class cruisers and nine Acclamator-class cruisers bore down on Geonosis, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ki-Adi Mundi stood on the bridge of the Resolute, gazing out the viewport at the world ahead. It was a planet both Jedi had hoped they would never have to come back to again, too many bad memories of watching their friends be slaughtered around them.
Two-hundred and twelve Jedi had been a part of the strike team to Geonosis… only twenty-eight survived.
"I cannot believe we are back here again." Obi-Wan murmured sombrely as he stared at the planet.
"It is unfortunate. The resistance from the native Geonosians was stronger than we anticipated." Mundi agreed, seemingly more calm and collected than his friend.
Obi-Wan nodded. "The same can be said for their loyalty to Count Dooku." He said and the Cerean concurred.
"Yes. A fact that was overlooked."
The sound of the bridge doors opening drew their attention to the arrival of Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. "You're late." Obi-Wan bluntly remarked. He was used to Anakin being beyond the constraints of protocol and regimen, but it still frayed his nerves. A man of order, Anakin's consistently ungovernable nature wore him out more than anything physical could.
Anakin shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, Master. Ahsoka and I were busy rerouting Seppies near Dorin." He explained.
"My squadron alone had fifty-five kills," Ahsoka announced, proud and smug, as she crossed her arms.
Anakin looked to her. "Yeah, but mine had seventy-six." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, like a big brother taunting his little sister. The Togruta teen rolled her eyes with a huff.
"Show off." She grumbled, shaking her head. Kenobi quirked a brow and glanced between the two of them.
Turning war into a game now? Whatever are you teaching her, Anakin?
"Well, I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves." Obi-Wan grumbled.
"Hey, it's just a little friendly competition, Master." Anakin stated in their defence. "Nothing to worry about."
"What I worry about is the way this war seems to be drawing out with no end in sight." Obi-Wan said with a frown, stroking his beard. By now the Clone Wars had raged for a little over a year and, if anything, things seemed to only be escalating. No matter how hard the Republic fought and how many victories they claimed over the Confederacy, their enemy showed no signs of slowing down even with tactically-important losses.
"Which is why it is crucial our invasion of Geonosis meets with success." Ki-Adi stated and his fellow Jedi readily concurred.
"Agreed. Ahsoka, contact the Outer Rim command. We're ready for our briefing." Anakin commanded. His apprentice was ready.
"They're already waiting Master." She informed him.
A short while later, the four Jedi convened at the bridge holotable alongside holograms of Yoda, Mace Windu, and Chancellor Palpatine from back on Coruscant, as well as Master Luminara Unduli and Master Ty'ga, the two Jedi aboard separate cruisers taking part in the invasion.
A wise and knowledgeable Cathar, Ty'ga was one of the older Masters with a great many decades of service under her belt. Once a Consular called to help others find peace, her many experiences made her a learned and respected (if maybe stern) teacher. Ahsoka recognized her name due to the fact her friend and clanmate, Myri Lachiec, was Ty'ga's Padawan.
Between them all was a layout of Geonosis and the future battleground where they would make landfall to fight the enemy. "Our ships are in position, and we are ready to begin our campaign against the Geonosians." Obi-Wan stated.
"And what about Poggle? Any report on his location?" Windu asked.
"It seems he's holed up at the primary droid foundry, here." Obi-Wan answered, switching the imager for a view of the droid factory in question, covered by a red ray shield. "The factory is protected by a shield generator. Anakin, Ki-Adi and I shall attempt a three-pronged attack through their defence lines to a staging area just short of the shield. Once we've landed, we shall knock out the shield generator. That is our primary target."
Four arrows pointed towards a single spot before a line moved from there to the generator and one going over straight into the enemy fire.
"Isn't it risky committing three generals to one area of the attack? If something went wrong we could be dealt a serious blow." Palpatine queried, sounding worried.
"To ensure that rise again Geonosis does not, capture Poggle we must." Yoda responded. The Chancellor relented.
"Of course. As always, I shall leave the strategy to you, Master Jedi." Palpatine told them with a small smile. Obi-Wan nodded in acceptance.
"Our thanks, Chancellor."
"May the Force be with you." Mace said solemnly as the three signed off, their holograms vanishing to leave only Luminara and Ty'ga on the communication. At that moment, the bridge access opened as Commander Cody and Captain Rex entered the room, approaching the holotable.
"Good, Cody. These are the coordinates for the rendezvous." Obi-Wan stated, the holomap coming to life with a green box to mark the area in questions as well as picking out the perimeter in red.
"Yes sir. When we hit the ground, we'll create a perimeter. Getting past their defences here will be the trick," Cody stated, pointing to the heavily-fortified far reaches of the territory comprised of the droid factory. "General Mundi will come across the defensive lines from the north. We'll make our assault through the middle. And General Skywalker will make his attack on the defensive lines from the south, and we will meet at rendezvous point at oh-seven-hundred exactly."
"If we meet with strong resistance and are forced down away from the landing zone, hold out until we join our forces before attacking the shield generator." Mundi stated, gesturing to the swath of ground between the Geonosian defence lines and the rendezvous point. His hand was revealed, as was his missing finger, lost during his disastrous mission to Barab that nearly cost him in life.
"We'll do our best to try and mitigate that resistance." Ty'ga proffered. With the 13th being a primarily mechanized division, there were plenty of vehicles at her disposal to help bring some firepower to the enemy. Ahsoka leaned in closer to the map, craning her neck for a good look.
"Their front lines are heavily fortified." The teen said worriedly. "Look at that giant wall with all the gun emplacements." She murmured, highlighting one of the defensive structures damming the end of a canyon. "That won't be easy to get past."
"Don't worry, Snips, we aren't going anywhere near that." Anakin promised.
"Come now. What happened to all that enthusiasm I saw earlier?" Obi-Wan dryly wondered.
"Don't worry about us," Anakin said with a trademark smirk, patting his Master's shoulder, "you just make sure you get yourself to that landing zone in one piece." Obi-Wan resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
With you, I always have to worry.
"Yes, I shall be waiting for you when you finally arrive." He retorted.
"Gentlemen." Luminara cut in. "If you are quite finished, we have a battle to begin."
"Yes, that factory will not destroy itself." Ty'ga reminded them.
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "Quite right." He turned to his resident commander. "Cody, prep the gunships. We'll meet you in the hanger."
"Yes sir." Cody responded with a crisp salute.
Aboard the cruiser Reclaimer, Ty'ga strode into the cruiser's hangar where busy preparations were underway. Carrier-model LAAT's were being loaded with Saber-class TX-130 and TX-130T fighter tanks, AT-OT and AT-AP walkers, leaving only the heavy HAVw A6 Juggernauts and SPHA gun platforms behind. Primarily a mechanized division, the 13th Legion specialized in the use of combat vehicles and bringing fire support to besieged infantry divisions. Although they were not without their own troops; Rogue Company was the 13th Legion's very own elite infantry unit comprised of daredevil Clones who were as hearty and destructive as the vehicles surrounding them.
Amid the busy preparations, the Cathar Jedi spied her Padawan at the heart of it all. Young Myri Lachiec, the brightly-coloured Lethan Twi'lek, doing her best to organize chaos. The brown of her leggings and low-cut crop top stood out from among all the metallic greys, but not quite as much as the crimson skin of her exposed arms and navel did. Sensing the approach of her master, Myri turned with a bright look in her eyes. "Vehicles are ready, Master. Pilots are going through final checks now." She reported. Ty'ga nodded.
"Very good, Padawan. The order of battle has been decided. Our fellow Jedi are preparing to move out."
"What about us, Master?" Myri wondered as she walked alongside Ty'ga.
"We will divide into two groups. You and Rogue Company will take the lead to reinforce the landing zone with Master Kenobi and Master Mundi. I will follow with the rest of our mechanized division." The Cathar stated. It took her a moment, but the young Twi'lek understood.
"You want us to soften them up so they don't shoot all of our heavies out of the sky." Ty'ga nodded, offering a small impressed smile.
"You learn quickly, Padawan. Now, you'd better make sure Rogue Company is prepared to depart." The Cathar stated. Myri marvelled at her master for a moment. Even in the face of combat, she carried herself with an elegant grace that would make any royalty jealous.
