Cad Bane's Apprentice

The General [2]

"Is everyone clear on the plan?" Rex asked. "Hardcase?"

"Yes, sir," Hardcase replied.

"Fives?"

"Yeah,"

"All right, get in your groups. Let's move out,"

***

It was silent as Skysati and Rex's group trekked along the path until their comms roared.

"Mayday! Mayday! Rex, we need rocket launchers, now!"

Skysati hurried towards the location of Hardcase and Fives. "Holy..." she muttered once she saw the machine the group was against. Skysati turned behind her "Get those rocket launchers down there,"

"Move it, troopers!" Rex ordered.

Skysati ignited her lightsaber and hurried into the fight. "Go. Go, go, go!"

"Keep moving! Keep moving!"

Skysati flipped in the air and used her lightsaber to cut through one of the machines. She jumped off when the rocket launcher made a direct hit. Skysati used the force to push Five's and Hardcase out of the way as she hurried over to them.

"That was close," Fives said.

"You got a point there," Hardcase said.

Skysati looked up at him for the pun and shook her head. "Let's move it, boys,"

"Everyone regroup, now!" Rex ordered, "Take cover!"

"Move it! Move it!" A trooper exclaimed.

Skysati breathed a sigh of relief when the machines weren't able to follow them "We're safe for the moment,"

"They'll be coming around any second," Rex reasoned. "Bring up the launchers. Spread detonators along that corridor. Trap them into the bottleneck. We're going to blow those things sky high,"

"Hurry up." Fives said "We only have a few seconds,"

"Here they come," Skysati told the troops.

The troops began taunting the Umbarans to head towards their location.

Skysati nodded towards Rex and he hit the detonation button. She used the force to protect the troops as best she could from the explosion.

"Good job," Rex praised the troops. "All right, let's move out,"

***

Skysati stopped the troops and held out her hand for Rex to hand her the binoculars. She looked through and saw another Umbaran machine begin to turn towards the group "We've got a problem,"

The machine fired towards them.

"Fall back!" Skysati ordered, "Fall back now!"

Skysati heard her comm go off and was sure Rex's did as well.

"Captain, continue your attack," General Krell ordered.

"Sir, we're overpowered." Skysati reported "We need reinforcements,"

"The rest of the battalion is holding the entrance to the gorge, youngling. They're guarding it so your troops can break through to the airbase,"

"Sir, we can't possibly..."

"You must stand your ground. Do you read me? Are you listening? Do not fall back. That is an order!"

Skysati growled in frustration as General Krell ended the call. She glanced over as Fives helped the wounded over to the medic

"Keep the wounded as quiet as possible," Fives said.

"All right, you heard the general." Rex said "Let's go,"

"You can't be serious," Fives argued.

"I used to think General Krell was reckless, but now I'm beginning to think he just hates clones," A trooper noted.

"And me," Skysati muttered as she crossed her arms.

"The captain is right." A clone trooper said "Now, let's move out,"

Skysati sighed as she moved to follow the clones.

Fives caught her arm "We can't take them head-on. We need to find another way,"

"You act as if I don't already know that." Skysati hissed "But everything I say goes over Krell's head." She sighed "But if you got any ideas, I'm all ears,"

Fives shook his head.

"Then this is it," Skysati admitted glumly.

"Okay. Let's do it,"