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Chapter 15 Just Mud And Echoes

AN: So I guess that wasn’t the last chapter of the year, lol. It’s my 18th birthday today and is also the Feast Days of St. Gerard Majella and St. Longinus, so I hope you have a God blessed Sunday.

In this fanfic I think it would be best if the Clone Wars lasted longer/has gone on longer. It just makes more sense to me and would also help bridge the discrepancies between the original CWMMP and the TV show.

If you have a question, please log in or create an account before leaving a review so I can reply to you, or please PM me. I’m not going to use author notes as a discussion forum.

Also I changed the ending of the last chapter a little, I thought it was more interesting that way.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple

The holoprojector was the only source of light in the pitch black communication center.

Anakin watched as blued images of explosive combat filled the room. From wall to wall, the room was permeated with scenes of death and devastation. Those things which, to the average person, would be hard to stomach. It was raw, unfiltered. Terran warships taking out Venators in a single shot, medical frigates being obliterated by weapons considered barbaric and antiquated, an armored giant taking down two seasoned Jedi masters.

Such a skillful application of violence, especially from such seemingly backwards people, was unheard of.

He looked over towards Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, who was looking as stoic as ever, then towards Obi-Wan. Though he might not have looked so, Anakin could tell Obi-Wan was perturbed.

Even Anakin was beginning to feel unnerved. As a general he’d seen men vaporized, blown apart, but never had he seen such carnage carried out by just a single man before. He doubted whether or not even a Jedi could match the skill this individual displayed on the battlefield.

He was disturbed at the prowess the warrior displayed, dodging Force attacks, narrowly escaping a Force grip, taking Clones down in droves. He’d seen videos of Grievous fighting, but he paled in comparison to this beast clad in green armor.

Now that he thought about it, he’d never seen so much blood in one area before. Whereas blasters cauterized the wounds they inflicted, the Terran weapons were uncivilized, ripping through armor, flesh, and bone.

Anxieties began to grow in Anakin. Anxieties about the war, about his future with Padmé. Conflict raged throughout his mind before he was able to calm himself down. He knew worrying would do him no good.

In his renewed clarity, Anakin noticed the swordsmanship of the Terran. Despite his fast, precise, and brutal movements, the warrior was obviously not particularly trained in the handling of the weapon. It might not have been a deadly weakness, but it was a weakness nevertheless, one that could potentially be exploited on the battlefield.

In fact, Master Shaak Ti’s Force grip nearly ended the warrior as well, though Anakin was sure the warrior would be more prepared and quicker to react when facing a Jedi again.

Master Yoda spoke as the images ended. “Troubling, this is. A good Jedi, Shaak Ti was.”

“We must find a way to counter this new threat.” Master Pong Krell said.

“If the Terrans are to be believed that they have more of these Spartans, it would make them an even greater threat to the Order than the Mandalorian crusaders of old.” Mace Windu noted.

“I am sure the Terrans can still be reasoned with.” Obi-Wan replied. “I doubt they are eager to jump into an unnecessary war, considering their history.”

“I’m afraid the Chancellor has made it necessary.” Plo Koon said with remorse.

“Clouded, by the dark side, everything is.” Yoda said. “Meditate, we must. Guide us, the Force will.”

Yoda promptly departed from the room, leaving the other Jedi to murmur amongst themselves.

“Have we told the Chancellor what was given to us by Master Secura?” Anakin asked.

“Not yet.” Windu said. “Master Yoda has decided it would be best to do so at a later date.”

“But he’s the Chancellor, he should know these things.” Anakin said.

“The Chancellor certainly has the other intel from the returning fleet’s survivors. We need to see in detail what Aayla has given us, turning it over could limit our ability to do so, and any copies might likewise be restricted.”

“Doesn’t the Council trust the Chancellor? He is a good man.” Anakin glanced towards Obi-Wan, seeking his support.

“Master Yoda has decided, the matter is settled.” Windu said authoritatively.