"Right away, Master. We'll follow your lead and I'll see you on the planet." Myri promised, waving farewell to her Master as she broke into a jog and scampered across the hangar. Using the Force, she hurdled several weapons crates and slid under the leg of a walker hovering overhead as grips from a LAAT where attached to the hull, booking it with youthful enthusiasm towards the hangar holotable where Rogue Company was loading their weapons and priming their equipment.
Led by the charismatic Captain CC-6249 "Jolt" and backed by both Lieutenant CT-2010 "Backstop" and Sergeant CT-6701 "Sixshot", the small trooper crew consisted of medical officer CT-1516 "Lesion", engineering technician CT-1138 "Reverb", specialists CT-7101 "Sounder", CT-3358 "Shadow", and CT-2222 "Two-Two".
Spying Myri's approach, Jolt in his black-checkered armor turned to his men. "Commander on deck!" He announced and the Clone promptly snapped into ramrod straight positions.
"At ease, boys." Myri said, the troopers relaxing at her word.
"What's the word, Commander?" Jolt inquired.
"Well, you're all in luck, because you're coming with me right to the front of the pack." The Twi'lek announced.
"Alright, now we can have a party!" The boisterous Sixshot remarked with a grin. "Those bugs won't know what hit them!"
"Dial it down a notch, would ya Sixshot?" Sounder grumped. "I swear, I can pick you out a mile away while I'm in the middle of an army of screeching, clanking droids." As a special operations trooper (better known as a 'stealth trooper') Sounder's helmet included a large pair of built-in headphones that improved his ability to hear, detect enemy movement and location. The rest of his armor included more advanced gear to improve his senses.
"Ah, lighten up, Sounder. 'Shot's just itching to use his gun again. Hasn't had a chance to in hours." Two-Two commented, earning a few snickers from his brothers.
"Well, I'm inclined to agree with Sounder on this one." Lesion piped up. "Geonosis is no joke. The Geonosians use sonic weapons that can rupture internal organs if you're not careful. One shot and you're a dead man." He stated, deadly serious.
"Not if The Maestro and I shoot them first." Sixshot retorted with a grin, taking the time to pat his Z-6 rotary cannon.
"I'd say both of you are right. We have to be careful, but we also need to shoot Geonosians." Myri stated, offering her opinion.
"See that? Jedi negotiating at it's finest." Backstop announced to the others, patting Myri on the shoulder. "Listen to her first and foremost, men. She's never steered us wrong." Warmed by his complimented, Myri took in the men of Rogue Company. They were like a big family, with her being the younger sister surrounded by eight older brothers with wildly different personalities.
"Just so long as you make sure you listen to Captain Jolt as well." The Twi'lek added.
"Aw, he's not nearly as fun as you are, Commander. Besides, you outrank him." Sixshot responded.
"And I outrank you too, Sixshot. When I say jump, you ask 'how high, sir'." Jolt reminded him with a wag of his finger. "That goes for all of you. Now let's finish kitting out, we've got a flight to catch to bug-central." The troopers collectively murmured their consent as they all donned black-marked helmets (the color of the legion) and made to follow Jolt, easily identifiable by the diamond shape of the face of his helmet, the rest painted pitch black.
Back aboard Resolute, similar preparations were underway as the cruiser descended into the upper atmosphere of Geonosis. A squadron of Y-Wing bombers departed to soften up the Separatist defences below as Jedi and Clones mounted gunships for the trip from air to ground while AT-TE walkers were locked into carrier-model LAATs for the descent. Obi-Wan walked towards the gunship nicknamed 'Bad Kitty', named so due to its noseart featuring a Nexu riding a bombs, with Cody beside him, and the Jedi General had something on his mind.
"Were you here before, Cody?" The Clone shook his head.
"No sir, I wasn't involved in the first assault on Geonosis."
"Well, you didn't miss much. Last time I was chained to a pole and attacked by several humongous monsters." Obi-Wan stated in a rather sardonic voice. Cody paused mid-stride, struggling to envision that in his head. The situation sounded entirely absurd but just plausible enough to have actually happened.
"That sounds... entertaining." He responded at length.
"It was... for the Geonosians." Obi-Wan remarked, entering Bad Kitty alongside a company of 212th Battalion members. Cody would follow in a separate ship, ensuring that the chain of command could stay intact if one of them were blown out of the sky. It was a disquieting but very real possibility and they needed to be ready for it.
The invasion force took flight from the ventral bay doors of the Venators and immediately rocketed towards their target. Amid a plateau of dust and rock, a mountainous outcrop in the distance marked their destination.
And it didn't take long for the Geonosians to notice them.
LR1K sonic cannons, flak guns and proton turrets began pumping rounds into the sky, thunderous explosions buffeting the incoming gunships as noxious black clouds, sizzling scarlet bolts and deadly green rays lit the air in an ugly array of violent color. The passengers within were violently rocked about by near-misses, others weren't so lucky as gunship after gunship was shot out of the sky. The Republic retorted with defensive fire from their composite laser turrets and forward-mounted repeater turrets…
But then came the the whining screech of interceptors.
Nantex-class territorial defence starfighters, wily beak-like ships of Geonosian design, came screaming at the invasion force from the sun. Their singular laser turret might not have been much in the way of firepower, but the combined speed and maneuverability of the Nantex made it a lethal vehicle that could easily cut down three or four of the lumbering gunships in a single run.
Besieged from all sides, the Republic's saving grace came in the form of Y-wing bombers unloading proton torpedoes into the Geonosian defences. Explosions ripped through turrets and cannons, sending shrapnel flying in every direction as bits and pieces of the insectoid natives joined the brewing carnage on the ground. Through it all, the Republic desperately struggled on.
Back on the cruisers, Ki-Adi Mundi boarded the gunship 'Separatist Nightmare', the nickname wrought from its noseart of a Clone helmet designed in the shape of a skull, along with Clone Commander CC-1993 'Jet'. As he did, he waved farewell to Anakin, the Knight returning the gesture. He knew they'd meet again on the ground. "Good luck, General." Yularen called over the thrum of repulsorlifts easing the gunship off the ground.
"There is no such thing as luck, Admiral." Mundi sagely responded as the bay doors closed around him and his flight group took off, leaving just Anakin to go.
"Sooooo, Master… what was it like the first time around?" Ahsoka queried as she trotted alongside him.
Anakin quirked a brow. "What was what like?"
"You know, Geonosis! The first battle. The outbreak of the war." The Togruta elaborated.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just trying to get an idea of what to expect down there. I've never been here before."
"Well… last time I was here, I lost my arm." Anakin remarked, raising his prosthetic arm. The poor Togruta's eyes widened slightly, the stripes of her lekku paling in a ghostly fashion as she grabbed her own arm by instinct. Seeing and sensing her sudden discomfort Anakin chuckled. "Don't worry. The Jedi weren't ready for a war when I was here last time. You are."
"Do you really think so Master?" Ahsoka couldn't help but ask a bit meekly as she rubbed her arm. Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring, almost brotherly way.
"I know so. After all, I've been training you." He answered warmly, shooting her his trademark grin. Ahsoka smiled, the color coming back to her stripes, as they stepped into their gunship. "We all ready, Rex?" He inquired.
"Yes sir, General Kenobi is already underway." The Clone Captain acknowledged.
"Well, he's got a headstart. We'll just have to catch up." Anakin mused with iconic confidence.
Leaving the cruiser, his wave of gunships joined the fray alongside Ki-Adi Mundi's. They were subjected to the same heavy resistance from the Geonosian forces and the droid army, with Republic gunships and transports being shot down left and right; exploding in spectacular fireballs sent careening out of control or struck hard enough to send smoke and flame belching from their engines as they tumbled out of the sky.
In the air, the Jedi were violently shaken about in their gunships as they powered on through the flak and anti-air fire. Obi-Wan was jostled back and forth, bumping shoulders with the troopers with him every time. Near the back, Ki-Adi wasn't quite as close to the flak as the others were but still clung tightly to his roof-mounted support strap all the same. Myri was mercifully steadied by Captain Jolt as she struggled to reach the straps and used the Force to steady herself as each jarring near-miss caused the Clones to shudder where they stood.
Ty'ga and her troop dove low and fast, boldly powering ahead with tons of tanks and walkers behind them. They took each battering in stride, confident and determined to make it to Point Rain. Anakin was having a hard time keeping himself upright, Ahsoka even moreso. The young Togruta was nearly flung to the floor several times from a close-call, only to catch herself against Rex or Fives or Kix and apologize immediately afterwards.
