Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
A/N: Good news everyone! I just did that for the new season that's out. I got my time back to write but I still will need to get into the habit but expect updates to pick up to where they were in 2020ish on back for those of you who were reading back then.
For those that didn't, except for the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), I would update one or two stories a week outside of internet/power failures or family visits. And for the holidays I would take the first week of the month off at least to write a Ch for each story then an extra for the one that's getting updated so I could update all stories for the holidays for those times as a present in case there's a lot of family/friends visiting.
I have a poll up on who Ron should be paired with, I was going to have it be quick as I was thinking of doing one for my RWBY story but nixed that after talking with fellow writers and beta's.
Now I'll leave it up until Zita appears.
Beta: Chaos-PSD. Contributor: KuronoDono12.
Chapter LXIV: The Unknown.
The Truth About Yourself Is Always The Hardest To Accept.
Battle for Ringo Vinda! Republic forces are locked in heated combat with the droid armada on a massive space station that encircles an entire planet. Anakin Skywalker and Naruto Uzumaki valiantly lead their men against the onslaught, which has lasted several rotations, with neither side gaining any ground. Aided by the twin sister Jedi Masters, Tiplee and Tiplar, the Republic now mounted a desperate offensive to break the deadlock.
Space Station.
"Push forward!"
Naruto yelled to the clones around him as they fought in a hall. "Stay to my left." A clone behind Naruto yelled out before seeing another about to be shot by a downed B1 droid. "Fives! Watch out!"
He tackled Fives out of the way as a clone shot the droid. "Thanks, brother, I owe you one."
"You owe me a lot more than one," Tup said as they started making ground.
Up ahead, Tiplee and Tiplar are blocking shots.
"Tighten our flank!" Tiplar said as Tiplee looked back.
"Shields up!"
"Yes, sir!"
Commando droids dropped down and started firing as Clones brought up riot shields to block their blasts. Naruto threw his shoto having it spin and hit several droids before bringing it back to him
In another hall, Tiplee and Tiplar cut through droids as clones fired at them, some holding riot shields. They ran into a large storage room and attacked the large group of droids and fought their way to another door. Droidekas rolled in, taking the clones from a wall with their shields. Tiplar used the Force to raise them as the clones rolled EMPs under them before she dropped the droids.
And had them fall as the EMPs went off having them continue.
In the third hallway, Anakin sliced a super droid and ran forward as his men followed.
Up ahead, Naruto got into a control room as the others joined up. "Don't get too comfortable. This battle hasn't been won yet." Anakin said to his clones as Tiplee walked up.
"Master Skywalker, we must get to the command post. Admiral Trench has sent for reinforcements. We must take this post before they arrive."
Naruto had BD run up and had a map come up as Anakin explained the plan. "It's time for phase two. We're in this position. Tiplar, you'll take your men down this passageway. Tiplee, you'll move along here. And Naruto, here… We'll have to spread our clones for each group as it'll be harder to move around with one large group for each."
"They'll have to divide their forces to counter us. And when they do, Rex and I will press through the middle. If we time it right, we'll all converge on this spot at the same time, and the droids won't know what hit them.
"My men are severely depleted," Fordo said as Anakin nodded while Alpha walked up holding a rifle.
"Fives, you and Tup take ten of your best men and support Master Uzumaki."
"We're on it, sir." Fives nodded at that. They stood as Tup held his head for a moment. "Hey, you alright?"
"Yeah, I... I just…"
"Come on, this is a textbook battle. We've run through this a million times before in training." Fives said, putting on his helmet and tapping Tup's shoulder.
"Yeah, I know... I just… I don't feel like myself."
"What do you mean?" Fives asked before Tip looked at Naruto who gave an order for the clones with him to follow him.
"Jedi..."
"Tup? What's the matter with you?"
"Uh, no... Nothing. I'm fine." Tup replied putting his helmet on and they followed after the ninja
"Come on, brother. Don't want to be left behind."
The assault progressed down the hallways and into the large open room, as starfighter combat raged outside the space station. Trench ordered his droid forces to hold their ground, as the Republic advance pressed them back. However, as the fighting raged, Tup began to feel unwell, hitting his head in an attempt to clear it, before he became fixated on Naruto and started muttering. "Good soldiers follow orders."
"Hey, Tup!" Fives yelled out as Tup walked behind Naruto and held a blaster to his head. Naruto turned to see the pistol before moving his head to Tup's left and had the left side get hit. "Tup! No!"
Naruto fell as blood fell from his head to the floor. Fives tackled Tup to the floor as Destroyers rolled in. "Destroyers!"
"We've lost our momentum! Fall back!" Anakin said as a clone with Naruto's red colors picked Naruto up and started running back. "Fives, I don't know what's going on, but you are responsible for Tup now. Get him back to base. I want answers."
Fives who held Tup nodded and walked back as well. Alpha started firing his rifle as Fordo used his pistols and both walked backward to cover the three who ran back. Up in the control room, Trench was watching the footage of Naruto being shot before his droid walked up to him. "The Jedi have withdrawn their forces."
"Contact Count Dooku immediately. I have something he'll be very interested in." Trench sad before chittering.
