I'm going to be dead honest with you. My life went from 0-100-50-100-0 since the last chapter. I had this chapter finished as a rough draft before shit got real at my job, got back to it once things kind of calmed down, and then well they laid off all the new people so I spent months job hunting and panicking over paying for a degree. But I got a new job so things are stable again. Yet I completely forgot the finer details of things I had planned for this story and the direction of the sub arcs. I'm not abandoning the fic I just want to apologize in advance that this chapter is the product of personal chaos and I really don't know how I feel about it. I know I set up a bunch of subplots in the last chapter in light of lost momentum I'm considering cutting some of them. If you're still reading much appreciated you're the reason this fic keeps going. As long as one persons entertained I'll keep it going till the end.
Assets
Alpha 17 watched the news. Shock troopers had been sent down to level 1313 after clearing all the other levels of Coruscant. Alpha grinned, knowing they wouldn't find anything. All they would accomplish would be to antagonize the locals. Obi-Wan and Anakin were no longer planet-side.
He checked the time. Five hours until Windu met with Flavius again, this time in front of the whole Jedi council. That moment would determine the direction this whole operation would go.
Alpha didn't wait for the meeting to begin the mission. He sat in the break room and simply waited for Cody to arrive. He had floating before him the holographic files of every Clone commander marshal currently active.
Cody arrived still dressed like a commando. He removed his helmet and sat down. Alpha tried to push what the guy said to him earlier out of his mind.
"Let's get this underway. There are currently one hundred active Commander Marshals. Each of whom I personally trained. All of whom will be instrumental in rebelling against the chancellor. The question is who can we trust? Whom do we have to manipulate?"
Cody said nothing at first as he looked at all of the profiles. He didn't smile or frown. The man just accessed.
"Let's start with the obvious," Cody said, "You want Gree."
Alpha nodded and didn't need further explanation. Gree had the strongest moral convictions of any clone he had met. A polar opposite of Jango despite being his clone. They shared physical prowess and a level of intellect and nothing more. So Alpha touched the hologram and slid it over to the room he would use for loyalists.
"Rex," said Alpha, "Not a Commander Marshal but that can change."
Cody nodded. Then he started thinking.
"Well, if we're going outside the box of Commander Marshals, Wolf and the 104th are loyal to Plo Koon."
With a few clicks on his data pad, Alpha brought Wolf up and put him to the side with the other loyalists. That gave them 41st Corp, the five o first legion, and 104th battalion. They needed more for a successful rebellion.
"What about Bacara?" Cody said. "He's one hell of a Marshal Commander. I'd hate to fight the twenty-first."
"He's not a Jedi loyalist. Asking him to join an outright rebellion could be met with resistance; he might report it. He trained under Cort Davin, the journeyman protector, and gained a very real sense of justice. We might be able to slowly convince him, but I wouldn't tell him what we're up to."
"Neyo"?
"Definitely not," Alpha said, "In fact, slide him over to the Chancellor loyalist."
Cody hesitated and looked at Alpha for a brief moment. The guy was evidently uneasy.
"What's the problem?"
"We're deeming him a threat."
"Yes."
"That means there's a chance we're going to have to fight other clones."
"Yes," Alpha replied, "I'm a little surprised you haven't come to that realization yet. Odds are it's going to be civil war. Neyo and the 91st will be our enemies when the time comes. He is a Chancellor loyalist through and through."
Alpha knew that sent a shiver down Cody's spine. It was harsh but it was true. They'd have to kill other clones if they were going to stop the Chancellor. Alpha was motivated only to save those close to him for a mad man. He didn't give a fuck about the Republic anymore, he didn't care about the Jedi order, his priorities were his personal loyalty to General Kenobi and his commitment to his troops. Neyo would stand in the way of Palpatine destroying both of those things. Alpha was willing to kill Neyo and his corps if it meant advancing the position of the rest of the clone army and if Kenobi ordered him to. But he knew Cody had higher ideals that needed to be appealed to.
"It's between the Galaxy and the 91st, who are you going to choose, Commander Marshal?"
"I'm not a Commander Marshal anymore, I'm just a sergeant. Sergeants care about their troops," Cody said, "There has to be a way to remove the chancellor with out spilling clone blood."
"You've been a sergeant for not even a day," Alpha snorted, "And what if there isn't. You've gotta make that decision now."
"I'll admit Neyo's a loyalist. I'll admit he'll be an obstacle. And that's it. Let's move on," Cody said, "Commander Bly?"
"Depends," Alpha said.
"On what?"
"If the rumors are true or not."
"What rumors."
"You're a sergeant who doesn't listen to barracks talk."
"It's like you've said I've only been one for a few hours."
Alpha still couldn't believe he'd never heard the rumors. They circulated the whole clone branch. Personally he knew it was exaggerated but may have held a little truth. So could prove useful.
"He's kriffing Secura."
"What?" Cody said, "Bly would never. He's the walking definition of professionalism. The type of guy who sees a soldier hunch over slightly and slaps him upside the head."
"O believe me the rumors are most certainly an exaggeration of what it is, nothing more than bonds that form with people who regularly put their life on the line every day. However because Bly's a guy and Secura's a woman and because bored soldiers have rampant and depraved imaginations there's going to be some rather degenerate gossip."
"And that's why I don't engage in barracks talk."
"Well sarge, that's going to be your life story for a little, better get used to it," Alpha replied, "That said this does mean they have a close working relationship. Bly probably cares about her. We can use that. In fact I kind of hope the rumors are true so I can show up and say unless you wanna see your girl friend turned into a lump of charcoal you should join our little scheme."
"What the fierfek is wrong with you?" Cody asked, "But moving on Thire is commander of coruscant gaurd. He's not a bad guy but barely any meaningful interaction with the Jedi well he's not helping us."
"Unfortunate," Alpha said, "That I'm going to have to kill him."
"Alpha, we're not killing Thire."
"He's incharge of the Coruscant gaurd the institution whose job it is to defend Palpatine's prestine refined hide. We have to kill him."
"No don't, we have to get Palpatine before we have to kill Thire."
"Whatever," Alpha said not in the mood to argue, "We're going to end up doing it anyways. And when we do I'll make sure to bring a tissue box for you."
"Starting to see why Rex wanted to punch you in the face," Cody replied, "We still don't have enough bodies. We need to go beyond just the marshal. Senior Commanders?"
"Doom," Alpha said, "He was there when Tiplar got shot. We can talk him into it. And I bet we can convince Skirata to work the commandos."
"You mean the guy you just through under the bus. O I'm sure he'll love to help you."
Alpha didn't say anything. He frowned realizing Cody was right. Kal Skirata was insanely useful and now possibly compromised because Alpha was quick to through the mandalorian mercenary under the bus.
"Squad seven. My detachment we have them."
"O wonderful one whole additional squadron of clones."
"I could do with out the sarcasm," Alpha paused, "Captain Fordo. He could form a network of the other ARC troopers."
Cody raised an eyebrow finding the move smart. He smiled showing that he liked the idea. Fordo indeed had great influence in the clone army. Perhaps the most revered trooper in the Galaxy. After Muunlist of Fordo showed up even a Commander Marshal was going to do what ever the guy said.
"Now we're talking," Cody said, "Alright how are we going to get people in the loop."
"Just go talk to them. To keep under cover we just get you and delta squad deployed to whatever front they're on. You sit down talk with em and then we redeploy you to a different front."
"So I'm doing the grunt work."
"I'm approaching Fordo."
"So I'm doing the grunt work."
"You're a sergeant now so you've gotta act like one."
"O Delta's going to love jumping from battlefront to battlefront with out actually getting involved in the fighting."
"They'll suck it up. They're clones and they'll follow their orders."