And then came the deafening, thunderous BOOM that threw them all off their feet.
A direct hit from a pulse gun shredded their starboard engine. Trailing smoke from a growing flame, their gunship rattled and shook as it dropped from the sky. Ahsoka felt all four of her stomachs lurch from the sudden shift in velocity. "We're down! Repeat, down!" Rex shouted into his comms to alert the rest of the units. "Location five-!" He was abruptly cut off when the gunship crashed into the Geonosians dirt, skidding for a moment before tumbling on end and throwing everyone around. Anakin winced and growled, sensing a massive bruise forming on his bicep when he collided with the other side of the ship. Ahsoka felt much the same when she slammed into Coric's armored body, her bare skin barely cushioning a direct-impact with duraplast plating…
Aboard Separatist Nightmare, Commander Jet caught Rex's broken transmission announcing their downfall and Master Mundi heard it too. "Just lost contact with General Skywalker's team." He announced as his headphonic enhancers caught only static in the aftermath. "Either they're out of range or Rex's commlink was busted." He determined. That led to an even more prominent problem in Ki-Adi's mind.
"The flak is too heavy!" The Cerean realized, jarred as another bundle of flak exploded too close for comfort. "Contact the others, tell them to get the tanks on the ground now!" He ordered, moment's before another cannon blast struck their gunship on the starboard side. Fire and smoke filled the cabin while sparks rained down from above. Fortunately, the bay-door portholes were opened to vent the noxious fumes. Unfortunately, the sudden loss of altitude was a clear indication they were the next Jedi gunship to be shot down.
"Cody! Commander Lachiec! Get the tanks down! Come in, Commanders!" Jet ordered into his comms.
Far ahead of the rest of the invasion force, Cody's gunship and Myri's gunship had surpassed the Separatist defences to a point where the air was free of flak and fire with no apparent sign of the enemy. In fact, they were so close to the factory that they could see the red ray shield in perfect clarity.
Both commanders received Jet's transmission and responded accordingly. "Pilot, begin landing sequence." Cody ordered.
"Copy that, Commander." Turbo affirmed. "Have fun down there!" The joint 212th and 13th flight group were quick to set down just shy of their intended landing zone, deploying men and vehicles before the dust had settled. Myri and Rogue Company quickly disembarked and convened with Cody and his ARF trooper detachment. "Looks like we're the first ones on site, Commander." Cody noted.
"Then we better make sure they receive a warm welcome." The Twi'lek responded. Then her commlink crackled.
"Padawan, do you copy?" Myri was quick to answer.
"I'm here, Master. Rogue Company and I made it to the landing zone. We'll have it all ready for you-"
"We have to change our plans. I will not be arriving in the landing zone." Ty'ga interrupted. Myri blinked and shook her head.
"What? Why?"
"We've spotted a column of Separatist heavy vehicles attempting to ambush the landing zone from behind." Her master grimly explained. The sudden revelation took the Twi'lek by surprise again, but it didn't take her long to figure out the enemy's strategy.
"Droids in front of us, droids behind us… they're trying to trap us in the middle."
"I am going to set down early with the bulk of our units and try to hold off the Separatists here. If they reach you before I do, you'll be utterly destroyed." Ty'ga stated.
"I understand, Master."
"Help Commander Cody and Master Kenobi however you can, young one. May the Force be with you." Closing her commlink, Myri had barely a second to grapple with their new reality before Cody came seeking an update.
"What's the word?" The young Twi'lek looked up to the clone Commander, uncertainty in her eyes.
"The Seps are trying to catch us in a pincer move. They've got a tank column approaching from behind." She said hurriedly.
"Damn!" Cody cursed. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire." He muttered.
"My master is going to hold them off with her tanks." Myri added.
"But we need those tanks here!" Cody exclaimed, knowing just how valuable and important that extra firepower was. A sudden explosion cut off Myri's response and the two jerked to see a fresh wave of Geonosian ground units approaching from over a ridge, armed and ready for battle.
"We're just gonna have to make do! Defensive positions, everyone!" Myri shouted. Rogue Company sprang into action, taking up defensive positions near and around the Sabre tanks and AT-TE walkers on site.
"Here they come! Bugs incoming!" Waxer shouted over the din of explosions erupting just beyond their perimeter. The Clones opened fire as more Nantex starfighters roared out of the sky to strafe their position while Geonosian warriors on Flitknot speeders rode towards the Republic force, firing their sonic cannons. Sixshot moved to the forefront and spooled up The Maestro.
"Come on, bugs! You picked a good day to die!" He cackled, unleashing a steady stream of blue blasterfire that promptly asked across the Geonosian forces, cutting down dozens in a single sweep. Myri brandished her lightsaber and sprang to the forefront between Jolt and Reverb, flicking her blade back and forth to ward off deadly sonic bolts.
A sudden shine in the distance caught her eye, metal glinting in the sunlight. She squirted for a better look into the distance… and what she saw was terrifying.
A company of OG-9 Homing spider droids and IG-227 Hailfire-class tanks were lumbering towards them, few in number but heavy in firepower. The Hailfire's alone had 30 Tanksmasher missiles that could make very quick work of their vehicles if not dealt with, and the spider's possessed over-under laser cannons that could mow down swaths of troopers and any air support coming their way.
This is bad… this is REALLY bad.
"Commander Cody! We can't let anyone else land! Not until we've picked off those Seppie tanks!" She called out as Cody also spotted the incoming trouble. He was quick to get on his comms.
"General Kenobi, don't land! The zone is hot!" He exclaimed.
"But there's nowhere else to go!" Obi-Wan retorted before the dull roar of an explosion cut him off. Clamour erupted on the other end. "We're hit! We're going down!" Kenobi shouted and Cody looked up to see Bad Kitty on fire, rushing in far to fast and overshooting the landing zone. Breathing a temporary sigh of relief for having avoided disasterous destruction, the gnawing worry in Cody's gut returned as he watched the gunship hit the ground so hard the wings snapped off and the hull actually rolled for a few feet before stopping upright in a battered, blackened mess...
Torrent Company picked themselves up. So long as they could walk and hold themselves upright, they could fight. And there were Geonosians itching for a scrap just beyond the hull. "Come on! Get up, we have to keep moving!" Anakin shouted urgently as he and Rex pushed a broken door off their gunship. The immediate din of battle flooded their ears, coupled with the acrid scent of burning engine parts and decayed plasma. The cacophony of blasterfire outside was enough to cause some of the Clones to mute their audio inputs, relying entirely on inter-helmet comms instead. Ahsoka cringed as the first audio assault made her montrals tingle, calling on the Force to dampen her senses and focus.
Anakin and Ahsoka exited first, brandishing their lightsabers and started deflecting blasterfire. A few Clones followed behind them, using the ruined gunship for cover as they started firing on the Geonosian position. The bugs had set up a machine-gunner's nest and were savagely holding their ground, emptying a withering amount of blasterfire into the Republic from a J-10 dual-blaster cannon. Ahsoka held back to keep the men protected while Anakin rushed the Geonosian lines, cutting the bugs to pieces with his lightsaber. It proved to be an excellent intimidation tactic.
"They're falling back! Come on!" Ahsoka ordered Torrent Company before they started to join Anakin's plunge into the enemy lines.
"Rex! Have your men take cover! We'll draw their fire and try to give you a cleaner shot at the defenders!" Anakin ordered. "Try and contact Kenobi's group, see if he can lend us a hand!" He added.
"Right away, sir!" Rex responded with soldierly crispness. He hopped on comms as the troopers made their big push. Following Anakin's orders, Rex led his men to take cover in a small trench while the Jedi continued to deflect blasterfire. They had pushed the Geonosians back to the mouth of a small canyon, but the dual-blaster cannon remained and was making mincemeat out of the men.
"We've got to handle that turret or else we're not moving another step!" Coric realized and Rex agreed. The news from the other battle groups was not good.
Can we even do this on our own? We're gonna run out of men before these bugs run out of weapons, I think.
"Rex, what's the word? Can Kenobi send support or not?" Anakin asked, raising his voice to a shout to be heard over the battle before jumping into the trench next to Rex.
