Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Changing Tides: Volume 7
“A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.”
The space battle continued to rage on in the void far above the city covered ecunopolis of Atar. The light cruiser, Reproach, sped towards the atmosphere relentlessly chased by a squadron of droid fighters. The four fighters were unable to close the ever growing gap that was taking shape. Their smaller engines were no match to the velocity output created by the Reproach’s three large horizontal engines! As the enemy faded out of the sensor’s view, the planet began to grow, final approach coordinates and vectors needed to be establish.
BoWEEP WEEP BoWEEP WEEP *Click
Vallen reached down clicking the smooth button. Raising his wrist up the voice of a clone pilot came through, “This is Captain Taggart of the Senate Guard. My squad is aboard the Reproach and are rapidly descending. Question is, in this urban setting, there are few areas a ship our size can actually fit down to your level; so where will you be able to get to in order for a pick up?”
Climbing up the side panel of his gray At-Te, Vallen’s boots clicked when his heels impacted the metallic textured floor. “Halifax, bring up the map of the city: highlighting the acceptable areas for retrieval. Boomer, bring Rex online for an update.”
Sergeant Kano climbed up the ladder, popping his head past the thick metal plating overlapping the armor. “Sir, we’re getting the troops ready to mobilize once you choose a location.”
Kano leapt from the ladder, his feet pounding the ground with a light thud.
Rex’s blue translucent form appeared, walking up to the table whilst removing his helmet. The sound of blaster and cannon fire could be heard through the transmission.
“Sirs, what is the sitrep? We’re currently under fire on this end.”
Hett’s hand rested on the table. “Rex, we need a secure location for a pick up.” From a dimly lit corner of the tactical room, Jedi Saikiko’s head slowly raised up. Her eyes sharply opened as her face slowly turned towards the men standing before the table.
“Rex's men are distressed.” Her breathing calm and controlled as she meditated, focusing on the battle a fair distance off, “The zone is sustaining heavy damage..and…is contested. We’ll need to find a new position.”
Hallifax highlighted two areas on the holographic map in glowing yellow. Roughly in short sentences, “Two options if you plan to take the tanks. The first leads down a long avenue, but will allow a arrow head formation 3 tanks wide. Secondly, we head towards Rex’s position, but the heat is too unknown for a drop. Reports of heavy rocket use.”
Rex’s hologram was jostled violently. “Though we have all the heavy equipment, we are under tremendous fire because of it! These detonating droids are devastating. You need to find a source of this new Battle Management System if we are to have any hope of securing this planet!” Vallen nodded in agreement confidently added, “Top priorities for the legion will be to rendezvous our companies with the Reproach, then find that system. Rex, you are going to be picked up by Thunder in two hours, Halifax will arrive in your stead.”
Rex’s countenance torqued with mixed emotions of bewilderment and denial, “But sir, we are engaged here..” “Yes, but you have seen and watched these droids, your observations are necessary to add to the Jedi, it is crucial to the war effort. Find me patterns, frequencies, priority targets, anything that we can use to take down these bloody clankers!”
Rex nodded without speaking, understanding the necessity though he did not like the prospect of leaving the battle. As his hologram diminished, Tank’s voice could be heard from his perch above the window of the command At- Te, “Here they COOME!!”
A small squad of 5 droids ran out of a pile of debris they had crawled through and were speedily approaching. Tank in his shiny armor quickly climbed down as fast as he could, then jumped, running straight for the droids with his rotary canon!
Halifax slid down the ladder, “What the hell?! Damn shiny is gonna get himself killed!” The commander’s kama flapped as he sprinted after Tank without his helmet. Other clone troopers were unable to take out the sprinting droids due to the inevitable crossfire on friendly troops that would ensue.
As the silver gray commando shaped droids closed, there was a sudden explosion knocking the furthest droid in the rear of the pack off balance. Shine bolted through the smoke of his grenade firing 3 blue shots into the mechanical head as it struggled against him. The fourth bolt burst from its head, motor gears twisting, continuing to twitch, not realizing it was already dead.
