Star Wars The Clone Wars: Wolfpack Declassified "Prologue"

Chapter 4 - Through the Corridor

---Prison cell 659, on the remote moon of Ajanti Prime in the Abregado system---

Sergeant Sinker's POV

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Wait...what did the Commander just say? Is he crazy? I just sit in disbelief. The Commander kneels beside the entryway and points to a decayed block of duracrete. Placing his palm on the block, he gives a little push and the block fidgets, but doesn't move far.

In a voice that is somewhere between bored and proud, the Commander simply states, "This is our ticket out of here. Sergeant, help me push."

Quickly glancing back at Boost and the other trooper in our cell, I see the same disbelief on their faces. We're all thinking the same thing: if the Commander knew about this before, why hadn't we already escaped? Why NOW and not ten hours ago? Boost opens his mouth to comment, but I narrow my eyes at him. No way am I going to let him make a stupid remark now.

 After listening to be sure the coast is clear, the Commander and I push the block (without much difficulty, I might add) and peek down the corridor. Nothing. The Commander slides out first and I follow him, with Boost behind me. The quiet trooper gives us a dubious look before crawling through. Once outside, Boost and I shove the block back into place and face our Commander for instructions.

The Commander begins walking up the corridor and speaks in a hushed tone so as not to draw attention, "The Admiral is our first priority. We need to see if we can break him and the rest of our men out. Then we'll need to regain control of the Chrysis and alert the Republic that our mission's been blown." Stopping infront of prison cell 666, he taps on the door, "Here. Admiral Welschrader, are you in there, Sir? This is Commander Wolffe. We'll try to get you out of there Sir."

Admiral Welschrader's weak voice is barely audible, "Oh...oh. Thank you, Commander. Yes, please get me out of here as quickly as you can."

Commander Wolffe studies the lockpad and scrutinizes the keys for several minutes. Just before he reaches up to press a button, the quiet trooper warns, "I...I wouldn't do that, Sir. You see that silver bar on the bottom of the pad? It signifies a silent alarm. Unless you enter the exact code, one wrong button sets off the whole system." We look at the trooper in awe while he stands there as if he never spoke a word.

Boost can't contain himself: "If you flak'n knew that from the get-go, why didn't you say anything? You just figured you'd let the Commander sit there and fiddle with it all on his own? What is wrong with this battlion and sharing valuable info-..."

"That's enough, trooper." The Commander's condescending tone needs no further explanation. "You - what'd you say you're name was? Get over here and see if you can pop open this door."

"It's Mouser, Sir." I roll my eyes at him. Whoever named him was right on the sights. Mouser shuffles over and kneels beside the pad tracing the buttons and switches with his fingers. Shortly, he shakes his head disappointed. "I'm sorry Sirs, but I can't do anything from here. These components are cheap and stivy-made. I could try to bypass the security measures, but this particular system is so unpredictable, I don't feel comfortable doing so."

Boost opens his mouth, but the Commander jumps in first, "Can't or won't, trooper? Can't or won't?"

A wave of panic swells over Mouser's face. His voice squeaks and stammers, "I...I can't, Sir. I c-can't guarantee that...that the alarm won't go off....How...however I know I can release all the locks if we can find the nearest computer hub."

Boost and I groan at the same time. At least for once we're on the same page. The Commander just nods and taps on the door again. "Admiral, we are currently unable to get you out from here. My men and I will go find a computer hub that will allow us to release the lock. We will be back shortly, Sir." As the Commander moves off down the hall, I can just barely make out the Admiral's pleas. I think he wanted us to stay. I didn't want to - instinct told me that we ought to keep on our toes and out of sight.

---In a dark room within the mining facility on Ajanti Prime---

Lieutenant Torr's POV

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Tap...tap...tap...scroll...taptaptap. Almost finished. No mistakes. So far, so good. I have yet to be bothered. Glancing over my shoulder, I get an eerie feeling that I'm being watched. But no one's there. I need to focus on the mission at hand. The mission is important. This work is important. The truth is important....but what really is the truth? Now, everything seems blurred. I can't tell right from wrong anymore. Is this how clones are supposed to feel in this situation? Is this programmed into us?

"I never should have taken the job. I knew it...I knew it. And Wolffe would've known it, too. If only I had said something to him - let him talk me out of it. Then I wouldn't be here." I realize that I'm speaking aloud and have stopped typing. I sigh and allow myself to blink for a few seconds before returning to the work at hand. As an afterthought, I mumble to myself: "We wouldn't be here...none of us."

---Down one of the corridors---

Commander Wolffe's POV

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I take up point, scanning the corridor and adjacent doorways for signs of droids. We've had some close calls, but no sign of a computer hub. That trooper named Mouser - the timid one - marches behind me. I ordered him to keep an eye out for this "room." The other two flank us. Thank the Force these two can keep a formation, because "Mouser" is all over the place. Although quiet, he gets distracted easily. I have a growing suspicion that he is unable to walk in a straight line...

A corridor opens ahead and out march three droids. Stang.

"Don't let them report us!" I yell over my shoulder as I rocket off and grip one of their blasters. Yanking the weapon from its metal grasp, I head-butt the droid and send it sprawling back. The sergeant follows pursuit while his comrade struggles with his droid. After shooting my droid in the torso, the sergeant and I whip around and shoot the head off the last one. The trooper smirks at us, but holds his tongue after a return scowl from the sergeant. These two must have a history together.

Behind us, Mouser bends down and checks one of the droid's comms. He flashes a thumbs-up, meaning no transmission was made. But.........

A door opens behind him, and three B2s round the corner. We immediately open fire, but the droids out-power us. "RUN!" I yell at the top of my lungs, while providing cover fire for my men.

I hear one of the clanker's deep, metallic voice, "Alert! Prisoners have escaped. Sound the alarm and lock down corridor H31." Immediately, an alarm sounds. Then I see it - behind us the corridor is closing. "Go! Go! Go!" We take off for the end of of the hall, hoping beyond hope that we don't get trapped. Mouser makes it through, followed by the other trooper. The sergeant pauses to fire off a few shots before passing under the closing doors. There's less than a meter left. Throwing the blaster under, I dive and tumble. As the doors shut behind us, I stand up - only to find that the corridor in front of us has also been shut down. We're still trapped, but at least not on the other side with those droids.

The sergeant begins to pace. Mouser looks over one of the side doors. The other trooper rolls his eyes at his comrade. I sigh. This isn't going quite as planned.

"Hey! Sir - over here. Let me see if I can hot wire this..." Taking off a panel, Mouser reconnects a couple wires and the door slides open next to him. "I think this is it. I think this is the room-"

 Inside, standing at the computer console, is Torr. He turns around when he hears the door open, and the look on his face is unmistakable: shock and guilt.