"I don't think so, sir," the Captain responded negatively as Ahsoka joined them, "Cody says General Kenobi never reached the landing site. They think his gunship got shot down." Anakin loosed a rough exhale and pressed his head against the rocky ground.
"Great. The one time I actually ask Obi-Wan for help, he's nowhere to be found!" He grumbled, sounding irritated. Ahsoka was far-less so, more a bundle of worried nerves than anything.
"Well, what if something happened to General Kenobi?! He could be injured or-" Ahsoka started, concern and worry rife in her voice and entirely tangible in the Force. Anakin could sense it. He shared her concern, but he had known Obi-Wan long enough to know he should last long enough until they could give him a hand. The tables had turned, it was up to him to power through to Obi-Wan instead of the other way around.
"No time for that kind of talk." Anakin interrupted sharply before she could allow her emotions to cloud her judgement. He turned his attention back to Rex. "Rex, we need to mobilize, now! Get the men together. We're going to rush the guns." He ordered.
"Yes sir!" As Rex bolted to fulfil his orders Anakin turned to Ahsoka, whose worries about Obi-Wan had not abated. "Ahsoka, you're with me. We need to give Rex cover when we attack." He ordered.
"Got it… j-just give the word." The Togruta nodded, but the stammer in her voice told Anakin everything.
"Hey," Anakin put a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her through their Master/Apprentice bond. "I'm worried about him, too. But you have to keep your mind in the here and now, otherwise we'll never be able to help Obi-Wan." He said. Plucking up her courage, Ahsoka swallowed her emotions and nodded stiffly.
Rex soon returned, Torrent Company primed to move. "All here, sir." Anakin nodded and glanced over the lip of the trench, waiting for the right time to launch their move.
It's a long run, field between us and them is wide. Gotta wait until the turret cycles, we can move and avoid most of the fire…
"Ready..." He listened to the CHAM CHAM CHAM of the dual cannon. The moment it was reduced to a whine- "NOW!"
They all started vaulting over the trench and rushing the Geonosian lines. "Go! Go! Go!" Rex bellowed, arms out and pistols blazing.
"Take 'em out! Take 'em out!" One of the Clones shouted before he and one of his brothers were both shredded by cannonfire. Dust and dirt was everywhere, clinging to armor, robes and skin as the Republic charged onwards heedless of the danger. It was a brave move. A bold move.
And the Geonosians could not withstand it.
Ahsoka led Rex and Torrent Company in an overwhelming assault on the bugs, the individual warriors falling before blade and blaster in droves. Anakin took on the more prominent problem, using the Force to cross vast distances in seconds, his blue blade a whizzing blur as he warded off a hail of blasterfire. He hacked into the cannon, splitting it in two, before he beheaded the two Geonosians manning the gun.
"Gun down! Sector clear!" He shouted.
"Enemy down! Sector clear!" Rex responded, the last of the Geonosians laying dead at the feet of him and his boys.
"Good. Let's keep moving. The sooner we get out of here and make it to Obi-Wan, the better." Anakin urged. The others couldn't agree more and dutifully followed him.
Having barely survived the destruction of their gunship, the scene around Ki-Adi Mundi reminded him more of the junkyards of Ord Mantel than it did a successful, triumphant invasion force.
We don't need luck… but what I wouldn't give for a little hope right now.
Shattered transports, destroyed walkers, broken and smoldering gunships littered the area along with countless pieces of debris and scores of dead men. Fires burned, filled the air with plumes of smoke… so far this invasion was turning into a total disaster. Only the few scant walkers still moving about as well as the companies on their feet and tending to the wounded gave the Cerean any hope they might succeed.
"What are our losses, Commander?" He asked Jet while nursing a couple of cracked ribs.
"We got hit pretty hard." The Clone replied, disappointment and hopelessness filling his voice. "I think only Kenobi and Lachiec's forces made through the flak to the landing zone."
"And what about Skywalker?"
"Captain Rex reported they're still in the middle of a canyon that the bugs have fortified quite heavily." Jet answered. "Skywalker's tanks are gone and they're trying to connect with General Kenobi. In the meantime, they'll press on to the rendezvous point." Mundi nodded.
Well, there's still a chance. Thank the Force for that.
"Very well." He said. "Load the injured onto the walkers. We'll make for that ridge." He commanded, pointing to a distant rise. "With any luck, we can meet up with Skywalker on his way to Kenobi's position."
Cody and Myri had organized the walkers into a defensive ring around the gunships, using them as a temporary holding base for wounded and supplies. Standing much higher off the ground than the average AT-TE, the AT-OP walker was proving to be an excellent vantage point for Clone sharpshooters who were making quick work of the Geonosians on speeders.
The incoming Separatist heavy artillery, however, was another problem altogether.
The AT-TE walkers shelled the incoming tanks over and over again, shots falling short or falling far as the metallic onslaught continued to encroach upon them. The Sabre tanks moved in next, unloading repeated smaller-calibre turret rounds into the approaching droids. They got lucky, striking the flimsy legs of the spider droids and dropping them where they stood, earning brilliant explosions from the punctured internal reactors. But the long-range capabilities of the droids were proving evident. Missile bursts landed closer and closer while searing beams of laser energy struck the armored hulls of AT-TE's even at a distance.
To top it all off, Commander Cody was facing a far more immediate problem.
"Not good. The bugs are splitting up." He muttered, watching as the Geonosians made to surround their formation. If they succeeded, they would be cut off from the wreck of Bad Kitty and (should he be alive) Obi-Wan would be in grave trouble. We gotta do something. Now.
"Commander Cody! What's our situation?" Myri called out over the cacophony.
"General Kenobi's downed gunship is half a klick east." He responded. "Someone's gotta get over there and check for survivors, get them back here before the bugs cut us off." It was only a second before Myri made her decision.
"We'll do it. Cover us, Commander." She ordered, sprinting towards the front of the pack. "Captain Jolt! Lieutenant Backstop! On me!" The Twi'lek shouted. The two Rogue Company troopers sprang into action alongside her, doing their best to keep up with their Force-enhanced commander.
The 'no-man's-land' between them and the gunship was absolute chaos and carnage. Sonic ordinance erupted dangerously close to their feet, cannon rounds kicked columns of dirt and debris high into the air, deafening them and coating both skin and armor with a layer of red dirt. The trio pushed on, focused more on getting to the gunship while they let their tanks worry about the Separatist armaments.
Dirtier than before, the trio managed to successfully reach the downed gunship and threw themselves up against the hull for cover. "We sure do get the fun missions, don't we boys?" Myri remarked while catching her breath. Backstop begged to differ.
"Oh this isn't the fun part, Commander. Getting back to the Square is the fun part." The Clone said, his voice mirthful in contrast to the intense situation. Chuckling at his words, Myri turned and used the Force to pry off the shattered bay door, allowing sunlight to filter in and illuminate a dirty, bloody, beat-up Obi-Wan Kenobi half-crumbled on the sand covered floor and surrounded by dead men. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring light, all Myri needed to see in order to confirm he was alive. "Master Kenobi!" She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Myri… am I glad to see you." Obi-Wan said sounding equally relieved. "Trapper and I are the only ones still alive." He stated as a wounded Clone beside him moved to try and stand. Backstop helped their brother as Jolt and Myri hoisted Obi-Wan to his feet.
"Commander Cody's established the Square just beyond this position, sir." The Captain informed him. "The bugs are on the move and trying to surround us as we speak, sir."
"Then we better get a move on. I'm well-versed in Geonosian hospitality and do not wish to experience it again." Obi-Wan humourously commented.
From the Square, Cody, Waxer and Boil watched as the Rogue Company troopers helped Kenobi and Trapper out of the gunship and then began the slow walk back to their defences. Myri was already on the move, lightsaber flashing back and forth to deflect and block incoming fire. But she could only do so much. They're sitting ducks otherwise. "AT-TE six-three-six, lay down cover fire at oh-point-three-five!" Cody ordered into his comms. "Tanks two-two-seven and eight-five-three, advance to protect VIP en route to square!"
