Mike sat on the bench in the locker room, staring into his reflection on the glass of his clone trooper helmet in thought. Having barely graduated from being a cadet, the armour was still brand new, shiny and polished. Around him were his noisy fellow clones, all eagerly preparing for their combat drill.

ARC Troopers looking for a team? He should've felt excited that such highly skilled and legendary troopers were considering him and his brothers, but strangely, he wasn't. That would mean leaving Kamino and finally joining the war which they had been bred to fight in for their entire lives. A war that produced massive casualties for the Republic. A war that left many of his brothers that came before him lying dead and rotting in forgotten fields across the galaxy.

"Hey, you good?"

Mike startled, looking up to see the concerned face of Chase, leader of Disaster Squad, which Mike belonged to. The other trooper sported a regulation haircut, like all the other recently graduated cadets of the group.

"Yeah. Just... getting hyped," he lied, placing the bucket on his head.

"Alright," Chase acknowledged hesitantly, helping the man to his feet. "Evals was asking if you knew where his training rifle was."

Mike smirked beneath his helmet. "He'd lose his head if it wasn't attached. I put it in my locker when he left it out yesterday."

"Right." Chase's attention was being drawn behind Mike and to a broad-shouldered clone, Wedge, and a trooper with his armour loose and missing a shoulder plate, Hotshot. Wedge had picked Hotshot up from behind, yelling something about his fatigues being dyed purple, while the second clone laughed maniacally at the bits of dyed cloth peeking out from beneath Wedge's gear. "I better get those morons to focus up. Evals is in the CCP." Chase marched off towards the commotion, and Mike chuckled, walking over to his locker. Popping it open, he retrieved his carbine and his brother's rifle before shutting it again and leaving for the lobby.

Adjoining Room 12 was the lobby, otherwise known as the Casualty Collection Point due to the fact that after troopers were 'killed' in the training exercises, meaning they were stunned, they usually found their way in there to await instruction and or chastisement. Today was no different. The troopers from Whiskey Squad were spread about, groaning from their soreness from droid stun blasters as they sat or lay on benches and chairs. Before them had been Diamond and Fuller, though how they fared was unknown. In fact, what they were going to be doing inside Room 12 was a big mystery.

Mike spotted Evals sitting near the hall to the elevator, conversing with Nerd and CT 22-7776. All three had their helmets on their respective laps. Nerd was slightly short for a clone and had bright blonde hair and blue eyes, which was uncommon but not unheard of. The other two both had the normal dark hair and eyes, making them just as regular as Mike.

"Evals. Forget something?" Mike tossed the rifle as Evals turned. The sitting trooper swiped the training weapon out of the air in a swift move, smiling.

"Thanks Mike. Hey, come look at what Nerd has."

Mike approached, eyes widening as Nerd produced two droid poppers. "Wha- Did Arjhan issue those to you?"

Nerd grinned devilishly. "Nah, they wish they had droid poppers like these. I made them."

Mike grimaced. "Is this gonna be like the time you modified Recoil's Z-6 to have a magnetic pulse generator?"

Nerd waved him off. "That was once, and with the limited junk I can scrape together from those stingy Kaminoans, how can you blame me for an error once or twice? Anyway, all that I did was accidentally switch the polarity backwards. If I didn't, he would've been repelling droids like magic!"

"Instead, they flew towards us and crushed the whole squad," CT 22-7776 griped, rubbing his shoulder. "You know I'm never getting rid of that scar, right?"

Evals laughed, pounding their fellow clone on the very shoulder he had rubbed. "Battle scars are a glorious thing! Someday you'll be bragging about that one."

"Sure," he said sarcastically as the rest of their squad entered, headed for the elevator. Chase motioned towards the four soldiers, so they stood to follow. Nerd slipped the poppers in a hard case on his belt, holding a finger to his lips which formed a mischievous smile. He then put on his helmet as he strutted confidently after their leader.

'We're doomed,' Mike thought as he walked down the dim hall and onto the large, square pad. Thirty feet above them, light shone down the shaft from Room 12.

"Alright, listen up," Chase said, almost tiredly. "We don't know what we're facing, but if we want to join those three ARC Troopers, we've gotta make a good showing and last longer than the other squads."

"I wouldn't mind joining that Company," Recoil said, hefting his Z-6 rotary cannon. The machine gun was very effective at clearing large clusters of enemies, but that's not why he carried it. Everyone knew he had some sort of craze centred around rapid firing weapons. "Those two pilots looked fun and casual."

