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Chapter Seven: The Lagoon

Kaar glanced back at Fives, who was diligently carrying Desnuri. He wasn't worried about Fives' ability to protect her, far from it. He knew that the clone would protect her with his life, he had seen it in his eyes.

He was worried about the younger lives in Fives' pack.

They had decided to give the kids to Fives, since it would be easier to keep them all in one place than spread across the team. They had found two other budding force sensitives in the village, and Kaar was currently focusing his energy on keeping them all calm and quiet. The last thing they needed was a fussy baby drawing attention to them.

He had agreed to bring Lasmoso to Coruscant with them. She had expressed interest and skill with Republic tech, and informed Kaar of her former status as a warlord known for battle tactics. Privately, the paladin thought that she would make a fantastic admiral.

Speaking of fantastic...

He glanced at Droidbait, who held a newly made mumuu mask in his hands. Rather soon after they had left the destroyed village, a mumuu had pounced on him. Kaar had been quite proud when Droidbait thought fast and shot the predator. Though, the clone had refused to watch the rather gross process of creating the thing, given that it was the top half of it's skull. The carbon scored edges from Kaar's lightsaber added some character to it.

Droidbait seemed proud of himself nonetheless. Kaar already knew what color the clone would be getting. Despite his name, he was rather brave. The color red would contrast well with the dark blue of their armor paint, Kaar thought.

When they finally broke through the tree line, Kaar grinned at the sight of the lagoon. Until he was abruptly dragged back in and forced to crouch by an unknown teal Kaleesh. "Stay down idiot! Those clankers may look dopey but they're deadly."

Kaar nodded. "I'm well aware. My name is General Kaar Sal. I'm with the Republic. We've come to scrap these Seppies."

She looked over. "Tolna Kes. We could really use the help. We haven't seen our people be slaughtered and enslaved like this since the Huk war."

He nodded again. "Back then you had the Great Dreamer to help you."

Tolna sighed. "What I would give to have Sheelal here."

Sparkler sighs, humming loudly enough for them to hear his annoyance, "Man sure would be great if I knew what was going on right now."

"Ah, apologies Commander. Tolna here said that my people could really use the Republic's help, is the long and short of it." He looked back at her, "If only the Republic hadn't been so short sighted during the Huk war."

She nodded, speaking in accented basic, "Yes. Perhaps this is the chance to mend the relationship between Kalee and the Republic. If we clear all of the droids, could Kalee join the Republic? We may not like a people who share tables with Huk, but it is a shared sentiment in every clan that an evil like this cannot be allowed to persist. We cannot do it alone."

Kaar grinned. "The Republic would be happy to have another world in it's ranks."

Warriors of all shades slowly crept forward. An ARC joined the group, the platoon behind him trying to mimic his quiet steps. Kaar glanced, grinning brighter, "How kind of you to join us, Spencer."

"Of course sir."

Tolna glanced behind them, a little surprised at all of the clones. She pulled back the hammer on her rifle. "Do we attack General?"

"We do."

The previously quiet lagoon exploded with noise as the Kaleeshi and clone forces flooded into the town, avoiding casualties but startling the droids. Of course, men died, but the bravery of his men and his people put a rabid grin on Kaar's face. He couldn't keep himself from running wild, tearing droids apart even without use of his lightsaber. Using the Force to crush a droid threatening a pair of enslave Kaleesh and then slicing their bonds.

He did his best to keep track of Fives, who carried precious cargo on his person, and was proud to find him ducking behind cover and using himself as a shield for the younglings. He absently wondered if that was something all clones did.

When the battle finally died down, the boys went about picking up the bodies of their brothers or any injured. They built their pyres while a few clones set up camp.

When night fell, the pyres were fully ablaze. Bodies burned, brothers mourned, and the men rested.

Kaar found Domino by the lagoon. Desnuri and the two other younglings were asleep on Fives' sleeping bag, which brought a small smile to his face.

What did not bring a smile to his face was suddenly hearing his men shouting in panic. Kaar didn't make a show of stripping his tunics off, but he was only in leggings and a tank top by the time he dove into the water after Fives.

Kiibalsa.

Kaar cursed internally as he watched the horrible lizard drag Fives deeper, throwing blood into the water as it did. Kaar reached out with the Force, eyes flashing with red as he gripped its windpipe, then made a crushing movement with his fingers. It let Fives go, who did his best to flail his way back to the surface.

Tolna swam out to pull Fives to the banks, and Kaar pulled himself out of the water looking like a drowned tooka. He was soaking wet. Fives had a large wound on his leg, where the kiibalsa had almost ripped off a chunk of flesh. One of the field medics got to work on the injury, removing the destroyed fabric and starting to treat it.

The general sat down in exhaustion. He should have expected that really. Tolna sat down next to him. "That was eventful."

He nodded, wringing out his hair. "Hadn't expected it. Should have. We should comm Admiral Yularen, he'll want to hear about our progress. And besides, we need to get Kalee inducted into the Republic as soon as possible."

He followed Tolna into her home, setting down a holotransmitter on her table. She tilted her head, then chuckled a little. "The Republic has some interesting inventions." He smirked at the remark, "You think that's impressive? Wait until you see hyperspace."

He waited for the comm to go through, grinning as the hologram appeared. "Admiral Yularen. I see you expected me."
"Yes, I'm quite curious to hear of your progress General Sal."
"Well sir, we cleared out a village and found three new Jedi younglings to bring to the temple after this campaign is over. As I thought, the Separatists are killing and enslaving my people." His tone fell darker. "Tolna Kes here told me that if this is what the Separatists are like, then Kalee would rather be in the Republic."

Admiral Yularen looked pleasantly surprised.
"I'll see to it that Kalee's request is put through. I'm aware that it is an underdeveloped world, yes?"
"Yes, but my people adapt very quickly. I'm sure integrating Republic tech won't be an issue."
"They often fight, correct?"
"Not as of late." Tolna chimed in. "Since the Huk war, our people have become less foolish. Battles are only fought if they must be."

Kaar chuckles warmly. "Careful Tolna. You could become the Senator of Kalee with talk like that."  Tolna laughed deeply in response, "How do you know that isn't the idea General?"

Thus began a very long campaign.

•—END OF CHAPTER—•