Life Of War

Chapter 45

"The assault on the capital will continue as planned." Rex reported to his brothers as he entered the barracks.

"So that's it? We just march into those missiles?" Jesse questioned in disbelief.

"Oh, there's another option. We go ahead with our plan, and suffer the consequences." Fives told them all his suggestion.

"You would be court-martialed." Rex sternly reminded them of the rules. He sat down, placing his helmet on his knee with a sigh as he continued. "If it were up to me, and we had the time and the training, I would say, 'Do it.' But it's out of my hands and the truth is, you are no pilots."

"Come on. If Hardcase can fly one of these things, we all can." Jesse offered his opinion again.

"Yeah, he wasn't really flying. More like avoiding crashing." Tup laughed. "We'll be blasted out of the sky before we get anywhere."

"Not if we're in their fighters. No one's gonna be shooting at us." Fives cheered at the idea.

"Here comes Dogma." Jesse pretended to clear his throat to warn the others as the clone entered.

"Uh... What's going on?" Dogma asked Rex as his brothers suddenly grew quiet.

"Er... Nothing." Tup shrugged, clearly lying. Rex took this as his time to leave and get back to work, Fives chasing him out of the barracks.

"This is about more than just following orders." Fives claimed, catching up to the Captain.

"It is. It is about honor." Rex turned around to face his brother.

"Where is the honor in marching blindly to our deaths?"

"It is not our call. We are part of something larger. We're not independent of one another."

"I'm sorry. I cannot just follow orders when I know they're wrong. Especially when lives are at stake." Fives told him with determination.

"You will if you support the system we fight for." Rex countered.

"I do support it. I do!" Fives slapped Rex's hand off his shoulder. "But I am not just another number! None of us are!"

"Fives, where are you going?" Rex asked as he turned away back to the barracks.

"To round up some pilots." With that Fives left to execute his plan.

~~~

"Sir, there appears to be a disturbance in Hangar 9-4." A trooper reported as we all stood in the tower with Krell.

"Trooper, what's going on down there?" Krell demanded, rushing to the com link. "Report, Trooper." He repeated.

"Er... Yes, sir. Everything's fine in the hangar, sir. Nothings out of control down here." Fives voice responded making Rex and I give each other knowing looks. Rex wore a look of panic and worry while I wore one of pride in the clones who decided to disobey the orders of marching into their deaths.

"Then why have the alarms been triggered?"

"It's just a drill, a safety drill, sir." Fives claimed.

"Safety check occurs at 0600. Who authorized this drill?" Krell demanded answers.

"Uh... We are decrypting the alien hardware, sir. Standard operating procedure."

"Who is this? What's your CT number? Trooper, identify yourself!" We looked out the window after a moment to see the wall was blasted off the hanger.

"Of force" I gasped at the sight, knowing they would be in big trouble now.

"I'm going down there." Krell stated, stomping past us as we rushed to follow him out in hopes of saving the troopers from his wrath. "Explain this. Now." Krell demanded answers from Hardcase and Fives who had been caught in the hanger.