Project Ares Gold Edition

Chapter 8 - Apex

Underground tunnels - Geonosis

The plan got blown up the second they stepped foot inside the tunnels. Blue Team so far had made it about halfway up the tunnels but resistance was unlike anything the clones had faced before. The underground maze had been densely packed with turrets and hidden gun nests that would only reveal themselves when they opened fire. As for the enemies that the team had to fight against, most of them consisted of B2 super battle droids, their dark chrome armour tanking most of the blaster fire that the clones threw at them. The only saving grace was that they had Ahsoka and Master Chief to back them up.

After finishing off the latest onslaught of B2s, Blue Team took a moment to rest. With June and Blitz watching either end of the tunnel for more enemies, the team regrouped to plan their next move. Because of how many super battle droids they had been fighting, a lot of the men had to resort to using thermal detonators and grenades to clear the way. But that obviously meant that there was going to be a lot less explosives available for the main target. "Thermos, how much firepower do you two still have?"

"Sir, Shrapnel and I each have about two stacks of hard-fuel explosives and sixteen detonators." The EOD clone answered before informing the supersoldier and Jedi that if they want to ensure that this factory is crippled, then the EOD pair will need some extra time to install some more extensive measures. "Depending on how tough the resistance is, you will probably have about ten to fifteen minutes to install those detonators. Will that be enough?"

"Sir, that will be more than enough." Shrapnel replied before closing his pack and putting the straps over his shoulders. After the team put fresh magazines in their blasters, Blue Team made the final, hard fought push to the reactor room. Before making entry, Fives had an idea, what if they made a multi-point breach? This way they could take out the guards more efficiently and avoid being pinned down by concentrated fire.

Agreeing to the idea, Chief took the two ARC troopers with him while Ahsoka stayed with the rest of the clones. The plan was that Chief, Fives and Echo would breach from one end and draw all the fire towards them, and when the Separatist forces were least expecting it, Ahsoka would cut through the door and make entry alongside the rest of Blue Team. Executing the plan perfectly, the two breach teams soon secured the room as Thermos and Shrapnel went to plant the explosives.

The blast wouldn't destroy the whole factory but it would definitely disable majority of the defence turrets, shields and scanners along with destroying the main production line. The command centre, hangar and motor-pool would be left mostly untouched but with the overwhelming amount of force provided by the 212th, those shouldn't be a problem. But just as it looked like they would be able to make an easy escape, the team heard a feminine voice accompanied by the sound of clanking metal and circuitry. "Well if it isn't Skywalker's little pet."

"Ventress, if it isn't Dooku's errand girl." Ahsoka shot back, immediately igniting her lightsaber and turning towards the Sith assassin. Chief was definitely on edge, almost going into a mindless trance. "Sith, they still exist and one of them is right there." Chief's training was yelling at him, but with an iron will and much self-control, Chief merely spun around and pointed his rifle at the source of the voice.

Asajj Ventress, one of the most prolific CIS commanders and assassins, was standing right there, flanked by two flights of commando droids. Telling Ahsoka that he'll deal with Ventress while she handled the commando droids, Ahsoka tried to protest but Chief wasn't budging. This was his strongest suit, the thing he was essentially bred for. So he'll be damned if he was just going to be put aside to deal with some droids and let a Padawan put herself in needless danger.

"Blue Team, take out those tinnies and set those bombs!" Ahsoka ordered before lunging at the Dathomirian Sith. Seeing the red blade ignite just in time to stop the downwards strike, Chief was moving in to support the stubborn Padawan when he saw how Ventress expertly flicked Ahsoka's lightsaber from her hand and across the room before jumping up and sending her flying with a spinning kick. Grabbing the lightsaber from mid-air and intensely walking towards the assassin, 117 was ready to do the job he was made for.

