Song: Star Wars: Vode An x Clones Theme | REPUBLIC COMMANDO ANTHEM
POV: Waxer and Boil (*1).
ARC Troopers Waxer and Boil were quietly watching the Lamperouge residence from afar, from somewhere on a nearby rooftop. It was a quiet night, with light winds and the brightness of the moon overlaying its' reflection from the heavens. This would have to be one of the more rare peaceful moments in their life as soldiers. All they, and a few other brothers, were just doing guard duty.
Passing the time, they would both naturally reflect on what had happened to them for the last five years, serving as soldiers of the 7th Sky Corps. It was around the very beginning, on the First Battle of Geonosis. It was the first time of action for all of them. There was both a sense of trepidation and excitement flowing in the veins of every clone who would now begin to make use of all of the training that they had learned for the last decade.
A call to arms, was received to them through the direction of both Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
And regarding their old general, Obi-Wan Kenobi, they could remember the very first time he would visit Kamino. Later on, they would find out that the main reason Kenobi would visit Kamino was due to a conspiracy plot against Senator Padme Amidala and the few attempts that were carried out against the latter. And the prime suspect of this investigation would be none other than the clone's donor and "father", Jango Fett, the Mandalorian Bounty Hunter. As it could be surmised, all of the clones who had heard of this would have mixed feelings about it, sparking an element of controversy and questions.
Along the way, Kenobi would immediately request and personally handpick the first members of the troopers that would be under his command, much to the surprise of the long-neck prime minister. Numbering about 700,998 troopers in total, all available and ready for combat. That would of course include both Waxer and Boil, and their future Marshal Commander Cody, one of the clones who had been given advanced training by Alpha 17. Long before they were known as the 7th Sky Corps, they were once known as the 77th Ranger Recon Company.
The newly christened batch of clones would accompany Jedi Master Yoda as they, along with their LAAT gunships, would begin a full assault on the arena where their Jedi General, and other Jedi, were fighting for their lives, against thousands of droids that surround them from all sides. Most of the Jedi were thankfully alive, but some have been gunned down by the droids.
"Around the survivors, a perimeter create," Yoda commanded.
The clone pilots of the gunships obeyed. As they move their gunships closer into position, firing their weapons, as the troops on the side manned the side turrets, the 77th Ranger Recon Company Clones would jump off and would begin to tag any nearby droid and provide cover fire for the Jedi. Their new general, Obi-Wan Kenobi, noticing them engaging the enemy, drew closer as he used his telekinetic power to force the droids away across the arena. Using his saber, and with precise speed and movements, he took care to reflect all of the blaster bolts, especially the ones that were the closest and should have killed some of their brothers, but didn't.
From how many years they have known their general, one of the traits they noted was that he would take great pains to ensure that the clones under his command, and even other clones, would be safe from all harm. Granted, there were times and occasions were trying to save every brother from death was a near-impossible task, but even so, he would do his best to make sure all of them came out in one piece. A similar trait could be said to be found in Master Yoda, who would use his mysterious powers to...
...Summon an emerald kind of energy, through a concentration of greyish clouds that would form above (*2). For what seems like the very first time, rain started to fall down on the barren deserts of Geonosis. It was nothing short of a miracle, through a calm, concentration and firm authority. Waxer and Boil, and other clones who were present, look at that day with awe, as tales of the Jedi would circulate in their minds.
For the clones, the Jedi were to be their leaders in their service of the Republic. God-like warriors with god-like abilities. And...it would seem some of the stories about the Jedi's feats were true.
Emerald lightning would fall down and strike hard against the variance of droids that scour throughout the arena, destroying them and burning them all to a crisp. And, looking to the side, the clones would notice how spooked most of the Jedi were as they looked slowly at Yoda, who paid no heed to their stares and continued, with a solemn expression.
That would be the first moment the clones would realize that Yoda, and even Obi-Wan, were not like the other Jedi. Most Jedi could not do what they had done, or will do. Conjuring up a natural weather phenomenon on one's lonesome through the powers of the Force was not something most Jedi would be able to do.
No clone died that during that very first engagement as the gunships would begin to ascend out of the arena. On one of the gunships where Waxer and Boil were present, there was Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with another Jedi, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, the future general of the 501st Legion, and Senator Padme Amidala. And much to the clone's surprise, they would see a cuff Jango Fett and an accompanying young Boba; they were brought in during the evacuation.
"Dooku, Skywalker and I will deal with," Yoda spoke grimly. "Master Kenobi, lead the clones in the assault and direct the Jedi, you will."
And, with his firm leadership, Obi-Wan Kenobi would first build up his reputation as a skilled and wise general. As Separatist droids draw closer on the battlefields, Obi-Wan would urge to form a large impenetrable wall, a dividing line against the enemy. They will not charge, but they will stand their ground. From there, they can buy the time for the Clone Commando Units to stealthily cripple CIS infrastructure and their current evacuation of ships. In fact, half of them were suddenly wiped out when the bombs went off. Waxer and Boil could remember the shockwave that would send ships crashing down and forming an artificial sandstorm that cloaked their presence from the enemy.
