Life Of War

Chapter 44

"Fall back! Fall back now!" Rex shouted to his brothers as bombs were shot at us from the large tanks. Everyone ran back, taking cover temporarily.

"Captain, continue your attack!" Krell's voice ordered out through com link. Rex had waved me over to listen to the message. I jumped out and rolled through the path to get to the other side where Rex was hiding.

"Sir, we're overpowered. We need reinforcements!" I told him with urgency and pleads in my tone.

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

"Sir, we can't possibly—" Rex began to protest.

"You must stand your ground! Do you read me? Captain, are you listening? Do not fall back! That is an order!" He shouted out at us both. Some of our men were in the battle, attempting to shoot down the tanks but failing as they were zapped down with ease.

"Keep the wounded as quiet as possible." I told Kix, helping him gently set down one of the wounded behind cover.

"All right, you heard the General. Let's go." Rex started to head into battle as if it wasn't suicide.

"You can't be serious." Jesse looked back at his Captain in shock.

"I used to think General Krell was reckless, but now I'm beginning to think he just hates clones." Fives agreed with Jesse.

"Not just clones" I muttered, kicking the dirt.

"The Captain is right. Now let's move out." Dogma ageeed with Rex.

"We can't take them head-on. We need to find another way." Fives and I stopped Rex from running out into the fire.

"You got any ideas?" Rex pushed back at his brother. "Then this is it." He stated as Fives shook his head 'no' in response.

"Okay. Let's do it!" Hardcase followed the Captain into the battle, guns blazing. With a sigh Fives and I both nodded to each other, following Rex and fighting with the troops. The rockets we were shooting at them weren't doing any damage now, causing a huge problem for us.

"Fives!" I warned as a large piece of rubble was about to fall on him. "Move!" I held it up with the force, using all my power to keep it up. Dropping it as soon as the ARC trooper was clear I fell to the ground from the effort it took out of me.

"Thanks for the assist!" Fives ran over to help me up and run away from the blaster fire, taking cover once again.

"The rocket launchers don't work on these things!"

"Help me with the wounded!" Kix called out to us as the trio of us rushed to aid him in dragging away a trooper and giving him cover. "We got to get these guys out of here." Rex helped him drag the man back while I deflected the bolts.

"Forget it, we have to leave them!" Rex held Kix back as he went for more.

"We can't just leave them, sir!" Kix protested, hating to see the wounded die on the battlefield like this.

"You don't have a choice. That's an order!" Rex walked the other way with a slight anger to his tone.

"Rex!" I warned him carefully, knowing he would turn his own men against him and the other General.

"You sound like General Krell." Kix commented just loud enough for Rex to hear.

"Look, Kix, it's more important to save yourself right now. If we survive, you can patch up the wounded later." Rex told him before looking at the base up ahead through his binoculars.