Second Battle of Geonosis
Mayday bent his knees to brace himself, as their gunship was buffeted by the geonosian atmosphere and rocket fire; he held onto the handle despite that.
"Seems like they didn't learn their lesson last time, eh sir?" Tank shouted above the noise of war.
"No! They didn't."
Cody had approved Tank's transfer too. He had proved himself.
The screams of brothers, pierced the sounds of battle, the screech of rockets, as another transport was hit. Mayday frowned; he hated these damn bugs. He was used to the drill now but this was one of the most dangerous ways to arrive on a planet, other than free fall and the Geonosians were putting up a desperate fight not to be invaded again.
They had defeated the Geonosians before, and he was confident they would be again even though they appeared to be well prepared for this invasion.
"Mayday!" Cody's voice burst through on his com, "We've lost the General, he's been shot down, as has General Mundi. His last orders were to bring the tanks down."
"Copy that. Where's Skywalker?"
"He's already on the ground with the 501st, heading for the General but that's all we know."
"Yes sir!"
"Get your tanks down." Cody ordered. "We'll make a square. Sending coordinates."
"Copy that!"
Mayday blinked and switched channels, "You heard him boys, let's land and give 'em hell."
He braced himself again, as the LAATi lurched left changing direction.
.
The buffeting didn't stop when they landed, rockets continued to pound the ground around them.
"Hold the doors! Open flaps!"
"Sir?" Asked Veetch.
"Check yourselves. Check outside."
"Sir… sir…sir." The replies came fast and furious.
He looked through the flaps, checking for bugs, "Now! Let's get them!"
They jumped out, but still several brothers fell before their feet even hit the ground.
"Man down! Man down! Medic! Medic!" he heard the shouts all around him, mingling with his own and interspersed with blaster fire, as he dragged one shiny by the arm under the LAATi to safety, within seconds a medic he didn't recognise was by his side.
"I've got him sir!"
Mayday wasn't sure he'd be able to do anything as it looked like some kind of armour piercing projectile. Another new one from the bugs.
"We're down sir!" He advised Cody, expecting no reply.
It was taking all he and his men's skill to keep the bugs and droids at bay. He ran for cover behind a downed LAATi, blasting at the bugs before sliding underneath; he took out his binocs.
"Eyes on the General, sir! Sending coordinates!"
"Thanks Mayday!"
"Waxer! Boil!"
Mayday heard Cody give orders to the ARF troopers.
"Let's give them some cover." He ordered. They were blasting the bugs and droids, drawing fire away from the General's downed LAATi, as the two ARF troopers made their way there.
"Hope they're not too long with that air support." Veetch remarked, in between blasting and throwing droid poppers.
They ducked, as one was downed and headed in their direction.
"I don't know what's worse. Melted droid or disintegrated bug." Muttered Veetch as he looked around, smoke and dust obscuring his view.
Then they heard them, the welcome sound of reinforcements, air support. There were some sounds you always wanted to hear, they gave you comfort and soldiers took comfort where they could.
They took cover as the air support did their job, obliterating Geonosians and droids alike.
It went quiet. Mayday and Veetch listened, then emerged, Mayday scanned the area with his binocs, "With me! Let's pick off any stragglers!" He ordered, feeling the crunch of a geonosian exoskeleton underneath his feet, as he moved forward. They had been that close.
.
Mayday watched as Kenobi and Ki Adi Mundi were airlifted to the Venator, together with a number of his brothers; the casualties were high.
"I hated this place the first time around." Muttered Mayday, kicking the red sand in front of him.
"You were here at the first battle?"
"Yes. A Lieutenant then. And it gets no better." He pulled down his viewfinder, "We were unprepared then, for the Jedi to be so unprepared and the sheer number of droids and Geonosians." He closed his eyes for a few seconds remembering the orders that didn't make sense, the brothers that dropped and the Jedi who were just as vulnerable, not the Gods they were told they were on Kamino. "But we've learned, adapted, now it would appear there has been a leak in intelligence. The Geonosians were expecting us this time."
He peered through the viewfinder.
"There's still the droid factory to get rid of but we're waiting for General Unduli and the 41st."