"And when I think about that's kind of the problem. If we could just trust everyone would default to their conscience before their orders then all we would have to do is move legions in and out of dechip facilities we set up off the books. But they'll default to their orders because that's what we're trained to do. So now we have to go around and scheme so that way we can correct them before it happens."
Alpha said nothing. Knowing it was true. The thing that made the clone army magnificent was now its most troubling aspect. Clones were good soldiers who followed orders. And they needed to convince them good soldiers shouldn't always follow orders. He simply nodded.
"That's the job. Just get it done."
Enil remembered when the clone wars broke out. He wasn't on Geonosis he was on Ord Mantel. Jedi shadows had become PIs of sorts and were used to assist various governments or innocent people with criminal investigations. Ord Mantel was a good place to collect intelligence on organized crime. He saw it on the news, the battle of Geonosis. And he was confused why the Separatists would make such an aggressive since they had galactic sympathy up until that point. He chalked it up to arrogance because the war was more pressing than understanding the motivate for it. After Flavius told him about the inhibitor chips and the Chancellor he had begun to regret that decision. What if he had looked deeper into it? He could've figured it out. But that was his arrogance to believe so.
Enil entered the elevator that led up to the council of first knowledge. He stood next to his former Padawan now Jedi knight Isera Tessarius she was a young Echani with an oval face and silver hair that glimmered. She kept it tied in a firm bun over her head. They both wore the robes of Jedi shadows.
"So master that's it then. We're going to over throw the chancellor."
"Don't say it so loud," Enil spoke sharply a chill running up his spine, "These things require caution, patience, subtlety and precision. And why do you sound excited?"
"Because this is easily the most interesting thing I have ever been told I am apart of."
"It is also the most dangerous," Enil said, "A conspiracy such as this could only be divised by one willing to shed no shortage of blood to keep it hidden."
"Master,"Isera said, "I live for danger."
Enil sighed, "You won't live if there's too much danger."
The elevator door opened and they entered the chambers of the council of first knowledge. It was a five person council. At the head of the council was the caretaker. The only position that served for life. Then there was the Chief Librarian who ran the temple archives, across from her the head of the academy, and finally the master of Shadows Enil's direct boss Aetius Valerian. Enil bowed.
"Master Enil. It is good to see you." Aetius spoke, "I won't hold you long and cut to it. We've summoned you because the council wants to know more about the UNSC. You have worked alongside them many times."
Enil noticed how he wasn't being told the details of why. That meant the council didn't want to make a move quite yet. Flavius told him he needed to buy more time. So the Jedi Shadow came up with a response.
"I have worked with a single Agent from the UNSC. This hardly means I have a working knowledge of the entire entity," Enil began, "From my experience with the one agent he was of good character, committed to defending his people, and trustworthy."
"You do not believe he represents the whole organization?" The care taker asked.
"I do not believe you should judge an entity based on an interaction with one individual from with in it," Enil said, "We are the council of first knowledge. And we lack any knowledge about these Terrans. If the council expects our judgment then perhaps we should take Time to carefully research the matter."
"Master Enil," The caretaker spoke, "Windu has called a meeting with in ten hours."
Enil paused for a moment and sighed as if he were unaware and frustrated. Now came the challenging part convincing them to get the meeting delayed. However it was best to continue to act as if he blissfully unaware.
"Why so soon. What matter of importantance requires an immediate incite?"
"You do not need to know why," Valerian began, "Based on your experience can we or can we not trust the UNSC. Better yet are they a threat to the Security of the Galsctic Republic."
"No," Enil said firmly behind his words, "We're a threat to there's."
Everyone looked at him baffled by his statement. Enil formed a new plan in his head. He may not have been able to delay the meeting as Flavius wanted. So instead he was going to get them on the side of the UNSC.
"Explain." The Caretaker said, "As far as I know the Jedi council has no intention of attacking the UNSC."
"How would they know that?" Enil said, "Let us examine their history. Before the anomaly they lived in a Galaxy thousands of parsecs from our own. An empire of aliens worshipping false Gods tried to exterminate them. They fought hard but according to their records they were on the brink of total annihilation had once species of that Empire not turned against the rest of said Empire." Enil paused summarizing what everyone knew already from the basic information they'd collected from Terran historical records, "They began to recover and even became the dominant power in their Galaxy. They found peace, for a time." Enil paused, "And then the Ananomly happened. Our scholars believe it was the will of the force. Yet, I disagree, the force is inherently light. What happened to them was nothing short of cruelty. Whatever happened. One day every planet and vessel containing sentient life in their galaxy is just teleported to ours. They're confused, scared, but after a year things go back to normal because no one in our Galaxy noticed because our maps of wild space were never completed any ways." Enil paused, "And then the Zygerrians discover U.E.G space. They launch a full scale invasion and raid across fifty worlds taking a million Terrans into slavery before the UNSC can organize a response. That's their first interaction with the people of a new and wild Galaxy." Enil said, "Look at our volatile state of affairs. We have plunged almost the whole Galaxy into war. Our instability has led to rogue entities launching further attacks into Terran space. There have even been reports the Separatists may be attempting to support proxies who wish to restore the very Empire that tried to exterminate the Terrans. This is happening due to our mismanagement of the Galaxy. They have every right to view us as a threat to their way of life."
The caretaker nodded. Enil again spoke genuinely. He indeed held sympathy for the Terrans. He had doubts about the force for awhile wondering how the force could have done something so cruel. The answer was that it had been corrupted the dark side was overwhelming the light. The state of nature had become corroded it pulled a cruel trick. Then his convictions to fight the dark side had been renewed.
"Which is why if the opportunity presents itself we must work with them not against," Enil concluded, "That way they know the entire Galaxy is not plotting against them. It is our duty as Jedi to uphold justice and defend the freedom of all who live in the Galaxy. Should we not extend that to the Terrans."
Enil finished his speech. Everyone was silent as they simply thought. A part of him grew concerned that his words were simply words with no power. He saw the caretaker nod his head slowly.
"You may feel your words have no meaning," The caretaker, Astaal Vilbum said, "But they have convinced me the Terrans are a people cast into a sea of darkness. Indeed it would be wrong to act against them and deny them the ability to defend themselves. Your words hold true there. I shall see if we can buy you one additional day for the purpose to gather every piece of information we have in our position on the Terrans so I may have it before an important council meeting. There Master Valerian will speak as representative of the Jedi Shadows and I as the caretaker of the council of first knowledge will support his case."
"It will be done," Enil said and bowed before backing to the elevator with Isera.
Isera said nothing as the elevator went down. But Enil could feel her disappointment. He was good at sensing people's states of being. Disappointment had a sulking feeling to it.
"So we have to file reports? How boring."
"That," Enil said, "Is the job."
Edd had Flavius return to command and control. The senior analysts had completed the report. An analysts job was not sexy you didn't blow up buildings, you didn't engage in espionage, but you did important damn work. You put things together you solved puzzles so the door kickers could kick the right doors. Edd wore a bright white colored shirt, khaki pants, and a brown belt. A cup of boiling coffee stood in his hand as he reviewed the details in front of him. He barely noticed that the station chief had entered the room.
"Commander." Flavius said catching the guys attention.
"Captain." Edd said looking up from his work.
"Wadda you got for me?"
"We put together a report compiling both the HUMINIT and SIGINIT operations."
"I know about the HUMINIT end. Tell me about the SIGINIT stuff."
"We've been monitoring shock trooper comms. They've got kill on sight orders for Alpha, Cody, Kenobi, and Skywalker," Edd began, "The chatter suggests they're being directed by the Chancellor himself. Fox has a second communicator that runs on a different frequency we can't tap into but we can detect the waves generated from its frequency."
"Fascinating," Flavius said, "Anything else?"