Tank planted his feet wide apart bracing for the gatling gun’s kickback. The barrels began to slowly spin as he warmed up the gun, “COME GET IT!!!” he shouted in brute defiance of the small group baring down on him. Several shots struck out the legs of one bringing it down. Trooper Pike charged in, thrusting his knife upwards through the chin of the face plate, spraying black mech fluid across his helmet.
The third was hit square in the chest, dropping lifelessly back to the ground as the second dodged to and fro. Tank fired purposefully to the right of the droid corralling it to dodge to one side. Suddenly halting his fire, he quickly adjusted, then reopened with a burst to the left— this pummeled the droid into a smoking, sparking heap.
The last droid and leader of the back somersaulted, CLICK CLICK CLICK, the rapid rate of the clicks signal a weapon error.
The shinie armored clone trooper ran straight towards the evasive enemy, as they were about to collide, Tank swung the cannon knocking his opponent to the ground! Its arms were already helping to push the robotic body up as Tank quickly straddled the raising machine's torso, lifting his cannon far above his head with both hands, before bringing it down with all his might upon the battle droid’s head. Lifting his weapon again, the robotic body continued to attempt to stand, writhing beneath him. The cannon slammed into the droid’s head; the impact concentrated on its neck causing the head to pop from the joint, sending it reeling through the air.
A group of clones approached the solo trooper. Tank stood from his knees pulling off his helmet to breath. Around him a few brothers stood, removing their helmets with impressed smiles or laughs. Pike walked through the circle, grinning as he held up his blade which was tangled in some red and blue wires. The faceplate however, wasn’t precisely cut. Rather it had been inverted from the heavy impact, so heavy that it even bore a small imprint of the Republic logo. Pike handed over the obliterated helmet.
“Aten- Hut!” a trooper shouted. Instantly the group snapped into their trained erect posture. Their faces sharp, any smiles they had were now gone. Halifax’s heavy footsteps could be heard approaching. Barging through the circle the veteran commander sharply asked, “What was that?! Are you some Jedi…some one man army?!” “I..I ..” “NO! You’re NOT! …but you are one hell of a trooper.” Halifax allowed a small sign of his satisfaction to be seen to Tank, who began fighting back his smile.
“Back to you posts!” Halifax coarsely barked. Troops began falling out of the circle formation. As they did, many tapped or lightly punched Tank’s shoulder plate.
“Very well done. Halifax pushes his men, but they all understand it’s to teach them to survive.” Hett commented to his fellow Jedi from beside the At- Te turret.
Halifax returned to the command At- Te as Vallen emerged. Sliding down the thin rails he began adjusting his jetpack and rifle sling before looking up towards Halifax. Their hands met in a solid handshake, the roar of battle, stifled by city sounds in the distance. “Til the last nail Commander.”
Halifax nodded, “Always steadfast!!” as he climbed up into the tank. “I’ll orchestrate the gunship pick up for Rex and I. You just worry about getting to the drop zone!” Halifax shouted down. “Fair enough! Good luck Commander!”
Vallen bowed his head, pulling over his helmet. Activating his comlink to reach all the clones of his company, the Major’s voice was broadcast simultaneously, “Company, you have been issued your orders. We march for the spire merely 5 clicks away. Unknown resistance so stay sharp lads.”
Halifax commed up to Vallen, “Major, we are green. All squads have readied up.”
Vallen turned towards the company, his arm pointing down the avenue with two fingers, “FORWAAARD!!”
On cue the front skirmishers began setting out to secure the immediate front. Thunderous, ground shaking, noise erupted from each pad as the large At- Te’s stepped off. One by one the tanks proceeded through the gates of the zone they had fought hours earlier to secure. The hulking tanks began marching into formation. The initial pair was parallel to one another with the Command tank out in front creating a point; while the rear lines of tanks were the opposite, creating a mobile diamond.
They began marching down the wide street, illuminated by bright beams of sunlight combined with the various colors bouncing off of street signs and advertisements. They continued to march into the lights…
Hope all my readers are having great holidays!!
