"So, what's the plan, sir?"
What is the plan, Percy thought, glancing around the Separatist encampment. His eyes traced along the vacant, setting sky. The anti-air within this place had to be cleared out so they could push closer to the Capital, clearing out all in their way, one by one.
The sun was setting over the rocky canyons and valleys of Ryloth. Blackened smoke from the downed Republic cruiser wafted across the sky, blocking out the purple and orange hues scattered across the war-torn planet.
Around Percy and his commander, close to a hundred or so twi'leks were bound in cuffs in the center of their town, and not just the men, but the women and children too. A collection of five crawlers mounted with anti-air canons were pointed to the sky, ready to release a salvo of hell upon any Republic craft that neared. A small battalion of droids paraded about the captured natives. Their steps echoed off the rock walls where homes were carved out from the stone. The houses and buildings carved into lands now lay abandoned as its denizens were bound and kneeling at gunpoint in the center of the overtaken town.
The town, what was likely once a tiny, humble place, was now a well-entrenched position that the Separatists held. Fortified rapid deployment constructs hugged the red and orange walls of the rock, jutting out, creating a fortress within the solitude.
General Kenobi would have to either brute-force his way through the constructed walls, which acted as a perimeter with high casualties, or sneak in somehow. Perhaps there were passages within the tunnels. Even then, success was not guaranteed once the first blaster was fired.
Yet, Percy was already here, inside their fortifications, and night was rapidly approaching. They had taken his armor and blade, but he was already past their mounted sentries. Most importantly, the pen he first awoke with was still on him even after the droids had stripped him of it once. He wasn't weaponless and hopeless.
He wasn't sure how the pen that could turn into a broken sword was capable of appearing at his side despite being taken away, but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth when he could use it to get out of his predicament?
Yet, success was not guaranteed for Percy either. Once he made his first move, if it were wrong in the slightest, blasters would come alive, gunning for him. He still preferred that over waiting for the droids to come aiming at him and Wrath in the first place. If he could help it, not another clone would die before they even landed their ships into the sand and rock of the planet.
With all that in mind, Percy turned to his commander, who was also bound and stripped of his gear.
"The plan?" Percy mumbled, eyeing the nearest droid. The B-1 battle droid was strolling closer and closer as he had been for the last twenty minutes on a continuous cycle. "Something dumb."
"I thought something dumb was getting captured?" Wrath whispered, following Percy's gaze.
"Well, something dumber then."
"If only I had my hands on a blaster." Wrath struggled in his cuffs before giving up. "I don't know how it can get any worse, sir."
Percy winced, "Shouldn't have said that, Wrath."
"Hey, you!" the whiny voice of the droid spoke, marching directly at them. Its blaster rose from its hip. "No talking, prisoner!"
Percy smirked, looking up at the barrel.
When life gives you blasters….
The droid turned to the clone, eyed him up, and then returned to its route.
Percy turned to his commander and nodded his head at the droid.
"You cannot be serious, sir." Wrath watched the droid walk away.
However, Percy was already looking for the next thing he needed. "Did you see where they took our gear?"
"Back of the canyon, furthest from the gates inside the cave fixture, sir."
"And, if I can get you a blaster, you think you can cover me while I get my saber?"
Wrath raised an eyebrow, looking almost offended, "As long as the tank in the back doesn't aim at me, I can, sir."
"And what of us?" an accented male spoke.
Percy turned to the yellow twi'lek, who spoke up. He had a bruised eye and a cut running down his left lekku, which was stained with dried blood that had long since mixed with the dirt.
"You know how to use a blaster?" Percy asked.
"I have seen propaganda videos of you clones firing your blasters before."
"So no?" Percy winced.
"It is as simple as pointing and shooting, yes?"
"Yes, but no," Percy sighed. "If you get a gun, point and shoot at droids. Otherwise, I'm delegating you to see your people out of here. Somewhere beyond this encampment, a Jedi and his troopers are nearby. Check your village first, I imagine."