.
Mayday and Veetch led their troops towards the factory, together with the 501st and 41st, whilst the Padawans were infiltrating and setting the bombs. He thought it was a bad idea, sending two younglings to do a soldier's job. Any of his demolition experts could get in and set the devices just as well. They had near eidetic memories, were used to explosives and memorising routes and maps.
He had made his feelings known to Command but had been overridden.
He and his men were now backup and decoys.
He hated this planet even more, especially as he saw the new droids the Geonosians were sending out.
"Brace yourself lads. The bugs have produced even bigger toys."
The sound of blaster fire drowned out his thoughts, as his years of training kicked in, firing his blaster with unerring accuracy at his foe.
Kill or be killed. It was how he was trained.
.
The droid factory imploded, the structure collapsing to the ground, Veetch watched in satisfaction and turned to see Mayday on his com; he leapt on him and took him down, as the cloud of debris headed towards them.
"Down boys!" He shouted into his com.
The particles of dust still penetrated his filters and he could hear brothers coughing on their shared com. You normally only heard that if they had picked up a virus or chest wound.
"Thanks Veetch! I owe you." Mayday's voice came through loud and clear.
"Anytime sir!" He replied, and meant it, he turned to one side. He was sure, if he had gone back to his old battalion, or what was left of it. He would be dead by now. A sliver of regret hit him about the brothers he had left behind but he was working through as many transfers as possible before Mayday realised what was happening.
.
The Commanders stood in the makeshift Command tent poring over the portable holomap; the blue light gave them an eerie look.
Cody jabbed a finger at the board, "we've combed all this area and there is still no sign of the Archduke."
The General's voice came through on the com loud and clear, "Jedi Master Unduli has taken a trooper and gone in this direction towards a Temple she located."
A red spot appeared on the board.
"There's a dust storm blowing up." They heard Skywalker's voice in the background.
"Did you hear that Cody? Warn the troops. We can't do anything now. It's a big one. Out!"
Cody turned to his brothers.
"Sorry! We'll have to ride this one out boys. Let's take cover in the gunships."
.
Mayday stood with his helmet held under his arm, "Respectfully, I don't think this is a good idea, sir!"
"I didn't ask you but I am the General's right hand man." Cody was brooking no arguments on this, as he checked his equipment.
"I thought that was Skywalker." remarked Mayday.
Cody gave him his unimpressed look.
"Left hand man then." Mayday couldn't resist it.
It didn't cut any ice with his superior.
"You're in charge while I'm gone. Trapper's out of Bacta and on desk duty, so he can help. We're going after Unduli."
"Sir?"
"I've been cooped up here for three days. Just get everyone ready for the stop off at Ord Mantell once this is over."
"Sir, yes sir!"
Cody grinned, he was going dirtside, to fight.
.
It was late when Mayday hit his bunk. He'd spent hours reviewing the casualties and picking up on the flimziwork that Cody had left. They lost a lot, too many; his com pinged. He had taken more calls and completed more flimzi requests in the last few hours, since before he couldn't remember. But he needed to talk to Veetch.
Reluctantly he checked the message, "Shab!" He cursed, Rex had uploaded the latest fantasy Boloball league results. Rex was still top of the league and Mayday was a close second behind him.
.
Fleet Support Base.
Ord Mantell.
Post the Second Battle of Geonosis
Hela stood in the wings of the makeshift stage completing her breathing exercises and sipping warm water, to ensure her vocal chords remained warmed up as the atmosphere was exceptionally dry on the base. They didn't have the sophisticated climate control that Coruscant did and this base was dealing with more soldiers than it had originally been built for.
She had learnt a lot in her preparations.
When the Logistics Captain Block had said building a stage was 'easy peasy', his own words, not hers she had not expected them to use transport crates and part of a mobile barracks to accomplish it.
But they did and it worked.
"What's it like out there?" She asked Zur.
"Packed. They're jammed in like nubian sardines. And the doors aren't closed yet."
"I can always do another show."
"No you can't, you have to be back on Coruscant in three days."
"Plenty of water out there?" She asked him.
"Yes. Room temperature. Mike on?"