"We've been monitoring the coruscant guard closer. Through surveillance footage, comms chatter, and energy level they're establishing more bases across coruscant." Edd said, "I called our offices on other core worlds because I formed a theory, they've confirmed the same thing. GAR bases are being established on planets under Republic control. Combine that with everything you gave me that Boss and Alpha collected points to a scheme to create a good old fashion Dictatorship, reminds me a lot of Sulla, Franco, and Mao all rolled into one,"
Flavius nodded. Edd seemed like he had more on his mind. The guy always did. So Flavius folded his arms and waited. There was a time to talk and a time to listen. When someone knew more than you did, that was the time to listen.
"That said. If you're going to remove the chancellor it doesn't matter how it happens. There will be a moment in which the seperatists could take advantage of the chaos. If you use a coup there's going to be fall out afterwards and military assets will need to be drained in order to neutralize internal threats to the new regime. You arrest him with the police, there's going to be fall out from staunch loyalists. If you engage in open rebellion you can imagine just what that does."
"Alright alright, I get it, regime change is a very messy thing."
"Yes, but it doesn't mean you can't do a little prep work to mitigate it. The CIS needs to be tied down when you remove Palpatine. And ONI has the assets to do that," Edd said, "Spartans thrown behind enemy lines can raise enough hell to draw attention away long enough to force a regime change safely."
"Ord Mantel station coordinates clandestine Spartan activity among the Separatist lines. It wouldn't hurt to have a Spartan team on this assignment anyways. I'll pay their station chief a visit. Anything else."
"Yes," Edd grabbed a dossier from the table and handed it to Flavius, "For your meeting. Those are written up files detailing the lives, beliefs, mistakes, motivations, and psychological profiles of every single Jedi on the Council. It's for your meeting which by the way Enil sent a message saying he just got it postponed, you got another twenty four hours."
"So I can get some sleep before," Flavius said, "Good work commander. Keep at it."
"With pleasure."
Flavius took his files then returned to his office to review them. Knowing he had an additional twenty fours while certainly better then now only having ten was still of no comfort. As he took a seat in his office chair he felt aches in his back. A stern reminder he was no longer the 20 year old Ranger who'd jumped out of pelicans. ONI stopped spending money on various biological enhancing drugs once he left AAG. He hadn't noticed it immediately but after a while his body began to show signs of aging. Every pain he felt was a consequence of all his past operations.
Flavius sat in his chair and began to go over the files. Naturally he started with Windu's. He was a quick reader, a skill he developed in college. He focused specifically on the evaluation of Windu's actions on geonosis when the clone wars broke out. That day he lead Jedi on a rescue mission into the arena. A trap laid by Count Dooku. Durring which he had a moment to kill Dooku and hesitated. Dooku lived, 90% of the Jedi that followed Windu into the arena were killed. The clone army arriving just in time to rescue them. The psyche evaluation suggested this is what made the man hard. He personally blamed himself for the war not killing Dooku when he had the chance, being led so easily into a trap. That mistake was one he did not wish to repeat. On the battlefield his generalship saw him exploit an enemy weak the moment it was revealed. Flavius sat back and thought about it.
His mind floated back a long time ago. Before he was even an officer. He was sergeant first class Colton Martel incharge of a small squad of rangers apart Detachment 909. He'd lost guys too. The weight, the guilt, he remembered how it felt afterwards. He clutched a fist and moved on to the next Jedi in the file.
The prowler was closing in on the drop point. Zarina leaned in back clutching her blaster carbine. O'Connor watched something on his phone, earbuds in. Boss had taken a nap. She could see there SIGNIT team preparing their equipment the light from their computers illuminated in their eyes or glasses.
The First Sergeant couldn't count the amount of times she'd been in the back of a space craft on a suicide mission. Usually it resulted in entering a drop pod and dropping through orbit. She remembered back when it made her nervous. When she could feel shivers running up her spine when her heart would speed up as they approached the kill box. Then her CO and he'd been a good CO would ease her nerves. He'd crack jokes, talk about sports, films, or anything that distracted Zarina's mind. Then when they hit the ground he moved into combat naturally. He had a coolness about him. Explosions would be going off he didn't panic simply accessed the situation and took action. He knew precisely what to do. Back when she was some specialist Zarina looked up to the guy he kept the whole platoon centered. In his hands she knew they'd get through to the other, they'd survive, and they'd win. Captain Iman Pasha was an exemplary leader and by no means the standard of officers. Zarina remebered her first assignment as a standard marine Private First Class. The Lieutenant was fresh out of college and the platoon sergeant was an ass hat that dominated him. It had been fortunate the only ever got deployed patrolling streets with small gangs and not a serious military operation. The Lieutenant had no clue what he was doing. And the platoon sergeant enjoyed his authority too much and got things done through shouting and bullying. Every one hated both of them. Zarina wondered just what her first unit was up to now. After all there'd been a major war since. Were they all dead thanks to Lieutenant baby face and Sergeant First class dick face? But regardless good leaders weren't as common as one would hope. After Zarina switched to AAG under ONI most of the officers she served under were hyper focused on their careers. They never told those under them the big picture and used them like chess pieces. Competent sure Zarina still hated them. Then Colton Martel, Agent Flavius came a long. He was putting together a team to overthrow a trade federation puppet state on the system of Atrivis. He was different in many ways like Pasha had been but with an added charm about him. Cared about everyone under his command. Always told them what they were doing. Put himself in the danger even enjoyed it. And pulled off some of the wildest schemes Zarina had ever seen. He earned the nickname kingmaker through out ONI. Zarina admired him greatly enjoyed working for him. He kept her close part of the way he worked when found a relationship effective and reliable he maintained it. And his success often gave him his pick of a team. Zarina had consistently been placed on every operation he got handed after Atrivis. And now she was embarking on a mission for him but with out him. These were the thoughts that circulated around the first sergeant's mind as the ship closed in to the enemy occupied planet.
Boss stretched as he woke up from his nap. He looked around the ship. Specifically down towards the cockpit where he could still see the blue rush of hyperspace. Then he turned back to the first sergeant.
"I'm going to be honest I didn't commit your code name to memory," Boss replied.
"You realize it was me go got the things going to extract you from republic HQ when things went side ways?"
"I realize? I also remember when ran together durring the Mandalorian affair. You're the one that went hand to hand with a Deatchvwatch commander. Rest of Delta started calling you Dagger and they think you're a journeyman protector. So every time we talk about you it's always that journeyman protector Dagger. I know no one outside of Delta squad calls you that. So what am I supposed to call you instead."
"I actually like Dagger better than my actual code name." Zarina admitted, "You can call me that."
"Cool with me," Boss said, "But say we're getting shot at. And O'Connor tells me to go help you he's not going to shout Dagger is he?"
"Well," O'Connor, "You know Dagger's a bit more efficient then Artemesia what if we actually just switch it make it a team thing."
"Artemisia, that's an elegant sounding codename why don't you like it?"
"Cause I'm anything but fucking elegant," Zarina said, "And if I'm honest I like my birth name better. ONI's just pedantic about everything. How's using just my first name an operational hazard."
"Ya know before civilianization agents didn't have code names." O'Connor pointed out, "They created personas for undercover work. But agents just used are actual names when talking to each other. The whole Agent code named this is just a product of civilnization."
"Care to explain what civilianization is?" Boss asked, "Kill a few more minutes here."