"And you can protect us as we run?" a woman asked from behind the yellow one.
Percy looked to his commander, and the bald clone nodded back.
"I can make myself the biggest target," Percy told the woman. "It is the best I can offer you right now. It may be the best I can ever offer you."
"Don't worry, ma'am, if any of these clankers look at you, we'll get them," the clone added.
"But you do not even have a weapon!" a third twi'lek shouted.
"Hey!" the droid from earlier shouted. "Who said you could talk?" it demanded, stomping over to them. The blaster rose, aiming at the man who just shouted.
The droid stood before Percy, getting nice and close as it stared down the twi'lek.
When life gives you blasters, toss them to your best shot!
Percy swept his leg forward, pain shooting up his leg from quite literally kicking metal. Yet the droid fell all the same. Its blaster fell free from its hands and practically in the lap of Wrath.
Percy shot him a wink before he raised his cuffed hands into the air and brought them down on the droid's robotic head.
It caved easily, and the shackles broke in the middle, allowing Percy to use his arms independently again.
Percy couldn't help but smile as he rotated his arms, quickly stretching them.
Next, he grabbed Wrath's cuffs and pulled, freeing the man to hold a blaster properly.
"I've never seen a man do that before, sir," Wrath awed, looking down at where Percy pulled the cuffs apart with his bare hands.
"Yeah, I am beginning to think I am not just any other man right now." Percy grinned, offering his trooper the droid's blaster. "I know it's not as good as our blasters, but I still expect you to hit your shots."
"I've never missed in my life, sir."
"Aye, that's the spirit," Percy laughed before glancing at the surrounding droids. Surprisingly, by some luck, not one had realized what had happened. "Right, don't fire till you have to." Percy turned to the assembled village, staring at him. "Nobody is to move until Wrath or I say you can, or the lasers start flying. You move now, and I cannot stop them from mowing you down."
A series of nods followed, and Percy returned it with his own.
Too many had already died today. No more. Not on his watch.
You mistake your ability to overcome for the ability to change fate, Perseus, Mother chided from the back of his thoughts.
"Unless you plan to help, I don't care to hear about what I can or cannot do," he shot back.
Throw yourself in the line of danger to save one of these beings, and you risk more than your own life, Perseus. You cannot get back home if you are dead.
"And I won't be able to go back home if I lead everyone to their deaths as well."
Your left. The droid with its back to you.
Percy turned to her words, finding the droid quickly. It had a few stripes of yellow paint on its metal coat.
"What about it?" he thought to the woman in his head.
Start there, she ordered. It would be one of the first droids to relay commands to the rest of the others. Cripple their leaders, and the rest will panic.
Percy nodded, readying himself to move. When life gives you poorly armored and unaware droids…. Rip and tear, he laughed to himself.
.
Percy lunged into action.
He was one man against an army, unaware.
So, as he ripped the head from the body of the first droid, he was already looking for his next target. There were two together, looking to the growing night sky above, oblivious to his actions, but if they even looked down for a single moment….
Percy punched through them both.
With bleeding hands, he slid the three blasters back toward the prisoners. They deserved the greatest chance they could have.
The yellow twi'lek nodded to him, grabbing the gun with cuffed hands. The man wouldn't have an easy time aiming, but he at least had a means to defend himself. An oversight on Percy's end, but he was already going on the move. There was no going back.
He had to press forward.
Percy did just that. He had to get to his gear. As much as he could punch through their weak metal frames, his hands were still only flesh and bone. His saber would change everything.
He spied the cave Wrath had pointed out to him. Two guards stood out in front of it, talking with the other. A group of droids marched by between him and them, unaware that they were now the ones who were prey under the night. Further into the back of the canyon, an armored assault tank lay idling.
It's empty, Mother supplied. You can get by it now without being blasted.
"You sure?" Percy doubted.
I'm never wrong.