She adjusted it, fitting it closer around her ear, "Yes."
Zur arranged her wig yet again; a pale blonde, wavy thing. Not too much but it contrasted well with the dark blue laced leather bodice she wore and the matching long shimmersilk skirt.
She looked at the musicians, "Ready boys?"
They nodded, adjusted their instruments and walked out. There was a polite ripple of applause as they took their seats and started a final tuning up.
She could hear a ripple of whispered conversations in the makeshift auditorium.
"What if they don't like me?" she asked Zur, last minute nerves hitting her. She had never done anything like this before.
"It's a bit late now." Then he smiled, "Don't worry, they'll love you. No one else has ever done this for them. The fact you actually came out here, for them, will make all the difference. Break a leg!" Then he pushed her gently in the back, she took a deep breath, pulled her diaphragm in and strode out to the middle of the stage before turning to face them, smiling.
"Hello Ord Mantell!" Her voice rang out clear across the makeshift auditorium. There was restrained applause. "Hello, Grand Army of the Republic." More slightly louder applause.
Perhaps this has been a mistake.
She put her hands on her hips and looked around the audience, a sea of faces all looking the same but she knew they were different and spotting all the different colours on the armour and a few dark ones she didn't recognise, "I know you're all hard men." She continued, "Are you going to be a hard audience?"
There were a few grumbles and sniggers.
"I'm hard already." A lone voice rang out to a ripple of laughter.
At least they're listening.
"Let's get this show on the road then."
She nodded to the musicians, unsure now if she had chosen the right opening song; this would test them and her. She tapped her right foot to keep time, it was imperative she started at the correct time for this one.
The introduction of the Naboo aria, a classical piece written to commemorate the Battle of Naboo, started, running for fifteen seconds; she started singing, her voice rang out as clear and as fine as she had ever performed it. The room was quiet, then, thirty seconds later there were rumbles of disquiet among the audience. They were getting restless; this wasn't what they had come to hear. She continued for a few more phrases, then the music stopped for a few seconds, long enough for the audience to wonder what was going to happen next.
Hela reached across her waist, unclipped her skirt, and with a flourish ripped it off, throwing it to one side, revealing a short leather skirt and long knee length leather boots, then headed straight into a Glimmick rock song, the bass thundering through the auditorium.
The roars from the audience drowned out her voice.
She glanced to the side, Zur was enthusiastically clapping, a wide grin on his face. His idea had worked.
Finally she finished the song to an uproar of applause and booted feet stamping on the floor, clamouring for more.
Grinning, she bowed and walked over to get the handheld microphone, taking a bottle of water with her. She took a long drink, she wasn't used to that type of singing.
Standing in the middle of the stage, she looked out over the audience, her hand shielding her eyes from the harsh lights.
"That's better."
There were a few whistles, and clapping, as she looked around. She finally spotted him leaning on the wall at the left hand side; she walked to that side of the stage, as she got closer, she could see he was smiling. She turned her attention to the men with the gold trim on their armour, all seated in a block near to where he stood.
"Hello 212th!" She shouted, there were cheers, whoops and whistles. Fists pumped the air.
They're listening now.
She walked to the right hand side of the stage and shielded her eyes from the bright lights that had been set up in the makeshift auditorium.
"Is that the 501st?" She pointed, hearing more whistles and whoops.
"And the 41st, in the corner?" More banging of boots on the ground.
"Have I missed anyone?" She put her hand to her ear.
There were a few shouts, lone voices in the auditorium.
"Louder!"
A few more.
"Louder!"
It was much louder now.
"There's just so many of you and all so handsome."
There was a lot of nudging and laughing.
"Enough talking let's get singing."
Hela nodded to the musicians once again, raising her hands above her head to clap a beat, the clones joined in.
.
Commander Mayday leaned against the wall of the auditorium, arms crossed; he had been pleasantly surprised when he saw the announcement. She had never said anything about this when he last saw her on Coruscant, although she had been talking to Cody. He wondered what strings she pulled to get this gig. He adjusted the cloak around his shoulders although he didn't need it, it never left his sight or his hands.