"Durring the human covenant war. A really big conflict in which we were almost exterminated the military was granted emergency powers. The UNSC basically became the government. After it was over the UNSC was supposed to turn back the reigns to the U.E.G the civilian government. It didn't happen immediately or over night. You had people in the UNSC and the U.E.G who wanted it to happen. See in our peoples histories long term military rule never goes well. The military becomes corrupt, incompetent, and plunges the place into civil war more times then it doesn't. But the head of ONI enjoyed her power so she took moves to slow the process. Long story short a few scandals came to the light then the transition happened. ONI failed to anticipate the Zygerrian invasion. All that resulted in measures to firmly seperate the military from politics and to make the military subordinate to the civilian government. Over all it's a good thing. You don't want your generals also having to develop your state that over works them and forces them to pay more attention to ons or the other which will cause problems. You also don't want a situation in which your political hierarchy becomes the person incharge of the military that incentivized the people under him to make deals behind the scenes to possibly kill and replace him to get power over the entire government for themselves," Zarina said hieghlughying just a few problems about military government she knew Colton could go deeper, "That said civilianization does have its draw backs."
"Such as."
"The Bureaucracy," O'Connor said, "See now the UNSC no longer controls the budget. It's gotta compete with like twenty other departments granted we get twenty percent and when there's a conflict it's be stupid to not bump to at least fifty. But that's not how the heads of the UNSC think. They want more more more and more. So they'll go around find ways to spend the entire budget so that way they can argue they don't have enough cash and their budget needs to be raised. For example making a bunch of new documents, name tags, badges, and other stuff with newly introduced code names for ONI operatives. Good way to waste money."
"That sounds like osik. Is military rule really that bad?"
"Yes." Both Zarina and O'Connor said at the same time.
"You're soldiers, wouldn't you benefit from military rule."
"We're enlisted plebs," O'Connor said, "Only officers benefit. And really just Colonels and up. And they'll use their power to make sure the wealth of the nation goes into their bank accounts. It really only screws us over. Because instead of fighting actual threats to security well be strung a long as pawns in their little political shenanigans for zero personal gain. We'll be out there putting out rebellions so Colonel ass face can eat a twelve course meal in a mansion he procured through the oil field he personally controls and uses us to secure. Fuck that. That's not why I joined."
"Boss it's basically what we think is happening to your people. Let's say this little scheme of Palpatine goes through," Zarina said, "Do you think he's going to share any of the power or wealth he gains from siezing total power with you?"
"Well no. But he's not apart the army."
"Ok do you think people like Tarken who would support his regime and are in the military who would then use the military to run this new autocracy would?"
"No," Boss said flately, "That's osik why do we get used like cattle were not cattle."
"Well you get used like cattle," O'Connor said, "I'm looking forward to my retirement. I built up a sizable pension from all my service especially with ONI. Three years from now I'm going to retire in bermuda sleeping in a hammock with my wife."
"That sounds nice. Can I defect?"
"There's rumors they're thinking about creating a system in which non Terrans can immigrate through military service. As it stands right now you'd have to apply for Terran citizenship wait for you papers to get shuffled through a thousand different office then go through a naturalization process and then join."
"What if he gets a migrant visa? Technically that does allow him to work."
"Yeah but does the UNSC take migrants?"
"Wait there's a far better way to do this," Zarina paused, "He's an ONI asset just get Flavius to pull some strings. Then after going through boot camp really just to check boxes he's gunnery sergeant Boss UNSC marine corp."
"Well if you're going to do it that way," O'Connor said, "Then why go enlisted. Yeah get Flavius to pull some strings and get yourself a commission. However he's got combat experience as a special forces trooper no doubt so it's also not going to be a challenge in the slightest to go through every combat school in the marine corp. Next thing you know you're looking at Major Boss 77th ODST shock battalion who's on a career track to make Colonel."
"Really you think I could make Colonel in your military?"
"That's me being conservative I could see becoming a Major General before retirement. See they're trying to expand special operations capabilities. We can never match any galactic power for size so we're trying out new hybrid strategies. I can't tell you exactly how many divisions they're raising. I can only say they're significantly increasing the number of special ops units. And that means you're going to need Major Generals who know their shit. If I weren't an 18 year old dumb ass when I enlisted I'd be doing that right now! So if some how you manage to maneuver your way into the UNSC I'd do it."
Boss didn't say anything at first. He nodded. Zarina thought about where she could've been if she'd been a bit more far cited when she enlisted at 18. It didn't eat at her much. She lived more for the fight. Didn't have huge aspirations to command divisions of troops but instead just wanted be in special operations for as long she could. She half considered applying for the Spartan V program. They already applied some enhancements why not go the full nine yards.
"What about my squad?" Boss asked, "Would it be possible to take them with me."
"It would be far more difficult," Zarina said, "You've been an asset for ONI. Flavius can vouch for you as a trust worthy individual who the UNSC can actually trust to do their job. Until they develop that program O'Connor mentioned is floating around you probably couldn't bring them with you. But as things currently stand odds are you're not going back to them anyways."
"I can't just leave them," Boss said, "They're my boys. I'm their sergeant. I'm responsible for them."
Zarina nodded and understood the guy. More so then she understood most people. It must've been tough having his cover blown. She wondered if the guy regretted it.
"Atoan's five minutes out. Get ready to drop." The pilot said.
Zarina nodded and grabbed her helmet from the floor and slid it on. It as an operator variant helmet. All AAG operators were equipped with them. She had it painted to match her black dura steel chest armor and made sure her blaster was secured to her body based on a should harness. Then she grabbed her jump pack from the floor and slid on to her back. O'Connor did much the same as did Boss.
The ship dropped out hyperspace. Yet they were speeding up as they approached orbit. The pilot activated the prowlers stealth capabilities blocking out signals from the planet below. As they grew faster and faster Zarina felt he heart rate increase slightly. The adrenaline was pumping. She took a deep breath and grabbed her blaster.
"Alright we are go." The pilot said.
The back door on the prowler leaked open. "Go! Go! Go!" The pilot shouted.
Zarina was the first one to jump out arms and legs spread in proper fashion. The sky was cloudy. On the ground she could see smoke and billowing all across the planets land scape. Place was an active warzone, jet hud counted the kilometers from the ground. She never paid much mind to the count always judging with her own eyes. Boss and O'Connor were both a few meters above her also in free fall.
Zarina activated her jump pack about a thousand meters from the ground. She positioned herself in pencil formation. Her descent slowing and slowing as her jet pack roared and fire sparked from her back.
Then about twenty meters from the ground she slowed and landed easily in the ground. It was a grassy hill. She looked over the objective marked on her map. One of Kota's bunkers. They were among the rule territory of Atoan.
"Alright we're in the middle of an active warzone. Where's all the good stuff?" Boss asked, "I was hoping we would be shot at instantly."
"Suicidal maniac," O'Connor remarked.
"Follow me, I got the bunker about one thousand five hundred meters out."
"American?" O'Connor said asking for measurements he understood.
"A mile and half. Did you not learn unit conversions?"
"Unit conversions? What do you think I am some nerd from the inner colonies?"
"Just haul it." Zarina finally said.
They moved several kilometers across tall grass. They spotted a village up ahead. Black smoke rose from it. Zarina looked in its general direction. It had an eiree quite about it. No screaming, no blaster fire, just smoke rising from some of the buildings.
"Jesus," O'Connor spoke, "Look at the lampposts."
Zarina wished she didn't. Over head she saw three humans. One male, one female, one child handing by their necks. She said nothing and just looked at the cite.
"Who'd you think did it," Boss said.
"The separatists obviously?" O'Connor said.
"Kota's gone full guerrilla according to the reports. What if the village was collobarating with the CIS and sold out Kota and his militia."
"He's a Jedi." O'Connor said.
"Uh huh."
"Zarina back me up here. It was definitely the seperatists."
Zarina looked at it and thought about it. Droids did have the emotional psychology for revenge unless an organic officer was traveling with them. But would Rham Kota do something so brutal? Flavius had met the guy not Zarina she only knew what was in the file.