At once the mass-driver gunner on one of the walkers turned and laid down blistering bolts at the approaching AAT's while two Sabre tanks moved into formation to cover the flanks of the incoming survivors. "Come on, boys, let's give the Commander a hand!" Sixshot bellowed, unloading into the Geonosians with his rotary cannon while the rest of Rogue Company opened fire in concert. The hailstorm of blue bolts was enough to deter the Geonosians just long enough for Myri, Obi-Wan and their troops to return a safe and sound… and not a moment too soon, for the armored division swept over the ruins of Bad Kitty as the Separatists closed in tightly on the Republic defences.
"Are you injured, General?" Cody inquired as Jolt eased Kenobi down next to a stack of crates.
"No, nothing too serious." Obi-Wan replied, although his looks certainly begged to differ. "What's the situation here?"
"We've got no air cover, two Generals on the ground beyond our position, and a mess of bugs surrounding us." Cody replied with a sigh. "General Ty'ga has engaged a second army of Seps trying to attack from the rear, so we're out of tanks until she gets here. The enemy was more than prepared for our attack, sir. They knew our every move." He stated gravely. The news hadn't made Obi-Wan wince, but the sudden injection of bacta into his neck from a medic did.
"Well, I'm sure General Skywalker and General Mundi will make it to our position." The Jedi said tiredly. "We just have to make sure we're still here when they arrive."
Up in the clouds, aboard Resolute, Admiral Yularen oversaw the bulk of the planetary invasion from the bridge. Nantex fighters swarmed the cruiser naval contingent, many quickly gunned down by turbolaser fire. They were proving to be less of a problem and more of a nuisance, like a swarm of Bahl flies.
Down on the ground was where the real problems lay, problems slowly getting sourced back to the Admiral.
"Negative, Commander. We will be unable to provide any air support at this time." He told Commander Jet. The Clone's holorender flickered in time with the trudging movement of the walker he rode.
"I understand that, sir. But we have four attack forces on the ground and only one at the landing zone. At this rate, Point Rain will be overrun with Geonosians before the rest of us can get there."
"This is a planetary wide invasion, Commander." Yularen stated crisply. "If I devote resources to your position, it will mean sacrificing other areas of the campaign. All we can do at this time is help you find General Skywalker." The Clone sighed.
"Alright, sir. I'll report to the General. Commander Jet out." The holorender winked out as the transmission ended. Yularen didn't like turning down a request like that especially when he knew how the entire Point Rain operation was in such dire straits. He had to give Jet the cold hard facts of the situation but surely there was something that could be done. He turned to one of his bridge officers,
"Give me every fighter you can scrape up." He commanded and the officer moved to check. Yularen then made to fulfill his other promise and checked in with the nav officer. "Have you located General Skywalker's position?" In response, the officer pulled up a holomap of the area outside Poggle's droid factory.
"We think he's somewhere along the eastern barrier." He stated, gesturing to a canyon. Yularen looked to the location in question and paled. He recalled it from the pre-battle briefing. The General was walking right into a meat grinder.
Commander Jet was not wrong about their situation…
"That's not a barrier… it's a fortress." He muttered worriedly.
Unaware of the imminent danger they were in as he led Torrent Company down the canyon, Anakin was fairly confident it would be a short trip from here to Point Rain, where Obi-Wan's unit was pinned down. Just gotta keep moving, be quick and efficient, go from point to point.
Rounding a corner, Anakin suddenly realized that was not going to be the case.
At the end of the canyon loomed a massive wall littered with gun emplacements and manned by a platoon of droids. The instant they laid eyes on them, the guns opened fire as did the B1 and B2 droids on top of the structure. The overwhelming barrage drove them men to lunge for any cover they could find.
"Careful, men. Careful!" Rex shouted in warning. Unfortunately multiple Clones were killed before the rest took cover behind some boulders. He, Anakin and Ahsoka took cover behind a single huge boulder as they came to grips with their new predicament.
"Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into!" Ahsoka remarked irritably.
"What? Hey, it's not my fault! You were supposed to study the holomaps!" Anakin accused in his defence.
"I did! Remember, when I reminded you about the giant wall, and you said, 'Don't worry, Snips. We won't be anywhere near that'!" Ahsoka recalled with a growl as she glared at him. Anakin huffed loudly.
"Just get ready to climb!" He snapped, sounding annoyed as he pointed to the cliff on their right.
"Sir, we've got a problem. Up top." Rex announced, his gaze fixed at the top of the wall through his rangefinder. Anakin and Ahsoka turned, peering over the lip of their boulder.
Amid all the droids of their, the bright glowing red optic caught their eye, positioned behind an E-5s sniper rifle.
"Wraith." Ahsoka growled.
"Color me surprised they sent him here." Anakin grumbled. "This just made our job a little harder." As if to emphasize his words, a pair of Clones popped up from behind their cover to open fire on the defending droids, only to both be dropped by a pair of headshots.
Not only is there a helluva lot of fire coming away, but now there's a sharpshooter waiting to pop our skulls.
Anakin signalled Lunn and Jaco and the pair rushed over quickly while the other troopers covered them. Anakin took their supply packs from them… each one loaded to the brim with thermal detonators. "So what's the plan, General?" Rex asked.
"Just keep us covered, Rex." Anakin replied before handing a pack to Ahsoka who slipped it over her small shoulders. It seemed to be half her size. "There's too much laser fire for all of us to make the climb. Ahsoka and I will handle this." He checked one of the thermal detonators before putting it back into the pack and slipping it on. "Just be ready when that wall comes down."
The moment the Jedi started running, Wraith responded.
The E-5s had a multi-fire setting, allowing it to switch between single-shot and full-auto options as the situation dictated. The super-soldier was well aware the full-auto option sacrificed accuracy for rate of fire, but a Jedi could easily deflect a single shot (a lesson he learned while playing marksman on Christophsis). Rain fire on them, and it might be a different story.
Planting a boot against a crest of the wall and flicking the power option to its peak, Wraith fired from the hip and let loose a storm of blaster rounds that peppered Anakin and Ahsoka as they sprinted to the nearest cliffside. A few unlucky Clones who got in the way were promptly cut down, and coupled with all the cannonfire assaulting them, the Jedi looked like mice in a maze as they dipped and rolled, dancing around the hail of blaster bolts ripping towards them.
"We're never gonna be able to climb if this keeps up!" Ahsoka called out. "We won't have a chance to aim our grapplers!"
"Take your shot! I'll cover you!" Anakin shouted back, drawing his lightsaber and going on the defensive. As he blocked the incoming rounds with supernatural speed, Ahsoka took a chance to plug a grapple into her launcher before taking aim and firing. Gas-compression charges unloaded enough pneumatic force to send the grappler flying up the length of the cliff until it pulled taut, snugly anchored somewhere above.
"Good to go, Master!" She called out, hurrying to take his place as he brandished her own blade. The Togruta had never moved faster with her blade.
I swear this might be faster than a level nine training droid!
Amid it all, her eyes met with the crimson optics of Wraith as he continued to fire upon her. In some ethereal sense, a momentary connection was made. On one end was a resolute soldier's duty; hold the wall and drive back the enemy at any cost. On the other lay a primal, instinctive desire to fight and to win… Ahsoka was letting her inner Togruta out to play.
She furrowed her brow and concentrated. He did too. Another duel was in the making.
"Ahsoka! Come on!" Anakin shouted, snapping her back to reality. Hurrying back to her grapple, she clipped it to her belt and ascended alongside him. Together, they used the Force to hasten their ascent, racing from ground to the summit in half the time it would normally take. As soon as they reached the top they discarded their grapplers and skirted around the rocky terrain towards the wall, lightsabers out to deflect incoming fire from Wraith.
The super-soldier took note of their approach. "Units fifty-seven through seventy-eight, focus fire on the Jedi." He ordered. Half the battle droids heeded his command, a mix of B1's and B2's joining him in attacking the Jedi while the rest continued to fire on the Clones below.
"How many droids have you two shot down so far?" Anakin randomly asked.
"Twenty-five." Ahsoka replied while still focused on the enemy.
"You're falling behind!" He teased with a smirk. "Let's go!" He urged as they jumped down onto the top of the wall and started moving forward into the mess of droids, sabers humming and slashing as scrap metal was left in their wake.
Wraith knew droids wouldn't last long against the Jedi, so in order to protect the one's left, it fell to him to hold them off. Blasters were of no more use to him so he discarded his longblaster and reached for the hilt of his collapsible sword.
Seeing the change in the enemy's attack pattern (as well as Wraith's shift in focus) Rex devised a plan. "Concentrate fire on the droids at the top of the wall!" He ordered Coric, who passed it down the line.