While the droids had trouble with the sand, the clones did not, as their training kicked in. With various positions, they opened fire, and the Jedi provided their assistance by reflecting various blaster bolts and shells backs.
"All B25 Sections, concentrate full barrage across the fields. Foxtrot Squadron, full-on frontal aerial assault," Kenobi commanded.
"Yes, sir," One of the clone pilots flying his ship in the skies would nod.
Aerial and tank support would also help in their own way, as General Kenobi would command them from the bridge. The Separatists were in full retreat. Their losses were growing rapidly, the enemy was being pushed back through a first ironclad defense, followed by tenacious offense. Gunships were now on the ready as many of the clones and the Jedi would head towards the burning CIS strongholds, find any surviving personnel and arrest them.
As for the 77th, they would join General Kenobi as they would begin a thorough sweep of the Genoshan Catacombs, joining the famous Delta Squad, led by Boss. As they cleared the pathways, they started to notice a couple of dead bodies, of Jedi and Clones alike, with slash marks and wounds. Looking at the general, he had a grim expression on his face upon inspecting the bodies.
"...Keep your eyes open, men," Kenobi spoke grimly, his blue eyes turning icy, as he would ignite his bluish lightsaber. "Watch yourselves. This is not the work of a mere droid."
Looking back on it, Waxer and Boil had realized eventually they were that close to discovering the one behind this disturbing massacre, as they never really found out who had done so. The one who would eventually mark his infamy on in the Battle of Hypori. The infamous General Grievous. They didn't know whether to feel dread or relief.
Nevertheless, the First Battle of Geonosis was a full Republic victory, and the first time the name "Obi-Wan Kenobi" was whispered into the public consciousness. Forward in time, in various battles, half of the victories of the 77th Ranger Recon Company would be due to General Kenobi's leadership. Then came the Battle of Muunilinst. It was at that time when the 7th Sky Corps was officially named, and there were billions of troops and personnel under the general's command. Already, they were working side by side with General Skywalker and the 501st Legion, under the command of an old friend of Commander Cody, Captain Rex.
And at that time, there was a young officer from the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet that General Kenobi recommended, as an Admiral to man the fleets of the 7th Sky Corps. A tall, blue humanoid, with red, calculative eyes, with a dark green officer uniform, hiding beneath an intelligence and charisma that commanded everyone's respect. Most people, including Waxer and Boil, referred to him as Admiral Thrawn. Apparently, it was through a random space encounter with General Skywalker that eventually led Thrawn to meet General Kenobi.
It was because of Thrawn's ingenious strategies that allowed Republic forces to stay ahead and push against the Separatists, especially when they had strange extragalactic allies from other galaxies suddenly getting drawn into the war.
During the Battle of Muunilinst, General Kenobi put Commander Cody in charge of the frontal assault, while he would accompany the red-markings, ARC-77, Captain Fordo, along with a few other ARC troopers with blue color markings. By this time, Kenobi would task Fordo in handling Waxer and Boil with a special training regiment, as they were chosen and handpicked by Kenobi to become ARC Troopers of the 7th Sky Corps - Ghost Company.
They were naturally elated and shocked by such an offer. It was the highest honor for a clone trooper to become an ARC. And of course, it was also rather intimidating, because ARCs were the best of the best. Not every one of their brothers could just become an ARC Trooper. They were the cream of the crop so to speak.
"I have seen and observed your progress on the battlefield," General Kenobi would say, when he was talking to the two of them. Commander Cody and Captain Fordo were present as well, on the side. "I don't offer this suggestion lightly, and I considered every factor. I need men in this war who I could trust personally to handle missions that most could not handle."
Hence, come the Battle of Muunilinst, the two were part of the squad that stormed their way into the compound, right into the heart of the Banking Clan leaders' main control center.
"Please have mercy, I am only a banker," One of the bankers pathetically begged.
"That is entirely up to you and your unconditional surrender," Kenobi would state, just as the clone troopers were watching the bankers' every move.
Of course, it wasn't all that easy. There was the first encounter that they all had against the dreaded bounty hunter who seemed to have a raging bone to pick with every clone trooper. That bounty hunter was Durge, and the blasted sucker just can't die right. The general blew the monster up twice in a row. First by a batch of thermal detonators. Second, by actually going inside the monster and blows it up with his own powers. But that thing still managed to eventually pick itself back together, hence why they would cross paths with Durge time and time again during the Clone Wars.
Nevertheless, the Battle of Muunilinst was yet another Republic victory.
But the celebration was short live, as General Kenobi and General Skywalker were contacted by Jedi General Daakman Barrek, who was engaged with something far more sinister than just mere Separatist droids. Waxer and Boil couldn't forget the narrowed, grim expression on General Kenobi's face, as if he had been expecting this moment for a very long time, which intensified when the communication channel went off so suddenly.