Slashing down with a powerful strike, Ventress strafed out of the way just in time to see the green blade plunge into the floor, melting the rocky surface as the molten soil made a high pitched hissing sound. Attempting to try the same move on the Spartan, Ventress cried out in pain as her foot connected with the moving green statue. Quickly retracting from the green goliath's immediate area, Ventress attempted to throw a series of crates and spare reactor parts at the sage monster. But Chief was not having any of it, cutting through the oncoming projectiles with ease using both Ahsoka's lightsaber and his sheer augmented strength.

From across the reactor room, Tano started to get back up, she needed to get back in the fight but the flying kick to the head had definitely given her a concussion. Stumbling through the firefight, she was caught by Midas who forcibly dragged her back to the massive hole in the wall where Chief and the ARCs breached from. "Commander Tano, you are in no condition to fight. We are leaving now!"

With Romeo, Blitz, Streak, Static and Gears backing them up, half the strike team started pulling out, leaving the ARC twins, sniper, assistant medic and EOD clones behind to support Chief. Although, with how the battle was going, the clones almost felt bad for Ventress. Despite consistently throwing new projectiles at the Spartan from across the room, Chief was just dicing through the masses like nothing, advancing with a steady pace towards the assassin. In a final act of defiance, Ventress ignited her second lightsaber and charged at Chief, leaping high into the air and coming in with a deadly strike that would usually finish her opponent.

But the towering giant merely caught her by the neck as her blades simply bounced off his shielded armour. Realising her mistake, Ventress' eyes stretched wide as the industrial hydraulic press tightened around her neck. Dropping the formless woman to the floor, the unconscious body landed with a sickening almost splat like noise, not moving an inch. "Commander Cody, this is 117, Blue Team has successfully planted the package and are moving to exfil with plus one prisoner."

"Copy that Chief, I'll have a squad waiting for your exit at the exfil point." Cody replied over the comm, curious as to who the prisoner was but too preoccupied with the massive battle on the surface to ask. With Thermos throwing Ventress over his shoulders, Blue Team made their escape, encountering little resistance on the way out. The other half of the team probably took care of most of the left over resistance. "Shrapnel, detonate the charges, let's knock the lights out."

"You got it Fives." The EOD specialist replied with a smile hidden under his helmet. After pressing down on the detonator, it took a few seconds for the charges to fully ignite and start going off, but soon the whole catacomb was shaking under the force of the blast. As the team approached daylight, they noticed how the tunnel entrance was collapsing.

Seeing no other way, Chief effortlessly holstered his rifle on his back before sprinting ahead of the group faster than what most of them had ever seen a person move. Catching the falling rock just in time for there to be enough room for the clones and prisoner, Chief held the massive boulder on his shoulders. The death-inducing weight was definitely starting to get to him but June still had to make it out. Fearing that they would not make it, Chief felt the orange sandstone get slightly lighter and a little bit easier to hold. Looking up, Chief saw both Skywalker and Kenobi in deep concentration, hands outstretched and using the Force to essentially hold a mountain off of them.

The moment June made it out, Chief gave a final push, allowing him enough space to leap out of the way as the tunnel finally collapsed. Getting a helping hand from Fives and Midas, Chief was greeted by the two Jedi generals, who were definitely impressed by his recent string of successes. Especially regarding the capture of the elusive Asajj Ventress, someone who has been able to fight off both Kenobi and Skywalker on multiple occasions and slip through the cracks when the odds were no longer in her favour.

"I'm sure there are plenty of congratulations in order, but this was only part of a larger network of Separatist bases and installations across the planet." The Bearded General spoke after waving away some of the orange dust that encompassed the group. Directing the team towards a gunship that was waiting to take them to the central planetary command centre. "When you get there Commander Cody will give you your next assignments."

"Sir yes sir, Blue Team will move out immediately. Can you please return this back to Commander Tano? She lost it while fighting the Sith assassins back there." Chief replied, handing Kenobi the Tongrutan's lightsaber. Pointing towards the gunship and signalling for his team to get moving, the clones were soon accompanying Chief as they boarded the gunship.