Anakin furrowed his brow but gave a slight nod and assenting grunt. He felt conflicted. He had a duty to the Republic, to the Chancellor. He wasn’t quite sure his duty as a Jedi overrode that. He resolved to talk to Obi-Wan in a more private setting after the meeting was over.

“How many survivors were there?” Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

“Barely a fifth of the fleet made it back, most of them heavily damaged. Of the Clones, one landing site was completely lost, the other one led by Commander Bly was able to withdraw with the fleet, though he suffered heavy casualties.” Windu said.

This led to more murmuring among the Jedi present.

“How can we hope to beat such an opponent?” One said.

“The Force will guide us through this challenge, as it always has. We must stay vigilant. Every Knight and Master deployed for combat should analyze the footage individually in the meantime. We will meet again to discuss this. May the Force be with us.” He said, excusing himself from the room.

With the rest of the Jedi slowly filtering out, Anakin strode alongside his former master in the long halls of the Jedi temple.

“Master, do you agree with the rest of the Council’s decision?”

“Anakin, don’t overreact. I’m confident the Chancellor has his own sources of intelligence just as we do, and I think the Council has good reason to hold onto what Aayla has given us.”

What followed was a pregnant pause before Anakin changed the topic of conversation. “Do you really think the Terrans will go for a peaceful solution?”

“I can’t imagine they are eager to get into another war, much less one a galaxy away when they’ve just got out of their own. We can hope that the Republic can get itself out of this mess, but only time will tell my friend.” Obi-Wan paused for some time before continuing. “Is there something bothering you?”

“Just the war. You’ve seen what it’s done to the Republic, to the Order. It carries on and on, and I feel like we’re the only ones who can stop it. With the Terrans and their UNSC in the way, victory only grows farther and farther away.”

Obi-Wan gave him a reassuring look. “This war will end, eventually, as all wars do. The Republic and the Jedi Order have lasted so far, I wouldn’t worry so much, Anakin.”

“I think it’s strange. The Terrans, I mean. How can they exist? They have no Force presence, no midi-chlorians, nothing. The Council said that was impossible. It’s as though something wiped out the Living Force present within them.”

“I too think the appearance of the Terrans is strange, as though the Force is trying to tell us something.” Obi-Wan sighed. “In any case, the Council does not always have the answer to everything.”

His answer hung in the air. As Anakin ruminated on what he heard, he began to feel more and more unsure of the Council’s decisions.

Coruscant, Senate Building

The constant tumult of angry senators did nothing to alleviate Senator Bail Organa’s stress.

The Chancellor had called an emergency meeting of the senate following the uproar resulting from the news of the invasion of Terran space.

As he and the rest of the Senate awaited Chancellor Palpatine’s arrival, he rubbed his temples. Bail had only a vague idea of where Padmé had run off to in the past few days, and they needed each other if they were going to fight the bills in the Senate trying to prolong the war.

‘Padmé, where are you?’ He sighed internally. Bail began to think of all the other militarist bills which would invariably be introduced today and in the future, even if the current ones were defeated.

His thoughts were interrupted by Chancellor Palpatine ascending on the thirty meter tall central podium.

Vice Chancellor Mas Amedda was quick to demand silence from the Senate.

Palpatine immediately began speaking afterwards. “Senators, you have all heard the troubling news of our attack on the United Earth Government.”

Conversations swiftly broke out again amongst the senators.

Bail hovered towards Mon Mothma. “What do you think the story will be this time?”

“A border dispute, perhaps?” She said to the chuckle of both. “I wonder how he’ll spin this to demand more emergency powers.”

Bail was about to reply with his own witty remark but was cut off by Palpatine. “I have called this meeting of the Senate in order to address this, and I regret to tell you that peace with the Terrans is no longer possible. The Galactic Republic now exists in a state of war with the United Earth Government.”

This led to gasps and more murmurs from numerous senators.