"Captain Fordo," He would turn to the ARC trooper. "Bring all of Muunilinst Squadron. I will lead."
"Yes, sir," Fordo affirmed.
And so, Waxer and Boil and the other ARC Troopers would begin to board the gunship and head towards Hypori, leaving Skywalker in command of the rest. And, they and the other ARC Troopers present could ever forget that very moment, when, getting out of the gunship, everyone would march forward in due haste, following the general's lead. It was there that they would see Jedi General Ki-Adi Mundi, engaged with a tall, cybernetic creature, casually wielding three blades, which all belonged to the Jedi that he murdered.
The infamous war general, General Grievous. The same one who was responsible for the mysterious massacre that happened in the First Battle of Geonosis.
It was clear that General Mundi lost the duel when the monster brought to an almost near close, right before General Kenobi would block the monster's grip.
"Hello there," Obi-Wan Kenobi smirked in defiance against the monster, who narrowed its slit eyes.
"You..." The voice indicated danger, as if recognizing the man in front of him, as the monster would swing his blades in endless assault, but somehow, they were all being parried by General Kenobi, almost like he knew exactly what manner of movements were appropriate to face this monster. He was somehow aggressively beating the monster back, as with each wild swirl, Kenobi counters with each direction with the same movements.
"Master Kenobi!" General Mundi uttered in shock, as he was being tugged by a crouching Captain Fordo, holding one of his blaster guns with him.
"Sir, we must leave and get you to safety!" Fordo spoke with urgency.
"But-"
"Do as he says, Master Mundi!" General Kenobi spoke as he dodged a head strike from the monster, who tried to use his legs, only for it to stop from its tracks, much to the monster's shock as he felt being pushed across several meters, breaking down several walls with a shock of orange lightning. "We cannot fight him, not now, all of us must regroup and retreat to fight another day." He spoke grimly.
As he spoke, the monster would suddenly come back and initiate a circular, vicious attack that would be instantly blocked by Kenobi.
"Surrender, Jedi!" A grim, cold tone came from the monster. "There is no escape for you, except a warrior's death."
"Oh, I don't think so," Kenobi spoke naturally, with a bemused smirk. And he counters with each parry, blocking the violent assaults.
Waxer and Boil would recall themselves and the other ARCs opening fire at the creature, but was far too fast for their blasters to reach the latter. There were a few close calls where the General intercepted the monster's strikes against some of their brothers.
"...Come now," Kenobi taunted the monster. "Am I not more than enough of an opponent for you?"
"Such arrogance, for a Jedi," The monster noted, but was silently enjoying the actual challenge, and the prey, that he was presented with.
The ARCs would see what may as well be a furious frenzy between two combatants. The general was agile, capable of dodging every strike and sway the monstrous droid would muster against him. With a glow of blue and green combinations, the monster tried every possible and conceivable angle to cut the Jedi down, but to no avail. General Kenobi would lead the offensive aggressively, swaying his blade left and right, point by point, not stopping, as his body moved like water.
They were too fast for the clones to keep up. It seems that both opponents were evenly matched.
"Back up, now!" Fordo would call in the LAAT transport, blowing the wall that would allow it to fly overhead and provide General Kenobi some cover fire. Already, some of the ARCs onboard the transport, two Jedi Masters, Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti, were already on life support equipment. The time for evacuation was nigh.
All of the ARC Troopers would begin to evacuate, along with General Mundi, as General Kenobi blocks the monster's path, with the last attack being a forward, charging strike, materializing electrically generated lightning that strikes the monster down for a bit, which gave the general ample time to escape, jumping at the LAAT and make their escape.
And that was the very first time General Kenobi and General Grievous faced off against each other, and it most certainly won't be the last.
When Waxer and Boil thought of that event, a part of them would feel some semblance of relief that they wouldn't have to deal with that monster on this planet.
While the Battle of Hypori had been lost to the Republic, Kenobi's courageous and defiant actions in the incident sparked an increase of morale for the rest of the clone corps, battalions, and legions.
The Clone Troopers of Kamino all looked up to High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, ever since the First Battle of Geonosis, which solidified during the darkest hours of the Battle of Hypori, earning him the nickname "The Bringer of Hope".
And the 7th Sky Corps as a whole could never have been more proud than to be known as the corps that served this great general.
A Father To His Men.
Trivia For Chapter:
(*1) - Waxer and Boil were Clone Troopers who served in Ghost Company (part of the 212th Attack Battalion) and the Muunilinst Squadron (under Captain Fordo - ARC-77). At some point before the Battle of Muunilinst, Waxer and Boil were chosen and trained to become ARC Troopers, with Captain Fordo as their drill instructor.
(*2) - Yoda was making use of an advanced form of a force ability called Electric Judgment, or Emerald Lightning.
