Project Ares

Reunion

Airfield - Umbara

After being escorted out by sentries, Chief left the command building and headed over to the barracks. But before he could even enter, clones from all across the 501st Legion gathered around him and blocked him in. Scanning the men around him, Chief started to feel a little uneasy with everyone staring at him when suddenly he heard a voice call out from on top of a supply container. "Hey, let's give it up for the Chief!"

Suddenly the whole crowd erupted in cheers and applause as they showed the hero their gratitude. They were so grateful for everything Chief had done for them in the last few hours and despite taking heavy casualties, they knew that they would have been destroyed if Chief had not attacked the base on his own.

Unfortunately, the alarm sounded just as they were starting to relax. Hearing Krell over the intercom, the 501st gave a silent sigh of disappointment when they heard their assignment. "CT-7567, the Umbarans are mounting an attack on the airfield in the east. They have seized sets of clone trooper armour and weapons to try and slip through the lines. Take two platoons of troopers and eliminate this impending attack. You are authorized to use phosphorus and mortars to combat this threat."

"You heard the General, I want platoons 13 and 18 on me in 2 minutes!" Captain Rex called across the crowd. "Platoons 11, 12 and 14 are on standby. Rest of you, get some rest and refuel for the next mission!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The men echoed back before going off to their different posts. Soon 13 and 18 were back outside after going in to grab night vision and extra ammunition for the looming fight that was about to happen. Out of nowhere a trio of missiles exploded a few hundred meters from the airfield's perimeter. Taking a set of macro-binoculars off one of the AT-RTs, Chief zoomed up to find a CIS supply ship firing cruise missiles all across the battlefield while its escorts were busy engaging the Republic fleet. 

Running back into the command centre, Chief almost broke down the door before reaching Krell. "General, there is a supply ship up there providing missile strikes all across the AO, we need to eliminate it before heading out to engage the Umbarans."

"117, I am well aware of the supply ship and the missile strikes. However, the Republic fleet will soon dispatch it, so there is no need to divert manpower to such a frivolous endeavour. The Umbaran counter-assault should be the main priority right now before we move on the Capitol."

"Sir, with all due respect, if you send out the men to face the Umbarans or to attack the Capitol, they will all die. Call off the attack before you cause the deaths of over 30 men, including Captain Rex."

"No, I don't think I will. If the Umbarans move on our position and compromise our foothold, then we will have lost all possibility of attacking the Capitol." Krell replied darkly before signalling the sentries to escort the green goliath out of the building again.

Furious, Chief stormed out and headed straight for the barracks where he knew Fives was located. Bursting through the door, Chief was met by a welcoming sight; all of Blue Team reunited along with some new faces whom he had not met yet. Explaining to them the situation regarding the attack on the Capitol and the unrelenting missile strikes, a deafening silence engulfed the room.

"Chief, I have talked to the men and we have all agreed that we will not follow Krell's orders, even if it means getting court marshalled. Given what you just told us, there is no way we are changing our minds." Fives broke the silence before Thermos continued; "Sir, you are a special operations field commander. You can challenge Krell's authority given the right circumstances and seeing that you are on an R.S.A. mission, you can stand up to him."

"I'm sorry Thermos, that can't happen, the general has refused all of my propositions and recommendations from the start." Chief answered, allowing the silence to return. Then the clone that had flown with Fives earlier put his hand up and gave the idea that they just take care of the support ship themselves. Quickly composing a strategy in his head, Chief remembered seeing a CIS shuttle in one of the hangars. "Fives, tell me who these troopers are with you."