"Let's move on. Assume it was the seperatists until proven otherwise." Zarina replied.
O'Connor took a second to examine the moment before running off. Hopefully it was the separatists ONI got involved in some bad stuff. O'Connor always kept his hands clean of it because he was just security most of the time. He began to wonder if should've stayed at Coruscant station and not gone out to see ONI field work. If Kota had become a terrorist then his hands would no longer be clean.
They came up on the former strong hold. The gate was smashed up. Bodies were strung accross the place. Blaster bolts riddled the doors of every building.
"Well fuck," O'Connor said, "Got here to damn late."
"We should search the bodies," Boss said, "If we find a data pad I can slice into it maybe figure out what happened and where Kota is."
"Ya don't think the CIS also would've thought of that."
"Droids are stupid."
"Never underestimate the enemy. Something you might want to learn if you choose to become an officer in the UNSC," Zarina said, "Go ahead and do it. Let me contact SIGNIT they've had to break into enemy comms by now."
"On it." Boss said as he stood up.
He went over to one of the bodies and began feeling it up. The guy didn't seem to mind at all that he was basically looting a corpse. Zarina pressed a button on her wrist comm.
"Prowler come in," Zarina said, "Anything on the enemy comms yet. I just came across a militia strong hold. No survivors."
"Prowler to Artemesia," have got an immediate response, "There's a force of Commando droids moving through your AO. They probably hit the stronghold."
"Wonderful," O'Connor said.
"Roger that." Zarina said.
Boss had found a data pad and began tapping into it. He then used his finger to slide through files. He stopped seemingly reading. Then the republic commando sergeant nodded and walked over.
"Kota sent an order out for them to fall back towards a city they took a week ago. Apparently the seperatists are in the proccess of a massive offensive. Kota's trying to consolidate his positions for a defensive action."
"How far out is the city?" Zarina asked.
"Three clicks."
"Can you translate that to metric?"
"I thought you said you could do unit conversions." Boss said.
"Go fuck yourself." Zarina replied.
"Alright see we actually have meters core worlds use it. Everyone else goes with clicks. You're looking at one kilometer."
"Well looks like we got more walking to do."
"What about the commando droids. Shouldn't we be slightly concerned about those?" O'Connor asked.
"Quite the opposite," Boss said, "They should be concerned about me."
"Like your spirit." Zarina said, "Now, take point."
"On it first sarge."
Boss led the way as the trio moved from the lifeless stronghold. The forests and villages gradually disappeared the closer they got to the city. And towns began creeping up on the horizon as did roads.
Boss held a fist seeing a problem. Everyone stopped and took a knee. He had the scope on his DC17M pulled up on his hud for use.
"Found the commando droids. They're occupying that town. And they're not alone." Boss said.
Zarina saw a Duro among them in a green military uniform. He was an officer and ordered around the commando droids. They kicked in a door of a house shortly later they dragged out a small family and pushed em forward.
"We going to do something?" O'Connor asked.
Zarina thought about but had no way of knowing how many commando droids were moving around the town. And their mission was to deliver a message not engage in unnecessary fire fights.
"No," She said, "Move on."
Bwang! The Duro had the small family excited. Their bodies fell forward smoke rising from the backs of their heads. The trio backed away as Boss held a holographic map in his palm.
"We've gotta get in the city. It'll be tricky. But if it's held by Kota's militia we might be able to run into a patrol. We can break through the suburbs. But we need to move carefully."
"I thought you wanted a fire fight Boss." Zarina replied.
"I do," Boss said, "I also want to get the assignment done."
"Fair, alright let's move." Zarina said.
They bypassed the town going a mile around it before moving towards the outskirts of the city. They passed through a few more towns on the way. Those towns were not under Separatist occupation yet. Zarina checked her watch they'd been moving for around ten hours. And it was wearing on her. She felt tired from all the walking. The weight of all her equipment beginning to where down on her.
They came upon a suburb on the outskirts of the city. Hoping it was held by Kota's militia they entered a long the road. Life seemed to continue normally despite war in the back around. A mother was getting groceries out of the back of her speeder. Children played in the back yard of another.
"No militia." O'Connor said, "You'd think they'd have posted something on the outskirts."
O'Connor was interrupted by the roar of star ship engines. The villages all ducked as hyenna bombers zoomed over head. Sharp whistles rang out in the air followed by explosions. Zarina hit the ground preparing to be hit as the ground shook from the air strikes. Vulture droids followed she looked up and watched as they ran strafe runs on several areas in the distance.
Then she heard clanking. Zarina looked up and saw commando droid moving into the suburb. They were fast and effecient covering each other as they cleared niehborhood blocks. She made out about a squadron of six.
"What's our move?" O'Connor asked.
"They're to close to out run," Zarina said, "There's militia here. Let's alert of our position. Kill the droids."
"Finally." Boss said.
The republic commando opened fire first. The bolts ripped through ones face plate. The other five apart of the attack squad stopped. All them opened fire from moving up the road. Two in the back moved off down another path. Zarina knew they were going to flank. She was about to give orders. Mortar fire cracked.
"Ah shit." She cursed.
Boom! Rounds went off accross the suburb. There were screams from bystandered who were hit. One ground went off maybe a foot from their position. Shrapnel flew everywhere. Zarina was dazed.
Bwang! Bwang! Bwang! Red needles flew at them. Zarina ducked as commando droids began moving in close. She squeezed the trigger on her westar carbine laying down suppressive fire. O'Connor moved headed towards the front yard of a house adjacent from the commandos position. Rifle up.
Blaster fire erupted from the other flank as the commando droids moved from two directions. Boss kept firing. O'Connor ducked down in the front yard and pushed back against the garage door seeking cover.
"Fucking mortars," Zarina cursed.
"Should've seen it coming," Boss said.
"Are you criticizing meme in the middle of a fire fight."
"You bet your shebs I'm criticizing you in the middle of a firefight. I also got an idea. I switch my blasters configuration to grenade. You toss a smoke to cover O'Connor and we fall back deeper in the city to a more defendable positions wait for em then strike."
Apart of Zarina wished she thought of it first being the senior NCO. But she wasn't about to say no to a good idea.
"On three." Zarina said. "One!" The blaster fire intensified. "Two"
"Rocket launcher! Rocket launcher!" O'Connor shouted in panic.
"Three."
Swish boom! A round flew from Boss's launcher towards the commando droids position and burst. Zarina through a smoke grenade infront of O'Connor's position. The guy got the fist fast and sprinted towards them.
"We're falling back." Zarina said.
They sprinted deeper in the suburbs. Up ahead past the suburbs was a small market place with a fuel station. Zarina looked at one of the shops.
"Boss get to the rooftop take up a sniper position. O'Connor you're with me. We're going by the fuel station."
"Are you out of your mind they blast those pumps boom! We're dead."
"Exactly they'll take the bait and ignore the sniper on the roof. Boss you are a good sniper."
"I scored high on every commando and showed special talent for tactics. Yeah I can snipe a few tin cans."
He was cocky but Zarina liked that in a commando. She sprinted across to the gas station with O'Connor dove right into the gas station and went prone. They held their blasters and aimed in the direction of the town.
The commando droids emerged five in all. Zarina itched her finger on the trigger. "Now." She said. A burst of five blaster bolts shot from her carbine. The pounded right against the chest of kind droid in perfect since as O'Connor hit another through its face plate. The other three commando droids snapped towards them. Blasters aimed.
Boss moved from his position DC17M in sniper configuration. He kept his breathing steady as he zoomed in on the face plate of the leader of the droid commando squad who lingered in back.
Pow!
The bolt snapped right through the droids face plate killing it. The other two froze and began to turn. They were close enough to each other Boss decided to try something fun. He placed the sights just a little above the neck on one.
