(Star Wars X Attack on Titan) Attack of the Clones on Titan

Show of Force

"Weapons down, helmets on," Jet ordered. Shutz immediately threw his helmet on and prepared himself to defend his brothers. Now they were in the same position they started in; surrounded by soldiers with weapons drawn. Just another day for the Battalion Shutz thought and sighed.

Almost as if he'd read his thoughts, Chess said, "At least we've got someone to talk to this time."

"Speak for yourselves," Ani groaned and rubbed his faceplate. "I haven't even gotten a word in."

"Then take this a little more seriously," Geist warned.

"Stun me one more time and I'll show you serious, tough guy," Ani dared his sibling.

"That's enough," Shutz and Jet said in unison.

"This isn't the time for that," Spectere piped up. "Geist, leave Ani be before he lays you out again."

"How is it you all look alike?" the man in front of them, Erwin, demanded, the blade in his hand shaking like the rest of his troops.

"Like Jet's said twice already," Mar chided, intentionally exaggerating his movements to make it obvious he was the one speaking. "We're clones. We all share the same genetic template."

"How is that possible?" Hange asked. Unlike the others, Shutz noticed, this strange woman seemed to be genuinely curious about them.

"We'll explain everything we can to you," Shutz spoke up. "Just put your weapons down and let us talk this out. We've already told you we're here to help you fight those titans, right?"

"And why should we stand down?" Erwin inquired. Despite his shaking, the man didn't show any fear in his voice. The question one of genuine but cautious curiosity rather than a man backed into a corner. "You don't look like you're equipped to fight titans," he continued. "If anything, your gear suggests you'd be best suited fighting humans. Why shouldn't we strike you all down where you stand? We have you surrounded and we outnumber you. You would be helpless against an attack from all directions."

In response, El shifted his ball-turret, reminding everyone of the gunship's presence. Shutz's eyes darted to each of his brothers and the soldiers around him within view of his helmet cams, but he didn't move his head. Just try and get us he thought. Finally, after a few seconds of standing motionless, Hange, oddly enough, broke the silence with a statement that caused even Shutz and his brothers to take a step back.

"Because, Erwin," she said, lowering her weapons as a frightened man with short-brown hair questioned her actions, to which she referred to him as "Moblit" and, put shortly, told him to shut up. "As I was saying, Erwin, just as they aren't equipped to deal with titans," she stopped and dared to take another step forward, but none of the band of brothers budged, then dramatically and, in Shutz's opinion, rather unnecessarily turned her back to them and announced to her comrades with arms outstretched as if to block any blows, "We aren't equipped to deal with them."

"Geist!" Shutz heard Spectre's voice over the comms, "No!" The scolding tone of his brother shortly followed by an annoyed grumble from Geist.

"What makes you so sure?" Shutz heard Erwin ask after allowing himself to chuckle.

"Can you tell me what happened the last time your blades tried to cut through anything tougher than titan flesh?" Hange asked him. Despite the way she acted, the woman appeared to be very observant and a quick learner.

"The black parts of their armor seem flexible and less durable," a feminine-sounding sandy-blonde soldier with an androgynous haircut commented, seeming to catch on to what was going on but still completely missing the mark. They also didn't seem to care that they were discussing their plan of attack right in front of them.