Chapter 35 - Warriors

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3rd Person

With the looming threat of the CIS on the horizon, the Galactic Republic was forced to go to war...

The Jedi became generals, contrary to their philosophy, but there was simply no other option... is what some said.

Others believed the Jedi's response only escalated the violence. The Jedi way was diplomacy, negotiation... not battle and death.

But, to reiterate... the Jedi were backed into a corner.

Had there been a way to appease both sides...? Could the war have been avoided in an alternate scenario? These questions were no longer answerable.

Bygones nonwithstanding, as the conflict escalated, the chancellor steadily amassed more power. And the Jedi...?

Where did their loyalty lie? And, wherever it lay... was it lying in the right place?

Burst

"Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack."

Clankers to the rear...

"clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack."

And clankers ahead. Their footfalls were a scourge to my ears... but as for the general and I?

Our feet hadn't touched the ground for a while.

"Clink!"

The barbed end of my grapple secured itself in the hallway ceiling, and I yanked the fibercord taut.

I swung like a spider dangling from its web, for ten meters, with General Gallia clutching my wrist.

When we peaked along the curvature, the general launched her grapple.

"Clink!"

As one of us fired our respective grapple, the other prepared theirs again. With General Gallia's limp, as well as my own injuries, this was our solution for mobility.

It was still taxing on the arms, however.

As General Gallia took her turn swinging, I felt a surprising amount of pressure from her ironclad grip.

"You been working out, General?" I shouted over the din.

"You have no idea." she responded, deadpan.

"Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack."

The clankers... we'd finally run up on them.

At the crossroads of corridors, clankers marched out of nearly every outlet, dozens at a time. Each entry point's set of blast doors had been busted open, enabling the droid army to gush through unopposed.

"Clink!"

"Your strategy didn't do anything!" I yelled, entering another swing.

"I knew the barricades wouldn't be able to contain them forever-" she yelled back. "But, yes... I was hoping my plan would've worked better."

Midway through the arcing motion, we met the droid army at the floor... a thick layer of machined metal blocking the way.

"Clkkkkkk... whirrrrrrrr..."

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