"Right. Real assuring."
Percy took a breath, readying himself as the patrol passed.
Victory was two guards and a tunnel away.
He dashed forward. His fist winded back as his eyes locked on the right droid.
His right fist smashed into the rock behind the droid. The metal of its chest cavity dug into his upper arm from where his lower arm had gone through the droid. With his left hand, he clobbered the other droid, sending it crashing into the ground. Wherein his armored boot quickly curb-stomped it to circuits and scrap. They should've taken those as well.
"Ouch," the droid he punched through muttered before slumping over, deactivated.
Percy pulled his arm out of it, wincing at the blood that collected on his elbow. Just because you can punch through a droid doesn't mean it is safe.
He flexed his knuckles, watching droplets of blood fall to the dirt below. At least his wrists and veins were protected by the metal cuffs still latched onto him. Wiping the blood on his armored legs, he pushed forward into the cave.
He stuck to the walls, carefully stepping to avoid making any noise that would echo down the long tunnel. In the shadows, he pressed onward, avoiding the spots of light that radiated from hanging lanterns.
One step after another, he went deeper into the tunnel.
Then, an opening revealed itself. Robotic voices echoed out like the light and shadow stretching forth from the opening.
"We still fight for the superiority of orbit," a droid said.
"And yet, cruisers have already passed the blockade and entered the atmosphere," a more modulated voice replied. "The Republic dogs will be barking at the doors before the week is over."
"Impossible as long as this forward encampment stands," Robo spoke. "We have already destroyed one of their ships. The others cower out of range."
"They do not cower. They await. The Jedi will not stay their hands for long."
"It will please you to know we have already captured one Jedi."
Captured? I'm running free right now, actually. Percy corrected the droid mentally.
"And you are only telling me this now?" the modulated voice yelled.
"It is a recent development."
"Then kill him! Those bloodthirsty maniacs will not waste a moment to eradicate you if given a chance."
"Unlikely. We have deployed the locals as meat shields. By my calculations, the Jedi will not risk the lives of innocents. "
"They'll hesitate but not stop. Your plan will buy you a limited time," the modulated voice said. "Ready your camp for an attack. The Jedi will seek their companion. Leave only his body for them."
"Yes, General."
Percy heard the transmission cut and the clanking of the robot walking towards him.
Too bad you'll never give those orders, Percy thought, turning the corner swinging.
His fist went straight into the blockier droid but did not go through.
"Ah, crap," Percy recoiled, shaking his hand. "You actually are some real metal."
"Jedi!" the tactical droid shouted.
"Not a Jedi, actually," Percy corrected, raising his pen-blade and striking the bot in the head.
The bloodied teen watched as the droid's light faded away. Satisfied, he pulled the ruined blade out and watched the metal corpse fall. He inspected the half-melted blade for any further damage in the light, turning it to the sides before placing the pen cap on it again, watching it return to a simple writing medium. Despite being already ruined, cutting through metal like that seemed to have not worsened its condition.
Content, he stepped over the hunk of scrap and looked at the holo table in the center of the room.
"Oh, this is perfect. How am I so lucky?" he laughed, looking at the map of Ryloth with the location of every entrenched position of the Separatists. "Windu cannot be upset about this, at least. But how can I download it without a drive?"
Your armor and weapon are on the other side of the table, Mother sighed.
"Nice," Percy said aloud, quickly stepping around the table.
He grabbed his saber first and ignited the blade.
Orange light bathed the walls of the cave and his smile.
"Let's get to work, shall we?"
:P LINE BREAK d:
Percy stepped away from the holo table, disconnecting his wrist communicator.
He had already tried to upload directly to Windu but could not find an ounce of service beneath the rocks. The Seppies must have had an array feeding service this deep and only to their own network, and Percy wasn't actually sure how to tap into that for himself. Plus, it is not like he couldn't just walk out and transmit the data he just downloaded outside. He was sure the droids wouldn't mind.