Pow!
In just a split second after their leader died another bolt cracked right through the neck of one droid. It flew through and into the chest of the next hitting its battery causing it to burst into bits.
The one Zarina shot was still alive. The kill had been messy she missed its power pack. It started to get back up. Both her and O'Connor shot it together in perfect sinc. The droid splattered into charged metal bits.
The ground was littered in scrap metal. Zarina held position keeping her gaze down the sites of her blast for another minute. She expected something else to approach. Nothing did. She smiled after a minute satisfied with luring the commando droids into a trap.
Vooooom. A loud deep hum simmered. Zarina stopped smiling as an AAT take rolled down the road with two troop carriers in its rear. It stopped.
"Haul ass!" She shouted at O'Connor.
"NO SHIT!"
They began sprinting as fast as the hood. The tank aimed at the fuel station and fired. A loud boom echoed through the air. The fuel station was and erupted into flame.
Both Zarina and O'Connor managed to clear the blast zone. But the shock wave took them. Metal shrapnel hit all accross Zarina's body jet armor saving her life. The tank commander rose from the canopy and looked around.
Boss rose from his position and jumped. He landed on the side of the tank and shot the tank commander through its brain. The troopers stopped and opened B2 super battle droids emerging from them. They rise and aimed their rosy gauntlets. Boss jumped into the tank as blaster flew over head.
Zarina opened fire on full auto with her carbine pooring bolts down range. The struck a B2 which marched through it. They are tough bastards. O'Connor through a grenade.
Blaster fire poured towards them. Zarina's armor took to hits the dura steel held but it was like a bunch to the gut. She tumbled back still firing. Boss then rose from the canopy and jumped out landing on the ground. He sprinted fast.
Boom! The tank was flame.
Boss turned around aiming the blaster. Zarina got up raising her carbine. Three figures moved among the flame. One had a tubular barrel for its arm. Thum! A rocket flew. Boom! Fire cracked about a foot from Zarina's position. The bast caught and through several meters hard into a concrete wall. There was a snap.
"Fuck!" She cursed.
"Zarina!" O'Connor shouted panicking and breaking protocol seeing her go down.
The veteran marine sprinted over while Boss moved against ghe SBDs. O'Connor took a knee and looked at Zarina's right shoulder. The way it bent. It was definitely broken and from how Zarina cursed she had to know it.
"Hold still." O'Connor said, "I'm going to give you sonething for the pain."
Boss meanwhile tore into the super battle droids. He kept sniper configuration firing it twice in close quarters downing two of the droids. That exhausted the energy pack. He let go of the blast and ejected his vibro blade eyeing the third. He moved a second before the droid fired causing it to miss. He was carefully driving the into the red dot on its shoulder into its power cell. He broke off. It tumbled backwards and hit the ground dead on instance. Oil splashed against Boss. He picked up his carbine and ejected the empty charge pack before slapping a new one in. He checked his corners before turning around.
O'Connor injected Zarina with a pain killer. It numbed out her arm but didn't change the fact it was broken. Boss ran over covered in droid oil.
"I see you had fun."
"I always do," Boss replied, "Your arms messed up. Also you're bleeding from your gut."
"Gee I hadn't noticed."
"Well first sergeant got some news for ya," O'Connor said, "But I'm no medic. I can apply gauze to stop the bleeding but pretty sure you got shrapbel floating in your system."
"O wonderful," Zarina said, "I thought the broken arm would be the worst of it."
"I got a little medic training. Nothing too sophisticated. We had an option to do more the basics with the medical professional durring training, I should've taken it but it just wasn't as cool as shooting things" Boss said, "I can however make a brace if you've got the materials."
"Got em in the pack."
"Don't bother," Zarina said, "You need to get the message to Kota. Leave me here and once you've found the militia then we can call the prowler and get me out of here."
"Why not before."
"We're deep in a warzone we can't risk it. And that's our only way of getting Kota back."
"First Sergeant," O'Connor said, "If we leave you here more seps are going to show up."
"I can shoot a magnum with my other hand."
O'Connor and Boss looked at each other. It was pretty obvious leaving her was basically killing her. O'Connor wasn't about to do that.
"I can watch her," Boss said, "Rham Kota is not going to be thrilled to see a clone no matter what you're about to tell. I can only imagine his reaction after you tell him he was Kriffing right. It's like you said some one needs to watch the first sergeant."
"Boss don't be an idiot there's no sense in two of us staying behind."
"I just killed three super battle droids. Come on both of you can trust me with this. Hell by time you come back I'll have single handedly killed the whole occupation force."
O'Connor didn't like it. His priorities were the men, the mission, then himself. Boss could keep Zarina alive for a few days and the mission still needed to get done. His reseveratiob was mainly personal. He didn't like the idea. What he like however didn't really matter.
"Fine, calling SIGNIT ask if they have any sign of militia activity. I don't want to wonder all over this damn city clueless anymore." O'Connor said beginning to walk off, "Boss, keep her alive. Do that and I'll bully the recruiter into forging legal documents to get in the UNSC citizenship status be damned."
"Sounds fun." Boss said.
"I'm calling over the encrypted network every hour to check if you're still alive."
O'Connor ran off deeper in the city jumping on comms. Zarina propped herself against a wall and took a deep breath. This really was a stupid mission. She thought to herself and she hated thinking it but she couldn't help but blame Colton on this one. He approved the mission he may showed up last second to express concern but he had the power to call it off.
"So Zarina," Boss said, "That's your real name."
"Yep." Zarina said.
"Does it mean Dagger by chance?" Boss asked.
"Now wouldn't that be nice. No it doesn't."
"Well it's still a nice sounding name," Boss said, "I got brace your arm here. Then we're moving somewhere with better cover."
Boss was quick as he went through the medical supplies. He made the makeshift brace. Then applied gauze to the penetration wounds. Zarina assumed her feet were fine. She stood up and the absolute second pressure was applied to her right ankle. She screamed and fell. She began cursing Kyrgyz.
"So you can't walk." Boss said, "Great. I gotta kriffing carry you. Seriously you couldn't have not broken the ankle."
"You know I kindly asked the concrete wall to only break my arm. It didn't really want to listen."
"Well that's the thing you asked. Should've threatened. The wall didn't take you seriously."
Boss carried Zarina down the street to a different niehborhood. He looked around for a house that didn't have any sign of life. He picked the lock and then entered.
No one was there. He looked around and the place was empty. Items were left. Tea pot left on the stove, toys still scattered about in a mess accross the floor, who'd ever been here left in a hurry.
"Whoever lived here had brains," Boss said, "Get out of dodge before Osik hits the fan."
"City's been occupied by both sides," Zarina said, "They could've been dragged out by either side of one member of the family collaboratored in some manner."
"Nice way to kill the mood. I'm trying to put a positive spin on things."
"Sorry, I've been called overly realistic."
"Sounds like a fancy way of saying killjoy. If you were a clone that's what your name would be."
Boss set Zarina down on a coach and unslung the medical pack. He had the most rudimentary medical training. He could change the bandages and that was about it. Those who studied under Mij Gilmir were so good they could operate surgery on the battlefield, stitch up the commando, apply the right drugs and get them fighting again. Boss wasn't that good. He regretted not requesting to learn medical skills. Especially now.
"Just how I look at things. I can't ignore the harshness of reality. It's conditioned."
"I was literally bred to kill people and I'm not that negative. What the fierfek happened to you as a kid?" Boss asked now generally curious and deciding he needed to kill time while also keeping her focused off the pain.