By the time the droids were dealt with, only Wraith remained across from Anakin and Ahsoka. The two Jedi fixed their enemy with stern, focused gazes. This wall would fall, one way or another. Ahsoka shrugged off her pack, knowing she needed to be more nimble. She felt the tug of a determined Anakin, holding her back.
"We move in together-" He stated. But Ahsoka wasn't listening, pulling away and charging ahead. "Ahsoka, no!"
Like a charging reek, the young Jedi came on, her green lightsaber ready to cut Wraith in half. The super-soldier tensed, ready for her.
Ahsoka didn't catch the cue. Her fervent emotions moved her along. Until she was too close to dodge Wraith's left hand as it shot out toward the charging Jedi, danger sense flaring. Micro-coil generators spooled up in his gauntlet, channeling an electric charge into the micro-filament layer of his gloves. He grabbed Ahsoka between her neck and shoulder, unleashing high-voltage electricity that ripped through her body. She cried out, a rough animalistic noise as Wraith hoisted her off her feet and threw her back into Anakin. He caught her, only just, Ahsoka too dazed and winded to get back up. Anakin paled, words dying on his throat as a haunting moment of deja vu overtook him.
It's just like the last time I was here…
Wraith spun his blade into action, holding it before him in a crisp salute before twirling it to an outstretched position near his waist. Anakin recognized the stance immediately. Form II: Makashi, the duelist stance, perfect for saber-on-saber combat… and Count Dooku's form of choice.
His near-fatal duel with the Count flashed behind his eyes and Anakin felt a chill roll up his spine. It really is like last time.
Shrugging off his pack and holding out his own saber, Anakin knew Wraith was not to be underestimated. He had learned a lot since Dooku, growing in skill and strength, and although patience was not his strong suit he was not in the mood to lose another limb by blade. He had dealt with Makashi before and he refused to be undone by it, no matter who was using it.
While Anakin and most of the Jedi were sword fighters, Count Dooku was a fencer, following an older fighting style, one more effective against weapons like lightsabers than against projectile weapons like blasters. The Jedi on the whole had abandoned that old fighting style, considering it almost irrelevant against the enemies of the present galaxy, but Dooku had always held stubbornly to it, considering it among the highest of fighting disciplines and passed it on to his students.
Now, as the battle played out between Anakin and Wraith, the older way showed its brilliance.
The Jedi made for first blood, so suddenly, so powerfully, his blue blade whirling with such speed that he seemed almost encased in blue light.
Wraith had to work furiously to keep Anakin's blade at bay, dodging more than parrying. He tried to step out to the side, but stopped as if he had hit a wall, and his eyes widened a bit beneath his helmet when he realized, in the midst of that assault, Anakin had used the Force to block his exit.
Tricky Jedi.
Gradually Wraith put himself back on even footing with Anakin, trading thrust for slash and forcing Anakin to dodge and parry as often as he tried to strike. Coupled with his enhanced reflexes, zenith physique and sharpened mind, combined training from Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress was turning him into a Makashi nightmare.
He came on hard, thinking to drive Anakin back and off balance. But Anakin held his ground stubbornly, his blue blade flashing left, right, and down so forcefully and precisely that none of Wraith's attacks got through. He leapt at Anakin, a sudden and devastating thrust.
But one that never struck.
With sudden effort, Anakin turned the blade aside, spared a near miss. Wraith went into a wild flurry then, raining blows at his foe over and over. Anakin didn't like being put on the defensive, his more aggressive stance failed to account for it. But he refused to be controlled and didn't step back or to the side, yet his subtle dodges and precision parries kept Wraith's blade slashing and stabbing harmlessly wide.
It went on and on for many moments, but eventually Wraith's flurry began to slow, and the super-soldier, recognizing the futility of this attempt to overwhelm, stepped back fast.
Not fast enough.
With a sudden burst of sheer power, Anakin flew forward to take the offensive again, his blade working so mightily as he poured his aggression into his bladework. Anakin reached more deeply into the Force, letting it flow through him as if his physical form was a mere conduit for its power. Wraith held strong, though, his silver blade parrying brilliantly, each block backed by raw organic power, or else Anakin's strikes would have driven right through.
Just as he was about to launch a counter, though, Anakin was gone, leaping high and turning a somersault to land right behind Wraith, in perfect balance, striking hard.
Wraith reversed his grip and stabbed out behind him, intercepting the blow. He let go of his weapon altogether, tossing it just a bit, and spun about, catching it before it had even disengaged from Anakin's blade.
The fight reset, his tempo increased suddenly and dramatically, three steps forward, two back, perfectly balanced all the while. His fighting style was one based on balance, on the back-and-forth charges, thrusts and sudden retreats, and now he came at Anakin with a series of cunning stabs, angled left and right.
Wraith stabbed up high, turning the angle of his sword in anticipation that Anakin would dodge left. But Anakin, as if in complete anticipation of the movement, veered neither left nor right, but rather, dropped back and out of range. The super-soldier had already retracted the missed thrust, and began a second stab, this time down low, but Anakin had anticipated that, too, and went right back up behind the stabbing blade.
A sudden stab by Anakin had Wraith quick-stepping back even more off-balance, for the first time, and then Anakin feinted, calling off his attack to force Wraith to play his game.
The stoic super-soldier pursued, thrusting hard for the Jedi's head. And in his rage when his stab missed yet again, he reverted to a slashing attack.
Anakin's blue blade caught the blow, holding the silvery sword at bay, locking the two in a contest of strength, one side physical and the other of the Force.
"Couldn't just settle for strength and punches, had to steal something from us, didn't you?" Anakin taunted. "Feeling inadequate yet?" Wraith said nothing, merely growling in retort.
With raw, brutal force, he turned their blades over end and snapped out a free hand. Grabbing Anakin by his prosthetic, he channeled another electric surge from his gauntlet that ripped through the synthetic nerve endings and into his body, battering Anakin with a double-dose of pain that left him screaming.
Back on her feet, Ahsoka was about to rejoin the fight when a panel in the floor opened up, allowing a battle droid commander to poke its head out. "Hey, did you get them?" It asked no one in particular, looking towards the fight. Seeing her opportunity, Ahsoka grabbed both packs and threw them at the droid.
"Catch!" The B1 turned around.
"Huh?! Wha!" It exclaimed in surprise as it caught the packs before Ahsoka smirked and used the Force to push the droid down. The droid's screech of terror echoed as it disappeared back into the hatch.
"Master! Bombs are in place!" Ahsoka shouted as she vaulted over Anakin and landed a kick right to Wraith's helmet that knocked the super-soldier over. He sprang backwards and to his feet just in time to see Ahsoka haul Anakin up.
"Bombs… Wha…?"
"The bombs are planted!" Ahsoka reiterated in parsed words. "Come on! We have to go!" She used the Force to lift him and throw him off the edge of the wall before she followed suit.
The Jedi were gone and Wraith watched them go. The words of Ahsoka registered and he tucked his duelling blade away. Triggering the jump jets on his boots, columns of blue flame propelled him across the width of the wall as he scooped up his E-5s and landed on the rocky bluffs…
Mere seconds before the explosive disintegrated the wall.
Anakin cried out in fear as he fell, instincts and training suddenly kicking in a few harrowing heartbeats later following the sudden detonation of their explosive packs. Together, he and Ahsoka used the Force to slow their descent as they reached the ground, then used the Force to keep debris from crushing them as the wall continued to fall apart.
With all said and done, the elder of the two leaned back against the nearest surface and wiped sweat from his brow. He appeared frazzled, strands of hair standing on end as grime clung to his face and dust filled his hair.
"Next time… just tell me… to jump." Anakin gasped between heaving breaths.
"Now where's the fun in that?" Ahsoka asked with a smirk. Anakin shook his head in slow dismay but had to give her credit for finishing the plan the way she did.
A little unorthodox… just the way I trained her.
"Nice work, sirs." Rex complimented as he brought Torrent Company over. Anakin looked over their ranks and grimaced as he noted how thin they were.
"Come on, we can't keep Obi-Wan waiting." He said, summoning the Force to strengthen him enough to get up and get going again. Beyond the wall was more dusty plateau, but more importantly there was no more canyon and Point Rain wasn't all that far away.