Later, Trench called Dooku via hologram. "Count Dooku, the Republic forces are in full retreat."
" But this is not why you have contacted me, is it?" Dooku asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, Count, in truth, the Republic had pushed my droids to the breaking point, when they suddenly turned and fell back. It seemed that at the height of the conflict, a clone turned on his Jedi General and executed him."
" Intentionally?" Dooku asked, keeping the surprise from his face.
"I saw it with my own eyes. I have studied clones and fought against them in many battles. This action is unlike anything I have witnessed in their behavior as soldiers."
" So, there is a traitor in their midst. It's rare, but such things have been reported in the past."
Trench shook his head at that. "Not a traitor, this was different. It seemed..."
" Yes, Admiral?"
"It seemed as if the clone could not help himself, as if he was entranced."
" Thank you, Admiral. I will take this under advisement." Dooku said before signing off.
The Jedi.
Skywalker, Tiplar, and Tiplee and their forces retreated to the room where they had initially planned their assault, sealing doors and setting up turrets behind them to delay the droid forces
"Why? Why would he do this?"
Anakin turned to see the sisters at Naruto's body before looking at another room where Tup was handcuffed and Kix was looking him over with Fives and Rex. "I'm about to find out." He walked over and looked at Rex. "How's he doing, Rex?"
"I'm not sure, General. It seems like he just snapped." Rex replied before kneeling to speak to Tup. "Tup, can you hear me?"
"Yes, Captain."
"What happened?"
"What do you mean?" Tup asked looking over as he panted.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rex asked before they heard a gasp.
Turning they saw Naruto shot up as his wound started healing. "How are you alive?" Tiplar asked as Naruto stood.
"Just a flesh wound… I've had worse." He then turned to the clone that carried him out who took off his helmet and had 99 on the side of his head. "Thanks 99."
Naruto heard chanting before looking to see Tup's eyes roll in the back of his head. "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders."
"What is he talking about?" Anakin asked Kix who shrugged before looking down and checking the clone out. Who started chanting another phrase.
"Kill the Jedi." He lunged at Naruto who held him back with the Force.
"We have to get him back to the medical bay before he hurts anyone else," Anakin said as Naruto nodded.
Dooku.
"My Lord, I have received a report that leads me to conclude we may have encountered a grave complication with one of our assets."
Dooku spoke to the hologram from his desk. " Assets?"
"Yes, sir. A clone trooper has executed one of the Jedi Generals."
" And you believe this is indicative of our programming?" Sidious asked his pupil who nodded.
"I do, My Lord. But I cannot be certain."
" It is pertinent to ascertain if this is an isolated event, a failure in this particular clone's programming. Otherwise, my plans may be ruined. Seize the clone immediately." Sidious ordered as Dooku nodded and stood.
"Yes, My Master."
The Jedi.
Tup was strapped to a bed in the ship as they got ready to go back to Kamino. "Fives, what's happening to me?"
"You don't remember?" Fives asked him.
"No."
"You attacked General Uzumaki." Fives explained as Tup started looking around and thrashed.
"What? No, that's not possible. I would never... I could never..."
"Tup, you did."
"I don't... I don't understand. How could this happen? What's happening to me, Fives?" Tup asked before a med droid used a sedative on him. "Ahh! No! No! No..."
"What do you think happened?" Rex asked as Anakin looked at Kix
"Did you check all of his scans?"
"Well, all of his scans are clear. As far as I can tell, this is combat-related stress. It seems he's had some sort of breakdown."
"Kix, you should know better," Rex said to his fellow clone. "We were designed to withstand any stress."
"I agree." Fives said as he turned to them. "We've been through a lot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened. It's like he's sick, or drugged."
"Well, it could be a virus, a toxin. I can't be certain." Kix said before Naruto looked at Tup as his wound continued healing.
"Let's talk outside." He said bringing them out. "You mean the enemy could have made him do this?" Naruto asked Kix once the door closed.
"It's a possibility," Tiplee said, getting Naruto's attention. "There have been rumors that Separatists have been trying to develop an anti-clone virus. Biological warfare."
"Listen, we aren't equipped for this type of situation," Kix said to them. "He'll have to be taken back to Kamino. Only then will you have your answer."
Later, Naruto walked with Anakin and Fives who stopped Tup's gurney. "Wait! Wait! Tup, it's gonna be fine. I promise. They'll fix you up real good. We'll be having a drink together in no time, eh?"
"Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders."
"You are a good soldier, Tup." Fives said as a clone walked up.
"It's time to go now."
"Be careful," Anakin said to him as they took Tup to another ship.
"Yes, General."
With the group, one pilot spoke up. "We are tracking clean, calculating hyperspace jump in five, four-"
"Oh, wait! Wait!" The co-pilot said from behind him "Scanners indicate incoming craft. Abort jump!"
An HMP droid gunship with five B2 super rocket troopers ambush the convoy. The rocket troopers disable the escorting fighters, while the gunship fires a discord missile and the resulting buzz droids kill both pilots, but one of them manages to send a distress signal before he is killed. The clones guarding Tup soon realize they are under attack and grab their blasters to defend Tup.