"When I was twelve my home was sacked by the covenant. They could've glassed the place. No the General leading the covenant troops that were invading my home decided it'd be more fun to slaughter all of us the hold fsshion way. They used gunships to heard us out of the city. Accept me O tripped and fell and got seperated from my parents. Lucky me, because a group of these aliens we called brutes was waiting for them out in the open. Brutes are huge animalistic beings that used their bare hands to crush everyone. I heard the screams and hid under an Anna dones car for hours. They left believing they'd slaughtered everyone. I found my mothers headless corpse. And my fathers arm I knew it was cause of the ring on his finger."
"Ok I'd be bitter if that's what happened."
"O that's not the best part," Zarina launched, "I strolled the planes of Central Asia for days. When he found me. This ODST colonel from Mongolia who'd rounded up survivors and put them horse back constantly evading the covenant. He adopted me. He was a warlord. I was raised by a warlord."
"Did he care about you."
"Yes," Zarina admitted, "But you have to understand a girl's jowl town gets slaughtered and a warlord becomes her father figure. And she's bound to grow up cynical."
"I don't know if I agree," Boss said, "The guy who raised me was a mercenary a brutal one at that. You made a mistake he'd beat the shevick out of you. I barely made mistakes and once broke his arm durring training. I'm no where as bitter as you."
"You ever lose people you care about?"
"No. And that might be the difference."
Zarina nodded and didn't smile as she thought about her past. She'd lost many people. Durring her time under the care of the Mongolian ODST turned warlord who once lit boiled surrender grunts alive. They'd lost people every day. Fire fights, sickness, dehydration, and starvation. She wasn't the only kid among the survivors who'd become nomads like their ancestors. Just the only one that survived. Then she'd lost countless of her brothers and sisters in arms durring her time as an ODST. She hated remebering but couldn't help it.
"Ya know," Boss said deciding to change the conversation, "I've always been curious. How si other armies create special forces? See I was raised for the job. Trained since birth to be a commando. You can't do that with non clones."
"They select us," Zarina said, "See they want people of a certain breed. Stubborn, obsessive, who love adrenaline. So they hold little selection process where the best of the best from normal units try out. The selection is designed to break you and then watch what happens after your broken. Those who curl up and cry get washed out. Those who push through their breaking point progress so they can do it again and again and again. After they find those who got the spirit then they train you into what they need. What's being raised for the job like."
"Well you're told you're going to grow to be the deadliest soldier in the Galaxy. You cling to the idea accepting it as your purpose, they tell you you need to be tough so you'll need to know how take a beating. So they beat you. You endure it. They teach you all sorts of skills you're a kid so all you want to do is impress. So you try hard. And when you're all grown your a commando and eager to get out their and start killing. To the point you never even bother to ask why or what for."
"Sounds simple."
"It is."
"Sounds nice."
"It should be."
In truth, Boss was glad the war happened. He got to do what he was created for. He tried for the longest time to just keep it simple. There was an enemy that needed to be destroyed. But slowly he began noticing things that didn't make sense.
"It really should be a nice simple life. Just go where they te you and fight who they tell you to fight. Then you start thinking what happens when there's no one to fight. You put to the back of your mind. But it's always there you're scared to death knowing what you were designed for will have no more use. And even if the war lasts forever eventually you'll get old and lame. Then what? You don't tell your squad. But deep down inside the fear builds. The guy who basically raises you shows up one day. Tells you one day the wars going to end and the Republic will cast you away. And he promises if you just help him with something he'll get you credits and help arrange a life for you post war. You trust this guy he raised you. So you become a spy, then you discover that all a long your purpose wasn't to just fight a war. You were nothing but a tool for someone else to use. And that everyone you care about most is a tool. And when all this is over all of you are going to be tossed in trash heap. That's the reality of a clone commando."
Boss went silent as he thought about it. He was lied his purpose was to slaughter Jedi and to forward the schemes of a power hungry politician. Not be the greatest soldier the Galaxy had ever known. His purpose was to advance evil meaning he had to be evil himself. That thought was worse than the one about the war ending with no purpose left for him.
"I disagree, you're not a fool."
"What makes you think that?"
"A tool wouldn't care that it's to be used and discarded it would continue to be used any ways. You've got spirit. That makes you human and that's what a soldier is at the end of the day. Not a weapon but a living breathing being with a sense of purpose who'll fight and die for their fellow soldiers."
Boss was silent and thought about her words. Then slowly nodded. He would do anything his squad. Fixer, Scorch, and Sev he'd move stars for them.
"You actually said something not depressing."
"Like I said I'm a realist I call it as it is."
O'Connor spent the next five hours running through a city under siege. Artillery shells bursting all over the place. He'd gotten on two seperate fire fights with B1s. And run into the planet's security forces who were in a desperate fight against Separatist assault. The PSF soldiers told him that Kota had wasn't far off and head an HQ a few clicks north.
So he hitched a ride on the back of a speeder with a platoon of PSF soldiers. He thought about Zarina. She was messed up. He wondered if she was even still alive. Or if the wounds got her or maybe they're position was overwhelmed. No. He stopped himself from imagining it. Boss was there he seemed like he knew what he was doing. The Republuc commando sergeant would take care of Zarina. He had faith.
Boom!
An artillery round exploded next to the speeder. Everyone went down as the speeder was thrown to its side. Rapid clanking feet could be heard outside. O'Connor looked at the squad of PSF soldiers he was riding with. They had fear and grief in their eyes. Ready to die. O'Connor wasn't.
The marine crawled out of the vehicle and grabbed his blaster carbine. He went prone and saw blaster bolts streaking towards from the west. He returned fire allowing the weapon to blare on rapid. He could make out a bunch of tiny figures moving. B1s he couldn't tell how many but it was a ton.
"You all wanna die!" He shouted at the PSF troopers, "Get your asses out here and help me."
They remained still. O'Connor kept firing managing to hit three of the droids at distance. He kept squeezing his trigger thd blaster raming into his shoulder as shots rang out. Several of the b1 squad stopped. Soon they'd concentrate fire,
"Ah come you're not really scared. B1s can't aim for shit. Look you don't wanna see your families again find. Me I'm hauling ass." O'Connor said deciding he'd have to do it himself.
He grabbed a thermal detonator from his belt. Clicked it and chucked it as far as he could. Boom! Fire erupted causing a B1 squad to freeze.
O'Connor rose and opened fire concentrating it carefully in bursts. The fierce blue bolts hit three droids. One through the head died intensely. The other two were hit in the chest.
O'Connor moved while continuing to lay down fire. Red bolts flying over his head. He went prone again a few meters to the right of the droid formation. He took several breaths and then resumed fire. Blaster fire then erupted from the truck as four of the PSF troopers moved laying down fire on the droids.
O'Connor laughed and decided now was the time for a one man assault on the enemies flank. He grabbed another thermal detonator and threw it.
Boom!
O'Connor sprinted and fired his blaster on bursts. Downing droid after droid. Several PSF troopers followed. The whole droid formation began walking backwards.
O'Connor froze as he saw three large tanks rumbling in the horizon. And they moving fast. He frowned as he went facedown on the ground trying to hidden.
"Shit!" He cursed.
Boom!
The tanks burst into flames. Heavy blaster fire rained down upon the droid's position. Men in armor charged in. All of them firing in coordination. Several had missile launchers. They were dressed differently from the PSF troops. Kota's militia. O'Connor thought and smiled.
"You." One shouted as the troops pressed forward against the remaining droids, "You're not wearing a uniform you some kind of merc?"
"I was sent here from Coruscant to deliver a message to General Kota." O'Connor said.
"By who."
"Jedi council." O'Connor said he remebered studying every military and para military outfit on Coruscant, "I'm Anataran ranger." He lied.
The blaster fire and explosions continued as the militia men hammered the droids. Slowly the commanding officer slowly nodded his head.
"Alright, I'll have some one escort you," He then turned to the nearest soldier, "Private Scheller take the Ranger to the General."