”In order to combat the ever growing threat of the Terran menace, I authorized a first strike on one of their outpost colonies. Though our forces fought valiantly in order to protect our Republic, they were unfortunately defeated.”

The news was a punch to the gut to Bail and the peace movement as a whole. Bail had already known about the attack, of course, but this put to rest any doubt in his mind as to what happened.

There was an outcry in the Senate, shouts of shock, disbelief, and even anger issued forth from the mouths of senators.

“Order! There will be order!” Mas Amedda shouted.

Senator Shayla Paige-Tarkin of Eriadu, representing the Seswenna sector, rose up to the forefront. “In order to oppose the Terrans, we must pass more than mere financial reform! I propose the consolidation of a more centralized military structure for the purposes of safeguarding the Republic!”

Her statement was met with applause, but also the ridicule of multiple senators.

“Senators, the planetary defense forces throughout the galaxy continue to prove sufficient in holding the line against the Separatists. Peace is well within our grasp, all we have to do is reach for it.” Mon Mothma said. “Such a measure will only serve to prolong the war.”

“These Terrans must be stopped!” A senator cried.

“That might be the case with the Separatists, but with the aid of their newfound allies? Ever since the Terrans have shown their friendliness towards the Separatists, the idea of peace has become ludicrous.” Senator Tarkin scoffed.

Mas Amedda spoke out, preventing Mon Mothma’s reply. “Senators, before we get ahead of ourselves, the survivors of the battle have been requested to give their account to you.”

Jabiim, 15 Kilometers North Of Hyber Canyon

Lance Corporal Jonathan Doherty stared up into the darkened, cloudy sky of the planet Jabiim as a flash of lightning illuminated his polarized visor, fallen upon by the heavy pitter patter of rain. The constant downpour was almost serene in the face of that crash which had momentarily overtaken it.

“Rookie, eyes up.” His squadmate, Mickey, said.

Thanks to the recommendation of Captain Dare, Rookie and the rest of Alpha-Nine were once again acting as escorts to the Office of Naval Intelligence, as if they couldn’t provide their own security. They were meeting up with the leader of a local ‘rebel’ group, or at least his representative, and it seems they had just arrived.

It seemed the entire planet was dirt. Dirt made mud.

Armed men in reddish bronze trench coats glided over the murky terrain with the aid of rockets attached to their boots, before coming to a stop in front of the landing site. The UNSC party had made their landing in the stealthy D102 Owl dropship, essentially a stealth Pelican, for the initial meeting.

The ONI and his entourage were the only people to greet them out of the group of 20 Terrans. “I assume you must be General Alto Stratus.” The spook extended his hand, which the man, presumably Stratus, hesitantly took.

“You assume right, Terran.” The blonde, helmetless man said.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Captain Duke, Naval Intelligence. I’ll be your UNSC liaison for the time being.”

“I look forward to our partnership, Captain.” The General gruffly said. “You Terrans have quite the reputation to live up to, I hope you don’t disappoint us.”

“Just ask all the Republic troopers our boys wasted this week. You have your answer there.”

The General grunted half approvingly, half amused. He held out his arm. “Time for you to hold up your end of the bargain. Here are the coordinates by the Razor Coast where my men will offload the supplies.” He dropped a data crystal into the hands of the ONI captain.

It was merely a formality. The two stealth cruisers in orbit had been gathering intelligence for nearly the past two weeks, in spite of the freak atmospheric disturbances raging throughout the planet setting back their efforts. They had already identified ideal supply zones well in advance of the operation.

It was lucky that General Stratus had intelligently selected the rockier Razor Coast on the otherwise muddy world as his main headquarters. Captain Duke would’ve had fun trying to get the general to move to a different location for the sake of easier supply from orbit which could cease at a moment’s notice.

The Rookie shifted his grip on his M7S SMG, he could barely make out the rest of the conversation without his noise amplifiers on. Even through the heavy rain his helmet could’ve enhanced the audio and filtered out the background noise.