"Of course, they're with the ARC Troopers," CT 5332 retorted, now wearing his full armour and wielding a rifle. After the incident in the muster, his fellow clones had taken to calling him Speedo. "They're all probably high-ranking Captains and stuff. They're allowed to be casual, but I expect they'll be very strict with us."

"Stringent or not, I don't care," CT 4459 interrupted, checking his blaster. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get off this place and see some actual land."

"Like you've said... over and over," Wedge grumbled, Z-6 in tow. "Be careful, your wish might come true."

The floor jolted, making the clones stumble slightly. The platform began ascending towards the opening at the top, and Arjhan Ki'don's voice came over the intercom:

"Disaster Squad, prepare yourselvesss for the exercise. You have one go, and no retriesss. Make the Republic proud today, and you may be given the chance to join the Outer Rim Garrissson."

"You heard the man," Chase called, readying his dual DC-17 blasters. "I want four big guns in a V beside me to lead the charge. Everyone else, hold position and cover fire until my say so, then you move to cover. How copy?"

"Wilco," Tunnel, a clone that was taller and lankier than average, responded. He and Speedo took up positions on either side of Chase, rifles at the ready, while Recoil and Wedge formed the edges with their rotary cannons locked and loaded. Behind them, Mike, Nerd, CT 4459, and Hotshot stood ready with their carbines, while 22-7776 and Evals prepared their rifles.

In a matter of seconds, they reached the top, and the platform locked into place in the floor. Right from their platform was a descending slope into Room 12. Cover blocks of various heights, lengths, and widths all were arranged at seemingly random point in the battle area. Raised areas had defensive positions in rough circular formations. A large, single-entry structure like a fort was constructed at the opposite end from them. Three balconies at various heights held turrets, manned by training droids built to look like B1s. On the left was another turret, nestled between some pieces of cover which meant shooting the gunner at range would be extremely difficult. Droids of the B1 type stood all about in the room, turning to face the clones. Overhead, built into the wall behind them, was a viewing area which was in use by the draconic instructor and the members of the Outer Rim Garrison.

Arjhan raised his arm. "The tessst beginsss... now!"

The first droid barely fired its yellow stun laser before several were cut down by the charging front wave of clones. Chase charged the centre with Tunnel and Speedo supporting him. Recoil and Wedge spread the field left and right, firing nonstop into enemies. Mike took careful aim before picking off a B1, knocking it to the ground in a clattering heap. The troopers beside him commenced their barrage, striking droids at a longer range.

"Yeeeeeaaaah Ha!" Recoil screamed like a madman, tearing into droids like a buzzsaw takes to wood.

"Turrets are powering up! Move into cover, everyone!" Chase ordered. Mike made a dash down the slope, sliding a little on the incline. He dove behind a wall as the loud turrets began firing off in sets of three with a jaw-rattling POW, POW, POW!

Evals crouched beside him, rifle firing off at droids attempting to flank from the right. "Having fun down there?"

Mike got to a kneeling position, peeking out briefly just to hide again from turret fire. "Oh, you know me. Just hanging in there."

"B2s!" CT 4459 yelled from the left, going fully automatic with his carbine. "They're coming out of the Citadel with more B1s!"

Nerd slithered over on his belly, shooting as he moved. "We must neutralise the turrets!"

"I've got it!" Hotshot yelled, running by in a zig-zag pattern out in the open towards the left flanking one.

"I meant an intelligent solution, Hotshot!" Nerd shouted after him, but the other trooper ignored him completely.

"There he goes again," Evals muttered as he stood up, trying to cover the foolhardy clone's assault.

Hotshot bobbed and weaved, turning once or twice as he dodged the dual cannons of the turret that now had its undivided attention provided to him. He clambered onto the platform, rolling around the cover to the back and coming to a kneel, blasting a droid. He then vaulted into the turret's embankment. A blue flash filled the inside right before a droid tumbled out.

"Enemy turret in my possession!" He said dramatically over the helmet comms. It began rotating towards the enemy before firing haphazardly, stun lances plowing droids into the floor. "Mwahahahaha! Die you robotic bastards!"

Up on the viewing platform, the clones and the trainer looked on the staged battle. Joystick chuckled appreciatively when Hotshot manoeuvred up the left flank and took possession of the enemy battery.

"Oh, I like him," Dusty said.

"That'sss Hotshot," Arjhan informed them proudly, grinning a large grin with his fanged maw. "He isss one of my bessst."

