Frontier Jedi

Chapter 2: Explanations

Rishi Moon outpost, 4 hours after the Separatist takeover

CT-1409 "Echo" CT-5555 "Fives," and CT-782 Hevy, the last surviving members of the clone troopers who had defended the facility, now found themselves hiding beneath the entire structure as Separatist battle droids swarmed the area. Previously the other members of domino squad, Droidbait, died on the initial attack by the separatists, Fives, Echo, Hevy and Cutup who managed to escape. Unfortunately Cutup died to a Rishi Eel. Now fives, Hevy and echo were the last three survivors.

"Surely you called for help?" Hevy asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"We probably won't make it either way, Hevy. It could take days for a response to arrive," Fives replied sadly, his thoughts hopeless given the situation

"Arghh... I can't believe it wasn't like the simulations," Echo groaned.

"Simulations are simulations, Echo. They only prepare us for the real thing, which, as it turns out, was nothing like what we trained for," Fives remarked, attempting to rationalize their predicament. Before the three clones could do anything else, a batch of unfamiliar dropships suddenly descended from the atmosphere, catching their attention.

Soldiers emerged from the dropships, while four figures landed gracefully on the ground, bypassing the need for rappelling.

"Secure the area. You all know the mission—take the facility," ordered one of the figures, a Lieutenant, to the troops.

"Can't believe I'm taking orders from you, Lieutenant," one of the soldiers retorted.

"Please... me being a pilot automatically makes me superior to you, Captain. Otherwise, you'd be saying, 'they're trying to corner us!' or my favorite, 'ten zero suspect is highly mobile; we're taking heavy casualties!'" the Lieutenant mocked, his tone dripping with disdain.

"That's not an LAAT," Echo remarked, noting the unique design of the dropships as they utilized their hyperdrive to depart the atmosphere in an instant.

"Wait, did those dropships just use a hyperdrive in the atmosphere?" Fives questioned as they emerged from their hiding spot beneath the base, observing the arrival of the unfamiliar visitors.

"Are you sure a data knife would work on that port?" one of the strange figures with glowing helmets asked another.

"Why are you worrying so much?" Replied another glowing helmeted soldier, inserting a knife into a droid dataport, confusing the clones.

As soon the door opened they were faced with a trio of commando droids, but to the two clone's surprise the two glowing figures punched the droids head on and destroyed them in one hit, before bolting into the facility, running in with unseen speeds the clones had never seen before.

"Ten double o, move into that building, defense formation!" The shielded officer ordered, as the soldiers with green laced armor advanced, 'blasters' at the ready. Suddenly, two soldiers spotted Echo, Hevy, and Fives, their weapons raised.

"Ten twenty four, I've got three Republic clones at my location," one of the soldiers radioed.

"Copy. Identify those clones. They must be the survivors of this facility," came the reply over the radio as the soldiers holstered their weapons and extended a hand to help the clones up.

"Oi, need a hand?" one of the soldiers asked, assisting Fives, Echo, and Hevy back onto the landing dock.

"So, who are you?" Fives questioned, eyeing the soldiers with curiosity.

"Oh, we're grunts. Militia grunts, to be exact," The soldier, now identified as a grunt, addressed the clones, as BX screams and other droid grunts were being heard in the facility, along with loud slugthrower shots.