After a minute or so, the ONI spook nodded. The General promptly rocketed off with his men, and the meeting was all said and done.

“Romeo, Dutch, regroup with us.” Buck commanded.

The two aforementioned ODSTs had been placed in an overwatch position on a ridge far off, just in case the meeting went south.

“Can’t you just pick us up here Gunny?” Romeo complained.

“I gave you an order trooper.” Buck begrudgingly said.

“Copy that Gunny.” Romeo said.

“Armorer’s gonna have a field day with our gear.” Dutch commented.

When the pair made their way back through the muck, the squad began to load back into the dropship.

To an outside observer, what Alto Status was fighting for was just mud, but the Rookie knew that it was more than that.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Though he knew the true value of the planet to its inhabitants, the Rookie was relieved he wouldn’t have to fight for it as the dropship lifted off into the atmosphere.

Coruscant, Senate Building

Captain Piett nervously ascended up on one of the Senate’s repulsorpods, standing behind Admiral Tarkin.

Piett thought the man dead, and had dreaded meeting him after hearing of his survival.

To Piett’s surprise and relief, Admiral Tarkin was impressed by the way he had conducted the rest of the battle without his leadership.

Despite his moment of relief earlier, his stomach was churning. He joined the Navy to fight pirates and Separatists, not answer the questions of a thousand politicians. Piett was still unsure what he would say if asked about the final moments of the battle, he had only been told by Republic Intelligence to tell the Senate about the threat posed by the Terran military.

The pod came up front and center before the entirety of the Senate. Piett was thankful he was but a captain and Tarkin was an admiral, meaning Tarkin would speak first and that Piett himself might not have to speak at all.

“Members of the Senate.” Tarkin began. “As the commander of Operation Star Fist, I have seen firsthand the danger posed by the United Earth Government. After being given the chance to surrender peacefully, they fired upon my fleet and we were unfortunately forced to engage in combat.”

Piett watched the unease settle over the room, senators shifted around uncomfortably at the news while murmuring amongst themselves.

Senator Bail Organa was quick to ask questions, Piett saw him swiftly steal the place of prominence in the Senate. “Why was the Senate not informed of the operation while it was still underway?”

“It is well within the Chancellor’s right to exercise his emergency powers when the situation calls for it as per the Reflex Amendment. I, for one, trust his judgement.” Senator Halle Burtoni said. “The Terrans have intimidated the Republic for long enough.”

Organa grimaced at the Kaminoan senator before turning towards Tarkin. “Give us your account of the battle.”

Jabiim, Razor Coast

Things were starting to look up for general Alto Stratus. Although his coup had not been as successful as he had hoped and only half of the military rallied to his cause, the aid of the Terrans was sure to swing the tide in his favor. For months, both sides had been content to slog it out on mostly static frontlines, but this would change that.

The last Terran cargo transport for the time being took off up into the clouds far off into space. In the span of a day, they had offloaded enough equipment to furnish a whole brigade of Stratus’s men.

All the equipment lay out in front of him, neat and organized under their camouflage tarps. Crates upon crates of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and Terran styled uniforms were stacked high on the mud tarnished platform. It was an impressive sight which heralded good things to come.

The trainers the Terrans had given Stratus had somewhat been able to impress him and his Nimbus commandos with a weapons demonstration, but they still held their reservations. He was sure his second in command, Colonel Mazzi, would still stubbornly cling to his trusty commando blaster rifle even if the new weapons proved their worth on the battlefield.

It would still be some time, however, before they could see firsthand the effectiveness of the new weapons. It would take about two to three weeks to adequately train the men on how to use them according to the Terrans.

Stratus hoped it would be worth the wait.

Coruscant, Senate Building

The Senate looked at Admiral Tarkin in shock as gave his report of the battle, full of sobering detail. Even Bail had become engrossed in the fantastical accounts of Terran ships single handedly destroying dozens of their Republic counterparts.