"Yes sir."
O'Connor followed Scheller as they ran off the battlefield and accross the road up a series of hills. He didn't say a word to O'Connor probably more concerned with getting him to Kota so he could go back to the front.
After about a one mile jog they saw the encampment. An electric fence surrounded it. There were rows upon rows of pitched tents. A few militia troops stood on gaurd and held blasters up yelling hauler. Once they saw it was Sheller they let them pass.
O'Connor passed through the encampment. He could still here the battle breaking in the back around. Then they arrived at a big tent. He swept inside and saw Rham Kota wearing his silver cuirass over a holographic map with his other senior officers and NCOs. Kota looked up at the man.
"Good evening General how do you like your eggs?" O'Connor said using an ONI code phrase.
"Over hard," Kota said, "Gentlemen leave us."
They filed out of the tent no question. O'Connor took several deep breaths absolutely exhausted. So much so he could barely piece together what he had to say.
"Please have a seat agent you look exhausted." Kota said motioning to a chair.
O'Connor did not refuse the man's offer. He slumped down in the chair and removed his helmet. His face was pouring with sweat. Kota offered him water. He accepted and took a fresh sip.
"General Kota," O'Connor said immediately, "We came across valuable intelligence. The Chancellor has computer chips in the brains of the clones. It's believed so he can use them to eliminate the Jedi for purposes were still determining. But there's no question that the purpose of the clones is to eliminate the Jedi order."
Kota stood still. He didn't ask for evidence which O'Connor had. No, the General just smiled and then laughed.
"I knew it," Kota said, "Well not the exact details. But I knew the clones could not be trusted. They called me paranoid."
"One more thing," O'Connor said, "Flavius is going to meet with the Jedi council who are going to decide whether or not to force him to hand over all of our assets and vote whether or not to work with the UNSC. He needs you there."
"Those fools," Kota remarked, "They have uncovered a plot against them and they believe our best move is to cut off the only source of intelligence that operates outside of the Republic? I must get there immediately."
"We got a prowler up in orbit I can radio to get us out of here. But I came here with two other operatives one got horribly wounded and the other's protecting her. I can't leave with out them. They're back in the city."
"You would stall my presence at a meeting of this great importance just to rescue two operatives."
"Bet your ass I would."
"Soldier you have my respect. If you can pinpoint their location. I shall rescue them. Simply have the prowler fly over their position I will descend down from it kill the droids in my way."
"What about your men don't they need you for the battle."
"My second in command can command just effectively as I. And besides thd CIS has already lost. I have scattered their forces across the whole planet hunting a bunch of small cells. They have no idea the main force is here. Now all that remains is to destroy in detail."
O'Connor froze all of sudden it made sense. The abandoned bases the hit and run constant retreating. Kota was brilliant.
Zarina fell asleep having concluded her fate was no longer in her hands. Boss watched carefully having been entrusted with keeping her alive. In truth he had no clue if O'Connor had actually made it. He could by lying lifeless somewhere out in the wider city never to return. This could've been it.
Apart of him thought about running. Maybe he could disappear among the civilian population, steal a ship and survive then find some way to link back up with his squadron. His brothers needed him. He was their leader. Yet he wasn't entirely sure about his continued service as a soldier of the Republic. As Zarina said a tool wouldn't care that it's to be used and discarded, it would continue to be used anyway. In his defense he always assumed his squad would always have a place in the Republic. Yet now that he knew the truth of it to continue to serve them would make him just a tool. Apart of himself could see becoming a true tool. Yet, Zarina saw something else in him. More than a tool, more than just a clone.
Clanking sounded from outside. He peaked out the window saw about a company of droids with a tank B1s leading and b2s following. They sent squads into each house clearing them. Some of the civilians screamed. The droids fired killing them. His eyes narrowed with an active hostile infront of him. His purpose clear.
Kill them.
Boss knew if he drew fire to the house Zarina would die. He'd have to do the opposite. And so got to work picking up his DC17M. He moved out the back then sprinted to the house next door's back yard.
Bang.
Another door kicked in. They were clear block by block slowly crawling towards them. Boss sprinted to the house they were about kick in. Inside there civilians a family huddled under a table. He paid no mind.
B1s broke the front door open and flooded in. Boss moved through the back door and met them. He squeezed his trigger firing on full auto. The bolts tore through the droids. The civilians under the table screamed. He put it to the back of his head and kept working.
He charged quickly over the fried droids. Then switched to the grenade launcher function. He popped out in front yard. All the B1s leading the patrol stopped and staured at him. They were packed together tightly. Wonderful. Boss thought before pulling the trigger blowing them away.
The tank a few paces back stopped with the B2s. Boss began to formulate a plan to take it down. Then he heard them. The droudkas rolling a long the ground.
They flanked right of him four in all. He snapped around opening fire bailing two before their popped up. But he wasn't fast enough to get the other two. Furious red bolts flew at him. They hit several spots on his armor. The impact causing him to fall. He shut the front door. Red bolts flew threw them.He grinded his teeth.
"Fierfek," he spat.
He looked and saw the family huddle under the table. Parents and three kids. The tank could and would blow the house apart. And kill all of them. A tool might be fine with that.
Boss wasn't. He made a decision and rolled over to the window. He needed to work fast take another risk. He broke the window. Fired another round from the grenade launcher. Boom. He popped the shields. He quickly pulled his pistol rather then switching function. He fired four times managing to bail the destroyers in the head while their shields were down.
He ran out of the window. The B2s were on the flanks of the tank. Boss fired his DC17M back in carbine mode. The bolts killed one and barely scraped a few. The tank stopped.
Boss had one more grenade for the launcher. He downed a few more super battle droids then sprinted to the adjacent house. The super battle droids charged after him. Bwang! He felt a bold hit his back his armor caught it and he hit the ground.
The droids approached thinking they got him.
Boss turned on his back blaster in sniper configuration blasted two of them at point blank. Shrapnel flew at him. Boss jumped up adrenaline rushing through him. He moved outside he face the tank. He staired it down ready for it to kill him.
Whoosh….boom! The tank erupted in flames as a missile struck it. Boss looked up and saw the prowler. Super battle droids rushed through. From the sky a man fell to the ground.
Rham Kota landed on his feet and gave of a dashing smile as he staired down the droids. They fired he deflected the bolts back at their face plates. Then rushed forward. He drove the blade through one. Then withdrew he was quick as he swung the blade and cleaned a pair in half. Two more shots blocked. Kota waved his hand and four droids surged across the street. They slammed hard against the ground shattering. Boss approached. Kota snapped around and aimed the blade at his neck.
"What are you doing here," Kota said, "Clone."
"Kota!" O'Connor shouted as he lowered himself down from the ship with a line. "He's with us."
"You trust the clone? They're the very thing designed to kill the Jedi order!"
"Yeah, and we wouldn't have known if that specific clone didn't willingly lead us to the truth."
Kota looked at Boss. For a moment Boss thought the guy would kill him any ways. And what could he do to stop him. Kota was a Jedi an individual so powerful he could break Boss's neck by waving his hand.
"Where's the other one? The ODST, grab her and let's be off." Kota said putting the blade away.
Boss stopped. Whose this guy think he is. He thought to himself. All of a sudden he didn't care. He was tired of getting ordered around.
"You can go kriff yourself," Boss snarled, "I don't take orders from you."
"O," Kota said and looked at the clone, "Maybe I was wrong then."
"I mean I'm going to grab Artemesia the other agent, she's a friend what kind piece of Osik leaves a friend bleeding to death on the ground."
Boss went back to the house and helped Zarina up. The two walked out as the prowler briefly landed. They loaded into it. Then in a snap blasted into hyperspace enroute back to Coruscant.