He watched as she performed, amazed at the vocal range she had. He read up on the Holonet about singers and apparently she had a four octave range which was unusual. He started listening to music, her music.
The skirt reveal gave him another surprise and he smiled at the names she called out. She had done her homework, courtesy of the General or Cody, he assumed. It had been authorised by General Kenobi.
He looked at his brothers in the auditorium; She had them in the palm of her hand now. If they didn't fight for the Republic, they fought for their brothers and now they would fight for her.
Then he saw them.
The RC's, standing in the corner glaring at her. He did not understand some of them. He knew they were different, their DNA had been tinkered with more. They had different training from the 'Regs', as some of them called the troopers, with Mandalorian or Corellian Bounty Hunters training them for specialised ops. They even had a separate Jedi in charge of their Brigade, SOB.
They had lost a large number at the first Battle of Geonosis but so had every one.
Cody had dealings with some of them, and spoke highly of them but Mayday didn't like the look of these. These were trouble although they looked calm at the moment.
He checked his com, accessing the list of RC's on the station.
"Adenn Squad — great."
Some of his brothers had called some of the RC's psychos and from what he heard this squad were. Their name even meant merciless. He knew who their trainer was—Priest.
He kept an eye on them, hoping they weren't going to cause a problem and spoil it for everyone else.
Hela continued with her songs for another hour; he began to wonder how many more she had in her voice. Her voice sounded different on the last one, wavering.
The music stopped again and Hela drank more water but it made no difference to how her voice felt. This would have to be the last one and it was the most risky.
"Gentlemen!" She addressed the audience, "Now is the time for you to show me how you can sing." There were murmurs from across the whole auditorium. "You all know this one. I can only hope I get the pronunciation correct." She nodded to the musicians, this was a tricky one. She hoped, her time with Cody and learning it phonetically just as she had some of the Operas when she was younger had prepared her sufficiently.
"Will you join me?" She shouted, there was hesitation from the audience, then she started singing.
"Kote!"
"Kandosii sa ka'rota, Vode An!"
Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode An!
Bal kote, darasuum kote
Jorso'ran kando a tome
Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an!
Kandosii sa ka'rota, Vode An
Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode An!"
Bal…
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a
Aruetyc runi solus cet o'r.
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a
Aruetyc runi'la trattok'o
Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an!
By the time she reached the second chorus, they had joined in and she stopped singing and simply listened. She blinked back the tears forming, certain music always had that effect on her.
As she listened, the clones voices merged as one and they didn't need the music; she gestured to the band to stop and closed her eyes, so she could hear just their voices. Every last one was standing and singing, as if their lives depended on it. Perhaps it did.
To her ears it was beautiful.
Then the singing stopped and it was her applause that rang out, followed by that of the band. The musicians appreciated it too.
"That. Was amazing, gentlemen." Her voice broke as she spoke. She cleared her throat before continuing, "Ord Mantell…no— Grand Army of the Republic. I salute you all. It's been an honour." She blew kisses into the crowd, as she left the stage to thunderous applause.
She fell into Zur's arms, who wrapped a cloak around her, as he helped her off the stage to a chair.
"I think they liked you."
Hela couldn't say anything, she was shaking so much. She couldn't remember how long she sat there but the audience had long gone and they were dismantling the stage. She hoped Mayday would come backstage to see her but he was obviously busy.
She felt Zur's hand on her arm, "Time you went to your quarters and got some sleep. Are you okay to get there alone?"
"Of course. I always have a walk after a show."
"You've never done a show like that before. It was amazing."
She smiled at him, his eyes were shining bright, as much as she was sure hers were.
"I want to do another one."
She pulled off the wig and ran her fingers through her hair.
"I must look a mess?"
"No, you look exhilarated."
"Whatever that looks like."
He took the wig out of her hand.
"Do you want to go for some food?" she asked, although she wasn't hungry.
"Just a drink really."
"Don't think they have alcohol here."
"That's okay. Brought my own." He pulled out a small flask and took a drink. Holding it out to her.
She shook her head, smiling.
"Enjoy yourself! Go! I'll see you in the morning."
##
A/N:look up Marilyn Monroe entertaining the troops in Korea on Youtube.