He was stunned by the report. Never before had such losses been inflicted upon a Republic force in this manner before. In an ambush, it was feasible for a numerically inferior force to thrash a larger one. However, these losses were incurred in a straight forward battle, against an outnumbered enemy no less.

“After the Terran fleet had entirely demolished Commodore Sceriny’s detachment, I had taken the bulk of my force to meet them before they could reach the planet and disrupt our ground operation.” Tarkin said.

“I see. And why was Captain Piett sent towards the planet?” Bail asked, making the aforementioned officer squirm where he stood.

“I saw it best to support the clone troopers on the ground with orbital support for a swift victory,” Tarkin intervened for the man. “After that, the Terrans made a precision in-system jump with their so-called slipspace drives, bypassing my section of the fleet entirely whereupon they engaged Captain Piett and my ship was subsequently boarded.”

“A precision intrasystem jump? That’s unheard of!” a flabbergasted senator cried.

“What other technological terrors do they possess?”

“How can these primitives best our finest?”

“Our fleets are ill equipped to face these new weapons. Never before have we encountered such an advanced permutation of mass driver technology,” Tarkin said.

“And what of the Jedi?” Mon Mothma inquired.

“Other than Master Secura, they all perished at the hands of a Terran supersoldier.”

This was met with shock from the senators present.

“Two Jedi killed by a one-man boarding party? Preposterous!” ione shouted.

“Unfortunately, the Jedi leave much to be desired in regards to being equipped to deal with slugthrower weaponr,.” Tarkin stated. “One of the Jedi Masters was scarcely able to draw his lightsaber before being killed.”

“Those savages!” another cried.

“They must be stopped at any cost!”

“There will be order!” Mas Amedda yelled, quickly bringing an end to the commotion.

“Admiral, would you say the Terrans represent a credible threat to the existence of the Republic?” Halle Burtoni asked.

“Yes, Senator. I have seen what they are capable of firsthand. We mustn’t downplay this threat. We will need new ships, new weapons, and new men capable of fighting the Terrans.” Tarkin finished.

“Thank you for your statement, Admiral Tarkin, but I have some questions for you, Captain Piett.” Bail said.

Piett shifted his stance uneasily. “Of course, Senator Organa.” He gulped.

“You were the acting commander of the fleet after Admiral Tarkin’s flagship had been boarded, correct?”

“Yes, Senator.”

“Would you tell the members of this Senate what occurred shortly before you retreated?”

Piett froze momentarily. “After I had achieved a…” Piett paused. “An orbital firing position for a base delta zero, I had given the Terran fleet an ultimatum. Surrender, or bombard their positions.”

Organa raised his brow at this. “This stalled them?”

“Yes, Senator, long enough for our forces on the ground to evacuate and the fleet to regroup, at which point I had slaved the controls of the ships to mine for a coordinated hyperspace jump.”

“What prompted your decision to retreat, Captain?”

“A fresh Terran fleet arrived shortly thereafter, at which point I…” Piett paused in the middle of his sentence.

“What did you do, Captain?” Senator Onaconda Farr asked.

“This line of questioning has gone on far enough, Senators.” Mas Amedda interrupted. “The Captain is a hero who has gone through enough this week.”

Bail suspected Piett was hiding something, but what? It was a common enough maneuver, especially in regards to planetary assault.

‘Perhaps the man is just shaken from battle. But what else could it be?’ Bail thought.

Halle Burtoni swiftly took the limelight in an expertly executed maneuver only a career politician could make, interrupting Bail’s thoughts. “I move to immediately deregulate the banks, and in light of the recent battle with the vulnerabilities it has raised, I propose the Republic purchase an additional 5 million legions of Clone troopers.”

In what Bail guessed could only be an attempt to steal Burtoni’s thunder, Orn Free Taa was quick to try and seize the moment from her in the commotion. “I motion to grant the Chancellor further emergency powers to expand the Republic military!”

It was a rare sight to see Senator Taa exert that much effort in the Senate in a single moment.