"You heard him, lads. Let's go!" Rex ordered as Coric whipped the men into line following Anakin.
Picking their way across debris, the 501st was well on the move as Wraith settled into a sniper's position on his outcrop. Switching the E-5s back to single-shot, he lined up the targeting scope with the cluster of oblivious Clones.
"Look! What's that?" Ahsoka called out while gesturing to a cave on the side of a distant cliff. Spurts of orange flame erupted from the rocks, followed closely by burning Geonosians, shrieking and screaming something awful as they took flight while burning to death. The Jedi activated their sabers as the group slowed.
Anakin quickly took stock of the scene. Of all the battle groups here, only the Galactic Marines had brought along flametroopers; Clone specialists wearing unique heat-resistant armor and equipped with BTX-42 heavy flamethrowers. And if the Marines were here, then that meant-
"It's Master Mundi!" Ahsoka exclaimed, pointing to the humanoid figure that just appeared out of the caves behind the burning Geonosians. Anakin and Ahsoka knew well enough at this point not to doubt their friend anymore when it came to things like this.
"Master Mundi, do you read me?" Anakin asked over his comlink.
Up above and outside the catacombs, Mundi heard him. "We are here, Skywalker. We took a slight detour that put us out of communications for a bit." The Cerean explained.
"This has been a day for detours, Master." Anakin agreed, sounding tired and weary.
"Indeed, but now the road is clear. I can see the landing zone… It does not look good." Mundi said, his tone sounding concerned. From where they all were situated, the column of smoke rising from the 212th defensive position did look more like a blast crater than a successful defence. Anakin knew something needed to be done immediately as he closed his transmission with Mundi. Obi-Wan couldn't wait for him to get there.
"Can you get me Admiral Yularen?" Anakin asked Rex. The Captain nodded before setting up a connection with the airborne Admiral using a holoprojector. The imager flickered slightly before the appearance of Admiral Yularen flickered into clarity.
"Good to have you in speaking-range again, General." Yularen greeted.
"Admiral. We're at the breaking point, you've got to get some fighters down here." Anakin stated. There were no time for pleasantries, not with how desperate things were getting.
"You are in luck, General Skywalker. I have one squadron available." The Admiral told him, earning a sigh of relief from Anakin.
Finally. Something was going right.
Suddenly, a sniper round ripped right through Lunn, killing him instantly. The Clones whirled, shouted, and Jaco dropped dead as a hole was burned in his helmet. Thoughts of Wraith were instantly conjured up in the Jedis' minds. "Move! Get down!" Ahsoka cried and everyone hurried to find cover.
"Get that squadron to Point Rain and help out General Kenobi!" Anakin ordered Yularen. "We're gonna be a minute…!"
Back at the designated landing zone, things had taken a turn for the worst. Obi-Wan, Myri the 212th and the 13th Legion were fighting for their lives as droids and the Geonosians surrounded them, gunning down more Clones than they could count. They had run out of tanks and were steadily running out of walkers with their mass driver turrets.
Rogue Company had fallen back. Sixshot was inured and his rotary cannon out of commission. The black-marked Clones held their ground with Myri by their side, an elite force guarding the wounded Obi-Wan Kenobi. Shells boomed from nearby AATs as they pummelled the armored hulks of AT-TEs, one walker collapsing one after another to the tune of deafening explosions.
Geonosians on speeders circled them, glowing closer and closer like the hold of a noose around the neck. Without aid, without reinforcements, this would be the end of them all and Obi-Wan knew it.
"It appears the enemy has us surrounded." He noted aloud.
"Well… good. That means we can fire in every direction." Myri remarked, trying to bring some levity to the situation. Obi-Wan tried to crack a smile, but the weight of circumstances bore down too hard on him, especially when he saw multiple Clones fall dead from Geonosian sonic weaponry, all of their innards ruptured from the blow.
This must be it then. This is how others have gone out… I did not wish it so, but it may be our turn as well.
Making his peace with his reality and although weak and hurt, Obi-Wan forced himself to stand and activated his Lightsaber, determined to fight or die trying.
If this is our last stand… I will not go out laying down.
"Reinforcements! The reinforcements have arrived!" One of the Clones shouted, sparking hope and joy throughout the ranks.
Obi-Wan and Myri looked over to see a squadron of Y-Wing bombers dive in low, flying overhead as they delivered a deadly payload. Proton bombs and torpedos were let loose, ripping into the ranks of Geonosians with tremendous explosions as well as their tanks to blow them to pieces. Everything that wasn't of the Republic was instantly shot to pieces by the air strike, and the enemy assault almost immediately stopped. The Clones whooped and cheered in victory and relief, hailing their airborne saviours as the Y-Wings flew a tight turn and put to death the last of their enemies. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and slumped back down once he realized the situation was back under control. Clone troopers scrambled to reclaim ground and execute any surviving Geonosians, bound and determined to hold their position.
"Thank the Force." Myri breathed. "That was a close one."
"Indeed. I've certainly had enough of them for one day." Obi-Wan concurred. Not a moment later, the joint 501st and Galactic Marines battle groups joined the rendezvous point and the group ran up to Obi-Wan.
"Master Kenobi!" Ahsoka exclaimed kneeling beside him while looking over him with concern.
"Well, what happened to you?" Anakin asked with a smirk upon noticing the cut on his face and dirt covered armor.
"I might ask you the same question." Obi-Wan playfully retorted, his spirit lifted at the sight of his allies all in one piece. Anakin chuckled and took Ahsoka's spot kneeling next to him as the Togruta stood and met with her friend and clanmate.
"Hey." She greeted, sounding winded.
"Hey yourself." Myri said, smiling. "You could use a shower." The Twi'lek commented, noting her dirty appearance. Ahsoka looked her friend up and down, noting how starkly the red-brown dirt clung to her athletic body.
"You're one to talk." The Togruta retorted with a snicker, seeing as Myri didn't look too different from her.
Moments later, the Jedi and surviving Clones were gathered around a large holopad and brought up a map of the area. Myri, Ahsoka, Anakin, Ki-Adi, Rex, Cody, Jet and Jolt were standing while Obi-Wan spoke while propped up against a crate, too weak and wounded to participate properly.
"Master Ty'ga is still fending off the rest of the Separatist armored division approaching from the rear, but our combined forces should be enough to destroy the shield generator." The bearded Jedi stated. "Anakin, you'll need to take a small squad through the shield, as close as you can get to their gun emplacements. From there, you'll be able to temporarily jam their scanners so they are unable to target the incoming tanks." He directed as he gestured towards the generator as the holoprojector generated renders of the battlegroup's possible route. "Once the tanks knock out the shield, Master Mundi and Myri can bring the rest of the troops in with the gunships."
"Consider it done, Master." The Knight assured with a confident grin. He had been looking forward to this all day.
The ray shield was soon in front of them, so close Commander Jet swore he could reach out and touch it. It seemed like a long time coming, but they were finally on the verge of achieving their objective. It had been a long day… but the day was almost over.
Anakin and Ahsoka along their own squads of Clones waited patiently just outside the shield for Mundi's squad to give them the signal. To Jet, everything was ready and nothing more needed to be done.
"All units are in position sir." He stated. The Cerean nodded.
This is it. No turning back.
"Tell Skywalker to start the attack." He stated.
Within the Separatist emplacements, Wraith was on the scene. Having abandoned his efforts against Torrent Company once they linked up with the Galactic Marines, he had fallen back to the one position that needed safeguarding above all others.
The Geonosians had placed JR-1 turrets and sonic cannons along the levels of the shield generator, turning the structure into an armored fortress hard-pressed to be taken. But the super-soldier knew how ineffective the shield was against infantry units.
The moment chittering cries drew his attention to the outskirts of the shield, he knew they enemy had made their move. Anakin and Ahsoka led two teams of Clones inside the radius of the shield, picking off Geonosian scouts as they did. Wraith watched and studied them from a distance, noting their moves. They had to be here with the singular goal of knocking out the shield.
He wouldn't let them.
"The Republic is advancing. They have walkers just beyond the reach of the shield." A B1 commander droid stated the obvious. Having sized up his enemy the super-soldier sought out a weapon. A nearby rack for the battle droids was full of options. One in particular caught his eye; a Bulldog RLR anti-personnel launcher.