"In this squad?" Shock asked curiously.

The warrior turned to him. "Thisss is my bessst squad."

"Heh, whatcha doin' down there, Wedge?" Hotshot called mockingly from his turret. "I'm getting all the kills!"

"No way you're outscoring me, you di'kut!" Wedge hollered back, breaking cover and mowing droids with his Z-6.

"Wedge, not again! Get back here!" Chase yelled in frustration.

Wedge, instead of complying, bashed a B2 to the ground with his cannon, turning in wide, sweeping arcs to cover huge areas of the field in fire. "Negative! I can handle these clankers!" An instant after he said that he was knocked off balance by a laser, fired by a B1 several metres to his right. He blasted it down, but not before being struck by multiple other shots. He managed to fire off another burst before going down, after being hit nearly twenty times, the last one knocking his helmet off as he fell over backwards. He lay on the ground stunned, tongue lolling out and eyes half open.

"Your best squad?" Shuriken asked, voice hinting the sarcastic nature of the question.

"They have the mossst potential," Arjhan explained as if that event was a frequent occurrence. "And their comradery, dessspite how it looksss at first glance, iss stronger than any other unit I have had the pleasure of training."

"Well, I'm impressed," Awe joined in. "That Wedge fellow took so many stun blasts before going down."

"He hasss the greatessst endurance and physical might of the group," he rasped. "Some ssay it'sss a defect, but I sssay it'sss a gift."

"Wedge is down!" Chase yelled, firing off in either direction with his pistols. Without his heavy suppression, droids began taking the right flank and closing in, creating another problem for the leader of Disaster Squad.

"Good riddance. He smelled anyway," Hotshot laughed maniacally, blowing away numerous clankers. "When they hold his funeral, I'll be laughing and holding a party balloon!"

"Think of it this way," CT 4459 replied practically, picking a droid out from behind its cover. "Now there's less between you and the enemy. No more meat shield."

"It's so sad," Hotshot amended. "He was really a valuable member of this squad. He will be missed."

Tunnel fell back from his position, beginning to be overwhelmed on the right. "I can't hold! To much-!" He was interrupted when a lance from a turret in the citadel struck him in the chest as he moved, throwing him to the ground.

"I want more fire on the right flank!" Chase ordered, charging and diving into cover near where Tunnel lay unconscious. "CT 22-7776 and Speedo, move over here! Turrets are gunning for us, so stay frosty!"

"Copy that!" Speedo acknowledged, dashing to the right. He managed to avoid multiple turret lances on the way. He knelt by Chase and started unloading his rifle on the enemy. 22-7776 was right behind him.

"Hotshot!" Evals suddenly yelled in panic. "You've got too many!" He and Mike were trying to help relieve the pressure on Hotshot's turret as droids pressed closer. He was unable to gun all of them down at once, swivelling back and forth, trying hard for survival. A B1 clambered into the embankment from his blindside. There were several flashes of light of yellow and blue colours. Both clone and droid sprawled out onto the floor.

"He's dead," Mike said through gritted teeth. "Those turrets up top are giving us trouble."

"I'm on it," Nerd muttered, producing his makeshift droid popper.

"No offense to you, Nerd, but how are you gonna throw it up there without getting gunned down?"

Nerd snorted derisively. "Who said anything about throw, my dear brother with oh so limited imagination?" He placed it on the ground and extended an antenna from the ball. Pulling a remote from his hard case pocket, he pressed a few buttons. The screen on the remote came to life as thin metal legs sprouted from the ordinance and it began blinking the 'armed' light. "Here it goes!"

Mike and Evals watched in dumbfounded amazement as the little metal ball scurried down the battlefield and around droids, going unnoticed. It reached the citadel wall by the door that streamed training droids but didn't stop there. It began scaling the vertical wall, going on a direct course for the lowest turret.

"I can't believe it," Mike muttered, watching as it crawled into the balcony. A moment later, with the press of a button, electricity burst to life up there. The turret sagged and its pilot fell out of the culvert in the wall, falling to the floor with a metallic crash. "You did it?"

"Of course I did, 'cos I'm brilliant," Nerd boasted, setting out the second one. "Too bad there's only two. That leaves a third cannon to neutralise."

"Wait, what?" Shuriken leaned dangerously far forward out of the viewing booth, helmet off and eyes wide as electricity coursed through the second battery, turning it off and frying its circuitry. "You gave this squad droid poppers?"