“The Republic is already operating in deep debt. How do you propose we pay for these additional troops?” Bail inquired, hoping to ignore the Twi'lek senator.

“My people are drafting an emergency appropriations bill that would raise funds from the Banking Clan in order to fund the expense.”

“Even at their standard interest rate of ten percent, that loan would bring us into tremendous debt. Coupled with the loosening of restrictions proposed in Senator Saam’s bill, it would lead to an economic crisis which we would be hard pressed to recover from.”

“Nonsense!” Senator Mot-Not Rab barked, standing up and slamming his fist down. “We need a bank loan to get more troops, now!”

“What are we waiting for?” Senator Zinn Paulness angrily asked. “For the Terrans to attack us where we stand?!”

“I’m afraid we’ve been given little choice.” Chancellor Palpatine sorrowfully said. “To ensure the safety of the Republic, we must deregulate the banks.”

His statement was met with the resounding voices of an overwhelming majority of supportive senators.

Bail put his palm to his forehead.

“We shall take Senator Saam’s Financial Reform Bill to a vote then.” Mas Amedda announced. “Senators! Cast your votes now!”

Bail shot up with renewed vigor. “Vice Chancellor, I must object! The Senate must be given time to deliberate over these sorts of decisions!” Bail protested.

“Is this not a democracy?” The sleazy Neimoidian Trade Federation senator, Lott Dod, questioned. “Are you afraid things will not go to your liking?”

Jeers were thrown out by senators, many of them directed towards Bail.

“Listen to what is being proposed! Now that we are even more engrossed in conflict, your solutions are more war? More fighting?” Bail accused. “Senators, please be reasonable, we will hardly be able to say the Republic will enjoy the fruits of peace if its people are left in the dirt and our coffers are laid barren. We cannot ever expect an end to the fighting by seeking only to prolong it!”

Palpatine abruptly cut Bail short, only vaguely responding to his concerns. “I promise you as I’ve promised before, once this crisis is over I shall give up the emergency powers so graciously entrusted to me by this honorable Senate. My only wish is to ensure the continued safety and survival of our great Republic, to which the Terrans represent a massive threat and thus must be stopped! I guarantee you all, I will use any further emergency powers granted to me in order to protect our Republic, our democracy, and our future.”

Thunderous applause broke out at the Chancellor’s statement. “Palpatine! Palpatine!” The Senate cheered.

Bail slinked back in his pod towards Mon Mothma and other like minded senators who shared his sentiments. He would have to consult them as a last resort. There was simply nothing he could do to reason with the particular breed of sycophants that had all come to nest within the abode of the Galactic Senate on the occasion when they all grew bold enough to enter into the open.

“Order!” The cheers died down. “Is it settled then, Senators? Shall you cast your votes?” Mas Amedda asked.

Bail moved to the front. “I can only object, Vice Chancellor.” He cast a glance at Lott Dod. “This is indeed a democracy, senators. But a democracy without reason would only be a government ruled by a mob. I know you are all reasonable individuals which is why I hope you will listen. Think about those who you represent. What do these proposals mean? More fighting, more debt, more suffering. For what? Not for their sake, but for the sake of winning? Even if you disagree with me, as is your right to, we should let cooler heads prevail. I motion to temporarily postpone the vote to tomorrow, so that we all may make an informed and intelligent decision.”

Bail knew his resistance was most likely not going to go far and that those bills were probably going to be passed anyways, but it was his duty to defend the integrity of the Republic no matter the odds.

The senate fell silent, as if a perfectly reasonable request left everyone too stunned to speak.

Palpatine broke the silence. “I see, Senator Organa. Due to the gravity of the situation, the Financial Reform Bill and the other motions will be postponed for consideration until tomorrow. The Senate is adjourned.”

Bail breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew it was just an act of appeasement to assuage the uneasiness of those aligned to Bail and the greater peace movement within the Senate.