Percy stepped over the hunk of metal again, this time leaving.
He quickly readjusted his body armor, tightening a strap near his bleeding arm. The blood had already begun to dribble through and stain the armor. He'd have to wash that off soon. Yet, before he could worry about cleaning his armor, he had to put it through the ringer first.
Eventually, after retracing his footsteps out of the tunnels, he emerged to where he had taken the guards out.
"Hands in the air, Jedi scum!" a droid demanded, a spotlight blasting into his eyes, blinding him.
Percy reflexively raised one hand into the air, blocking the light as he looked at what awaited him.
Ten droids had their blasters drawn and primed at him. Behind them, in the dark, Percy spied his commander still amongst the prisoners, slowly slipping his own blaster to his shoulder, ready to fire from behind.
If he does that, all hell is breaking loose officially, Percy realized. I guess it had to happen.
"What if I don't?" Percy asked the droid, palming the metal hilt of his saber at the same time. His finger was already on the igniter, ready to fight. "Matter of fact, why don't we all just save everyone's time, and you all put your hands up."
The droids glanced at each other, confused.
"Wha—aaaah"
Percy cut through three droids in one slash. Two more fell in a following slash. A blaster bolt hit one. Friendly fire hit the seventh droid, and another slash took down the eighth and ninth.
The tenth raised its hands into the air, dropping its weapon, "I surre—"
Percy slashed through the metal with ease.
One more shot rang off from the prisoners, and the spotlight went dark.
Thanks, Warth. Now, onto the next, Percy thought, spying the crawler guns. Yet, before that, he tapped his comms device, activating the data transfer and shooting an audio message to Windu while he was at it.
"Destroying AA now. Data package of Seppie bases I found in a cave are transmitting to you as I speak."
With that sent, Percy resumed his mission just in time as the base awoke to the realization of what was happening.
Alarms blared, echoing off the canyon walls as more spotlights turned on, searching for him.
Blaster bolts flew at him, glowing in the night, splashing into the rock walls behind him and leaving scorch marks that sizzled.
Screams erupted from the twi'leks, and Percy could only hope the blasters were not being turned on them. Rather, he had to make sure they were not being turned on them.
Eyeing the idle tank he spotted earlier, he knew exactly what he needed to do.
Dashing forward, his saber glowing like a beacon as he deflected back shots to their shooters, he sprinted for the tank.
A slash here and there, another return to sender there, and he was climbing up the front of the tank and into the waiting seat at the top. Levers and pedals awaited him. He didn't have a clue what any of it meant, so he started pushing random buttons, hoping for the tank to start up.
Duck!
Percy ducked; a blaster collided with the open hatch of the AAT, right where his head had been a moment before. He pushed even more buttons.
Try the switch that says 'on.' Mother helped.
Percy blushed. Flipping the switch, the tank roared to life, lifting off the ground.
"Blast him quick!" a yellow-marked droid shouted just in front of the tank.
Percy stepped on a pedal, and the tank shot forward, crushing the B1 droid. Percy pulled on a lever, yanking it to the left, where a squad of droids stood, firing and missing him. His fingers clenched around the trigger on the handle and squeezed it in.
The tank shuddered back, lighting up the immediate area as it shot.
The droids went scattering into the air.
He fired again and again and again. Percy kept blasting at anything Separatist.
The front of the barrel smoked as rapid beeps warned him of developing problems.
Yet, despite their numbers rapidly dwindling, he still had more targets to shoot, but more importantly, he still had attention to pull.
He fired once more.
An incoming bolt slammed into the hatch again, close to hitting him.
"Come on," he urged the tank, ignoring its warnings. "Three more shots."
He fired. It hit its target.
"Come on!"
He fired again, watching another one of the AA crawlers crumble, collapsing onto a rapidly deployed building and crushing it in a blaze.
Percy fired again, watching as the fourth AA exploded. Fire and smoke raced into the sky like a beacon of his destruction.