Arjhan shook his head, smile still in place. "I never give one group the advantage over the other."

"So, what?" Awe asked. "They stole them?"

"No. Everything that squad has that isss extra wasss crafted by their technician: Nerd."

Joystick whistled. "Those are remote controlled! How cool is that?"

"Some technician," Raid said thoughtfully.

Arjhan shrugged. "More like technician, liguisst, engineer, medic, cook, and navigator." The group stared at the draconian in blatant shock. "He has found waysss to attend mossst of the technical classes here on Kamino, making him a jack of all tradesss, though he'sss not a professional at half of them."

It had been a full four minutes. Clankers lay strewn about Room 12, a few passed out clones on the floor with them. The final turret had taken out Recoil and CT 4459, leaving the remaining clones lacking in fire support on the left flank. Chase had ordered them to move cover closer to the elevator. In the process of relocating, Nerd had been struck from behind. Mike had tried to help him but was forced back by enemy fire. Now, the clones crouched and knelt in a defensive semi-circle of cover.

Speedo ducked quickly, dodging yellow bolts that streaked overhead. "How are we going to survive much longer? Those things will pick us off one by one!"

"I have an idea, but I'll need some cover fire," 22-7776 said. Chase nodded and gestured to the others. He, Mike, Speedo, and Evals stood, firing off as 22-7776 charged out, rifle blazing.

"Disaster Squad!" he shouted, pulling his arm back and chucking his rifle like a javelin an instant before being gunned down by droids. The rifle flew clear across the large room, soaring high and straight as an arrow. The thing flew into the culvert, striking turret and gunner. Both collapsed over the rails and crashed to the ground thunderously.

"Now that's a good throwing arm," Shock appraised after CT 22-7776 sacrificed himself to remove the last turret. "Unconventional, but impressive."

"Awe-inspiring, wouldn't you say," Joystick joked, nudging Awe in the shoulder. The ARC Trooper snorted a laugh.

"They're on the brink of collapse," Raid observed as droids flooded the shinies' defensive position. The one Joystick and Dusty had dubbed 'Speedo' went down, leaving Mike, Evals, and Chase back-to-back, fighting off the onslaught. Many droids fell before the first of them went down. First was Evals, then Mike. Chase held out for a few more seconds, popping droid after droid. Sadly, he too fell under the insurmountable pressure. The lasers stopped flying in Room 12.

"Well, that's too bad," Shuriken said, headed for the door. "I guess we pick-"

"Patience," Arjhan admonished them, gesturing out towards the field. "Thingsss are not alwayss as they appear."

Sure enough, Hotshot was slowly crawling across the floor back into the turret. It was a strong enough crawl to give away that he had never been stunned, or at least not enough to take him down, otherwise he would've been more dazed.

"Wha-?" Awe leaned out, watching as the turret sprung to life, taking out droid after droid.

"Hahahaha! I'm back into the fire baby!" Hotshot laughed, mowing down droids. He left the turret firing in one direction, dashing across the floor towards Recoil, who lay unconscious on the ground. The trooper, clipping his carbine to his belt, grabbed the Z-6. It was unwieldly for him, but he wasn't intent on using it himself. Dodging yellow shots, he set it upon a low wall before opening fire towards the door on the citadel, shooting any training droid that tried to step out. He proceeded to break the trigger inwards, leaving it rattling away as he ran off towards Wedge.

"What is he doing?" Shock asked, befuddled.

Hotshot retrieved the second rotary cannon and repeated his procedure, aiming it carefully at the door to the citadel. He then snatched a DC-15A from the floor and ran to the turret, firing off at the remainder of the enemies in the room. Once it was cleared, he turned the turret at the door, leaving a three-part barrage on the droids' entry point. He then ran towards the elevator, carbine and rifle in hand. He watched and waited as one of the rotary cannons' vibrations rattled it off of the wall, landing with a thud and still firing in a random direction. The second one soon after that ran out of ammunition, remaining there rotating as it tried to go on.

As the turret overheated, making it stop, Hotshot began shooting the droids that tried to enter through the doorway with his rifle, executing them with efficiency.

"How many droids are left in the Citadel?" Dusty asked the draconic trainer, who scratched his chin.

"About... one," he rasped with a laugh as the waves stopped, leaving Hotshot alone in the room. "Make that none. The test is complete." The buzzer sounded, ending the exercise. Arjhan held down the command button, speaking into the mic. "Sssummon the cleaning crew and a unit to revive Disaster Squad."