Tomorrow, all it might take for the Senate to grant Palpatine more emergency powers, powers which he almost certainly would use to immediately pass the Financial Reform bill alongside a plethora of other military related legislation, would simply be a brief vote.

Now more than ever, Bail found he needed the support of Padmé, but she was nowhere to be found.

Jabiim, 20 Kilometers Northeast Of Cobalt Station

CT-43-8785, known as Ooze to his brothers, was having another miserable day on what he thought was the worst post in the entire Grand Army of the Republic. The rain of Jabiim grated him to no end.

Despite his bodyglove being ostensibly waterproof, insulated, and self-cleaning, he found himself drenched, cold, and covered in mud after each mission. Though the medical staff at base told him it was just the stress and adrenaline of patrolling that made him break into a cold sweat, he opted to blame the shoddy supply lines on the planet.

“This is the third patrol we've been on this week, and still no seppies.” Ooze complained, tightening his grip on the pintle mounted E-Web his unit had jerry rigged onto the observation mast of the HAVw A6 Juggernaut.

“I wouldn’t be complaining brother, I want to get back to base in one piece.” Another one of his fellow clones, named Scrap, said over the radio.

“Yeah, we’re so lucky to have a chance to die here so some greasy senator gets a fat paycheck from his share of the mining company.” Ooze said, sarcastically.

“Stop your yapping boys, prime spot for an ambush coming up!” Their sergeant said.

Ooze braced himself, it would be an uncomfortable ride in the spotter tower with the Juggernaut bearing down at full speed.

“Nothing ever happens on this Force forsaken hell hole. Nothing except rain.” He muttered to himself.

Ooze was wrong. The drive shaft on the Juggernaut creaked, before shattering. The vehicle lurched to a halt and Ooze was pressed into the railing circling his tower.

“Is everyone okay?” The vehicle’s commander asked over the commlink.

Ooze spun his turret mount to and fro, searching for targets. It smelt like an ambush.

“Fierfek!” One of the crewmen shouted over the commlink. “The drive shaft is bantha fodder. It’ll be a few hours for us to fix it in the field.”

That piece of news slightly cooled Ooze’s nerves, they weren’t under attack.

“We’ll be sitting ducks out here!” Ooze’s sergeant protested.

“Well, we’re not hoofing it back to base. We wait here.” The commander said.

Some time passed as some of the troopers dismounted to set up a defensive perimeter, Ooze monotonously keeping his weapon on a swivel across the terrain.

“Hey.” Scrap said.

“Yeah?” Ooze replied.

“You ever wonder why we’re here?”

Ooze never got a chance to respond.

General Alto Stratus

From ear to ear General Alto Stratus grinned as he saw his new weapons in action. It was an impromptu sortie with the Nimbus commandos behind Republic lines into their supply routes.

A Clone turbo tank identified by his scouts broken down in the mud was a prime target.

At first, the Terrans objected to the deployment of their weaponry since the Jabiimites had yet to complete their training. However, they eventually relented provided they were able to accompany the commandos.

Riding on the backs of unlucky Nimbus troopers, the Terrans came along with the raiding party.

After infiltrating through the many gaps in the Republic’s frontline, they made their way towards their objective.

Using Terran provided rain smocks which were effective at hiding their thermal signatures, they set to work surrounding the unaware vehicle in secrecy.

Then came the time to attack. One of his commandos killed a spotter on top of a tower armed with an E-Web using one of the Terran made sniper rifles, that turret would’ve wreaked havoc on his men.

Nearly a dozen rockets simultaneously fell upon the rotary turret alone, taking it out of action by severely warping the barrels.

Nimbus commandos, armed with Terran and blaster weapons alike, swarmed the unprepared perimeter, brutally dismantling their defense.

Stratus himself joined the fray, tackling an oblivious Clone and stabbing him in his unarmored neck while one of his commandos turned another into a bloody mess with a burst from a Terran assault rifle.