"Focus everything we have on their position. We have to stop them." Wraith stated in response as he strode over and collected the weapon. Jamming a fresh boxy ammo clip into his weapon, Wraith lept off his ledge and dropped down to the ground.
Taking aim downrange, he pulled the trigger and a plume of violet erupted from the barrel as a miniaturized explosive shot forth. His aim was true and it impacted among the Clone ranks, killing several outright and kicking dozens more into the air. The Geonosians were on the attack now, cannon rounds tearing into the masses of troops while winged warriors carried others off to be killed. Wraith fired more rounds, more explosive rocket-propelled projectiles slamming into the Clone ranks as he closed the gap between them. They were trying to get under the reach of the cannons and find cover.
They would encounter him instead.
He fired until he ran out of ammo and then cast the bulldog aside. He reached for his collapsible blade and picked up his pace. He was jogging by the time the hilt was out and sprinting as the sword unfolded pieced by piece.
Anakin saw him coming as he and Ahsoka linked up, crossing a stone-hewn bridge to reach a rise in the terrain. He looked to his apprentice. "Together this time." Anakin statedm leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, Master." Ahsoka conceded, narrowing her gaze as their enemy drew close. Wraith did not let up, maintaining an impressive footspeed before throwing himself forward and slamming into the Jedi with strength and raw power. Less than a second later, the duel erupted.
Perfectly in sync, Master and Apprentice worked their blades in perfect harmony, spinning them over and about with blinding speed and precision.
The working of Wraith's silver blade, flashing ahead and back with equal precision, picking off attack after attack and even countering once or twice to interrupt the flow of Anakin and Ahsoka's barrage.
Together they charged forward suddenly, bringing a green blade over shoulder and across, down at the super-soldier. Wraith understood immediately, even before he noted Anakin's blue blade coming up and over the other way: Ahsoka's blade would push his lightsaber out of the way, clearing the path for the victorious strike from Anakin!
But Wraith retracted impossibly fast, and Ahsoka's down-cutting green blade hit nothing but air.
Wraith stabbed straight ahead, intercepting the blue blade. His hand worked up inside and over, then back around with a sudden twist, launching the blue lightsaber from Anakin's grasp. Spinning around and landing a hook kick that clobbered Anakin across the face, Wraith went on the offensive immediately, driving the surprised and off-balance Ahsoka back.
The Togruta teen fought hard to regain her fighting posture, but Wraith was relentless, thrusting repeatedly, keeping the Padawan stumbling backward.
And then he stopped, suddenly, and almost on reflex, Ahsoka turned back on him, trying to exploit a possible opening. But at the last second, Wraith spun around and she blazed past him, earning a snap-kick to the back of her head that pitched Ahsoka across the desert ground. With the Jedi dealt with, the super-soldier drew his pistol and unloaded rounds into the Clone troopers, felling almost a dozen within the span of a few seconds.
"Rex, jam their scanners!" Anakin ordered as he drew in his saber and rushed back to handle Wraith.
"Coric! Oz! Zeer! Draa! Up here!" The Captain barked and the Clones quickly took up crouching positions behind him, lifting DC-15a rifles equipped with underslung launchers. In concert they lobbed four EMP grenades downrange at the enemy guns, each one coming to rest at the feet of the Geonosians before they detonated seconds later and took their guns offline.
"Looks like it's working, sir." Fives noted as the cannons and scanners shut down.
"It won't last long." Rex responded before opening his comms, "Commander Myri, bring up the tanks."
Rogue Company and Myri led the remaining AT-TE walkers through the shield and, the moment they were through, they opened fire on the generator. One by one, mass driver rounds blew them to pieces, explosions ripping through chassis and tech with ease. Repeated salvos blew the enemy cannons to pieces and further rounds crumpled the shield generator piece by piece, gradually bringing down the entire structure until it collapsed as smoke, dust and flame consumed it all.
Without their cover, the Geonosians turned tail and ran as Ki-Adi and his troops flew in on their gunships to reinforce the positions taken by the other Jedi, composite laser cannons shredding those who still fought back. The Clones let out cheers of victory watching the bugs scatter like ants before them.
Anakin and Ahsoka fought Wraith to a standstill, the duel halting as they watched the shield generator crumble before them. Then the Jedi looked back to their enemy, still in his duelling posture of one hand behind his back with this weapon out in front of him. "If you know what's good for you, you'll surrender." Anakin stated, holding out his saber. "Don't have to. I'd be happy to add you to the piles of bugs." Wraith loosed a heavy, mechanized exhale.
"Drop it." Ahsoka added with her own growl. Wraith's gaze darted between the two of them as well as the slowly-approaching Clone troopers. With the flick of a switch, he collapsed his sword.
"Next time." He rumbled. Whipping his other arm out, the short-fuse stun grenade flew towards the Jedi, their senses reacting too little too late.
White noise and a wall of white consumed their senses, driving both Jedi to the ground as Wraith made his getaway, thanks to polarized optics and deafened audio receptors. He took advantage of the confusion and triggered his cloaking device, disappearing from view. He needed to find Poggle, regroup, and plan for the coming siege against the droid factory.
By the time the Jedi recovered their senses, Wraith was long gone.
With the day won, the Republic was left to pick up the pieces and sort themselves out. Securing the area, they set up a far more advanced and better-protected rendezvous point. An improvised base that would allow them to stage further strikes against the Confederacy in order to complete their takeover of the planet.
Anakin helped the wounded Obi-Wan over to Ki-Adi's waiting gunship that would take the two Jedi back to the cruisers for some much-needed medical attention. Master Ty'ga had arrived with the remainder of her forces to make up for their absence, filling out the Republic forces with much-needed mobile artillery and many more tanks. Ahsoka, dirty and dishevelled, caught up to Anakin before he could board the gunship. "So, Master. What was your total?" She asked, bright and curious.
"Not now, Ahsoka." A tired Anakin sighed.
"Come on. Are you afraid you lost this time?" She pried with a teasing smirk. Anakin loosed a grumble.
"Fine. Fifty-five, that's my count." He replied. "And you?" Ahsoka paused, absolutely beaming, before replying,
"Sixty. Looks like I won." Anakin stopped and turned around causing Obi-Wan to almost trip and bring the two of them to the dirt.
"Yeah… but I called in the air strike! Tie!" He retorted, a smirk still on his face. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.
"You're impossible." She muttered, shaking her head while smiling before she walked off.
"I'll never understand how you two can simplify these battles into some kind of game." Obi-Wan mumbled in a disgruntled voice. Anakin just shrugged before Ki-Adi came and took his place in helping Obi-Wan onto the gunship.
"Well, take care of yourselves. I expect to see both of you back here by the time I've destroyed the main factory." Anakin said, fully expecting them to depart right away.
"We shall do our best." Obi-Wan sarcastically promised.
"Sixty-five, Skywalker." Mundi said suddenly, catching Anakin off guard as Obi-Wan raised a brow.
"I'm… sorry?"
"My total. Sixty-five." Mundi repeated, evidently outclassing both him and Ahsok at their own game. "So what do I win?" He asked. Anakin was speechless, gaping at the Jedi Master as Obi-Wan chuckled in amusement. The Knight fumbled for a response, totally taken aback.
"My everlasting respect, Master Mundi." He answered at length, breaking out of his stupefied state.
Mundi's face fell. "Oh." He said simply.
"That is a gift Anakin rarely bestows, I assure you." Obi-Wan remarked in an attempt to assure his fellow Council member. With that, the gunship doors closed and the ship took flight, disappearing into the sky as Ahsoka watched them go from a short distance. She'd heard what Master Mundi had said and was impressed that a normally rigid council member was willing to chime in on the little contest she and her master waged.
"You had sixty kills?" Myri asked.
"Yep. Between droids and bugs, I was pretty busy." Ahsoka mused in response.
"Huh." Myri set her hands on her hips. "In that case, I had a hundred-and-five." Ahsoka's jaw fell slack as she looked to her friend in awe. Myri shrugged. "You missed out on a pretty big free-for-all." She explained and then walked off, the Twi'lek humming to herself as she made to convene with Rogue Company and check in on Sixshot.
They would all need to be in top condition to survive the rest of the campaign…
Author's Note: How about that, some familiar faces from the original story showed up! Yep, the old 'Tempest Company' is now the revamped Rogue Company. Gotta love it!