He turned the barrel to the fifth and last gun that had taken down one of the cruisers meant to liberate this planet. The final weapon that had killed so many already.
He pulled the trigger.
The explosion rang out from the barrel of the tank, but no shot was fired.
Even more, warnings blared at Percy, and he knew he had pushed his luck.
"Ah, damn it." Percy scrambled, diving out the top of the AAT.
The tank exploded.
Percy was sent off course from his initial dive and thrown into the wall as the heat seared across his armor. He quickly shielded his face and closed his eyes as the fires of death tried to kiss his cheeks.
Then it reared back, the flames clinging to the tank.
Get up! Mother demanded. A few more droids still stand.
Percy coughed, choking on the burnt dirt in the air. Unsteadily, he forced himself to his knees and hands. Blood marred his right arm, the red staining the white armor.
Get up!
Percy put his hand against the wall, leaning into it as he shook off the explosion.
"I'm up. I'm up," he groaned, blinking back the ringing in his ears.
A shot landed near him, hissing as it melted rock.
He zeroed in on the droid aiming at him, and Percy grabbed for his saber.
The droid collapsed unceremoniously. Smoke wafted from its back.
Commander Wrath stood over it, unscathed and grinning.
"General!" the clone rushed over, helping Percy stand. "You alright?"
"Tank blew up," Percy hissed, his ribs telling him he was not one hundred percent.
"It overheated, sir. It should've warned you."
Percy shrugged, "I still had things to blow up."
"Cannot blow them up if you are dead, sir."
"And the locals?" Percy asked, wincing as he shifted.
"Scattered quick. A few didn't make it, but the majority made it out."
Percy clenched his jaw and nodded. Carefully, he pushed off the wall.
"We need to take down the last gun and be done with this place," he spat.
Wrath nodded, "I'm sure there are some explosives lying around. Maybe some munitions we can detonate."
"And the droids?" Percy asked, sweeping his gaze across the immediate area, but the burning tank obscured most of his line of sight.
"All on the ground, sir."
"Good." Percy limped past the wreckage of the tank.
The first thing he saw was fire. Where the four destroyed AA crawlers once were, there was burning wreckage. Around the canyon, droids lay defeated.
Serves them right, Percy applauded his work before turning to the center of the town.
Amongst the area where he had once been a prisoner, a few unfortunate bodies remained. His eyes fell on one in particular. The yellow twi'lek was staring up at the sky. The blaster Percy had thrown to him was discarded on the ground beside him.
"I tried to get him to leave," Wrath spoke, following Percy's stare. "He said he refused to stand by ever again. Took down at least four that I saw."
Percy nodded solemnly, balling his fists, the skin turning white.
You cannot save everyone, Perseus. This is war. Learn this lesson, and commit it to your memory.
Percy turned away from the dead and to the problem still at hand. He ignited his saber as he stomped his way toward the last crawler, ignoring the electrifying lances of pain that seared across his nerves. All that pain just meant he was still alive and kicking, and if he could kick, he could stab.
Take your anger and commit it to the path you walk. Let it fuel your campaign as you march forward from here today.
Percy slashed his orange blade through the leg of the gun. The lifeless machine teetered off balance. He slashed at a second leg, ruining any chance of it standing.
He slashed again and again and again. Over and over, he carved the gun up, leaving scorched gashes within the metal. But it wasn't enough! He hacked at it, swinging the blade from above his head down onto the gun with more force behind every swing.
Then he stomped on it for good measure. The ruined slag of metal budged from his power.
Panting, he stepped away and retracted his saber.
His body burned with pain and exhaustion but ultimately fell secondhand to the rage that burned in him.
Robotically, he lifted his comms device on his wrist just in front of him. The HUD lit up as he established a call with General Windu.
The scowl of the bald man projected out of his gauntlet, waiting for Percy to speak first.
"Camp liberated. Guns are offline. Cruisers are clear to advance forward."
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