Another one of his commandos unfortunately met his end after fumbling with the magazine on his Terran rifle, being shot in close quarters by a Republic trooper.

Stratus was quick to avenge the man, punching the man’s helmet off before plunging his blade into his skull.

Blaster fire sporadically shot forth, the hapless Clones unable to acquire their obscured thermal signatures. Their defense began to collapse, some Clones standing in place firing wildly, others choosing to retreat to the safety of the armored behemoth.

With the perimeter evaporating, Stratus’s men swamped over the vehicle using their nimble repulser boots, quickling taking out the exterior laser turrets.

They climbed all over the vehicle, probing every hatch for possible openings. They had no weapons heavy enough to pierce through its thick armor plating, they would have to get lucky with an unsecured hatch.

It was a short while before they found one such entry point, stuck open due to the body of a clone blocking its closing. The Nimbus commandos quickly stormed the interior of the tank, dispatching the clones who were desperately trying to close the opening before spraying down more with ruthless efficiency using the Terran slugthrowers. Stratus was the tenth man down into the vehicle, slashing through multiple crewmembers. Colonel Mazzi hit an unfortunate clone with a sonic blast from his Seperatist made rifle, slamming the poor man into a bulkhead while liquifying his organs. Another commando fired wildly from the hip, the barrel flashing in the dark corridor as clone after clone fell.

Through the chaotic corridors, they made their way to both cockpits on opposite sides of the tank, clearing each module of the vehicle one by one. Stratus nearly caught a blaster bolt to the face, were it not for the point man in front of him who was struck in the head. Driven by anger, Stratus brutalized the Clone who killed the man, striking away his weapon and stabbing him between the arm and chest armor plating.

Soon after, the battle was over. They did a quick sweep of the vehicle for any stragglers and ransacked whatever supplies they could carry on their backs. Before departing, they rigged it to blow using the onboard tibanna stores.

Stratus appreciated the aid of their newfound allies, their weapons would be most useful to his cause, and he made his approval known to the Terran observers.

As he glided across the muddy plains of his home planet, Stratus didn’t so much as look back as the tank went up in a shrieking fireball.

Coruscant, 79's

Piett downed another shot of his drink, letting out a heavy sigh.

His conscience had come back to haunt him. In the midst of the fighting, the fire control systems of some of the turbolaser turrets had been damaged, enough to offset their aim by entire kilometers. With the whole of the fleet’s firepower slaved to the controls of his own ship, the majority of the salvos missed their mark. Thousands of plasma bolts rained down, not upon Terran soldiers, but upon civilians sheltering inside their homes. He had barely time to process what had happened before he made the jump to hyperspace.

Out of the corner of his eye, Piett noticed a pair of Coruscant Guard troopers walk into the cantina and make their way towards him.

He was paralyzed in his seat. He thought for sure he’d be detained, he’d be tried, he’d be sent to prison, or worse, for what he’d done to the Terrans. Thankfully, he wasn’t too far down the bottle.

“Sir, the Chancellor has requested your presence. Come with us.” The lead Clone said.

Piett tensed up, but also relaxed at the same time. He allowed himself to be escorted out of the building and into a patrol gunship, accompanied by the mocking remarks of drunk troopers on leave all throughout the bar.

It was a short trip to the Chancellor’s office. Captain Piett hesitantly entered the room.

“Chancellor, you wanted to see me?” He said.

“Indeed, Captain Piett. It would be best for you to remain outside of the public eye.” Palpatine said ominously. “As a… reward for your salvaging of the operation, you are being reassigned to Project Sarlacc under Admiral Ozzel, effective immediately.”

“I understand, thank you Chancellor.” Piett said, greatly relieved.

Piett promptly left the room after being excused by the Chancellor. His relief was twofold. He would not be punished for his conduct on the battlefield, and wouldn’t have to face the Terrans in combat again.

Fighting them again would mean near certain death, or worse, capture.

Piett shuddered at the thought of what the Terrans would do to him.