While one of the medical officers manages to take down two of the super battle droids, all of the clones are eventually killed. The remaining droids then free Tup from the medical table and place him into a container before departing back to Separatist space.
Later.
In the Resolute, Wullf was talking to Anakin who was on another ship going to the ambush. "General Skywalker, you are nearing the coordinates where we lost contact with the shuttle."
"We can see it now. It doesn't look good."
Up with Anakin's team, Fives looked at the wreckage. "Looks like some buzz droids got on the hull and opened her right up."
"Hmm, strategically, this attack doesn't make any sense." Rex mused, crossing his arms.
"Unless they were after something specific," Anakin spoke looking back as Fives glanced over.
"Tup..."
"I'm going over there." Anakin turned to go to the hatch with the two following.
"We're coming with you."
In their suits, they walked through the wreck and past the dead bodies of clones. "Over here. This is Tup's gurney." Fives turned as Anakin spoke and then floated to the empty gurney. "The restraints have been cut."
"The clankers took Tup? Why?" Rex asked before Fives looked over.
"They must be responsible for whatever's happening to him."
"It's possible. All I know is they went to great lengths to capture him. And that means something." Anakin said before turning to leave.
"We have got to get him back." Fives spoke as Anakin looked over his shoulder.
"Don't worry. We'll find a way."
Space Station.
"We have captured the clone, Count."
Trench said to the hologram of Dooku. " Good work, Admiral. Send him to me immediately, and under all circumstances, keep him alive!"
"Yes, sir." Trench nodded before looking at the droids with the box Tup is in "Get him on the next shuttle out of here."
"But the Republic blockade-"
"See to it personally, Commander." Trench interrupted the droid who nodded and left.
Outside, Anakin, still in his suit without the helmet, looked at the two clones. "It will be just the three of us going in. The shuttle will drop us off just short of the main hanger, then we spacewalk from there.
"Are you picking anything up on Tup's locator?" Rex asked Fives who held a tracking device.
"I've got a faint signal, But it's hard to track. It's moving."
"Then we better hurry," Anakin said, putting his helmet on.
They went to the spoke and space walked to the opening before Fives spoke again. "I've got a better signal. Tup is heading this way."
"They're moving him to the hangar," Anakin said as they started to walk on the sides and got to the door.
There, they saw a large group of droids before looking at them with their scopes as Fives looked at Anakin's
"Are your scopes Jedi-issue, sir?" He asked, having Anakin glance over.
"Stay focused, Fives." He said as the clone chuckled.
They looked at the hanger before Fives saw Tup being loaded onto a ship. "There he is, sir."
"We'll have to work fast."
"There must be a hundred droids in that hangar, not to mention the starfighters. This is stretching it, even for you, sir!" Rex said to Anakin who smiled.
"Rex, you're beginning to sound like Obi-Wan. You got a better idea?
"Look, I don't doubt you could pull it off, but I'm just not sure Fives and I would be around to see it happen."
"I've got an idea." Fives spoke, getting Anakin's attention.
"Well, let's hear it, quickly!" He said as Fives pulled his grappling gun. "Grappling gun. Good thinking."
"Get ready to hold on."
"That's why he's the ARC Trooper."
As the ship went by, the two clones shot onto the ship and pulled Anakin before they walked to the door and opened it to see Commando droids and B1s. Anakin dived in with his saber, slicing droids as the clones shot the others. After dealing with the tactical droid, Anakin looked at Fives who was checking on Tup as Rex flew the ship.
"How's he doing?"
"Not well. Not well at all. I think he's dying, sir."
"We have to get him to Kamino."
The Resolute.
"I'll want a full report from Kamino."
Anakin said to Rex as he stood with Fives. "If Tup is the victim of some Separatist plot, we have no idea of how widespread it already is." Anakin finished before walking off.
"Permission to come with you, sir." Fives spoke up as Rex started leaving with Tup. "He's my best friend. You may need help."
"But everything must be done by the book," Rex said to Fives who nodded.
"Understood, sir."
"You're to stay by his side at all times. I don't want any more slip-ups."
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Let's go." Rex said before getting on the ship with the group and left.
To Be Continued.
A/N: Thanks for reading and let me know of any mistakes.
Beta: Chaos-PSD. Contributor: KuronoDono12.
Good news everyone! I just did that for the new season that's out. I got my time back to write but I still will need to get into the habit but expect updates to pick up to where they were in 2020ish on back for those of you who were reading back then.
For those that didn't, except for the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), I would update one or two stories a week outside of internet/power failures or family visits. And for the holidays I would take the first week of the month off at least to write a Ch for each story then an extra for the one that's getting updated so I could update all stories for the holidays for those times as a present in case there's a lot of family/friends visiting.
I have a poll up on who Ron should be paired with, I was going to have it be quick as I was thinking of doing one for my RWBY story but nixed that after talking with fellow writers and beta's.
Now I'll leave it up until Zita appears.
Next to be updated will be Maelstrom Huntsman.
Nothing else to say.
Talk To You Later,
Lone Wolf Out.🐺