Cuyanir (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

23

Rex, Hardcase, and Fives were scouting ahead, and could see the base in the distance. Rex was seething inside, but he kept it that way. No need to make the other nervous. He was the captain, and they all looked to him to be a role model. Even if that meant following a flawed plan and crawling on his belly in the dirt to make an unsactioned recon. Good soldiers followed orders. 

"Is everyone clear on the plan?" He asked to his two companions. "Hardcase?"

"Yep."

"Fives?" Fives was silent for a second. Rex was about to open his mouth to ask again when he responded. 

"Yeah..."

"Alright. Get in your groups and move out." Rex barked, sliding down away from the veiw point, and rejoining with the rest of the battalion. 

Each squad made their way through the dark terrain, the mist making it difficult to see what was under their very noses. There was no chatter between the men at all this time. Only the rythemic thumping of the scout walkers. Rex could dimly hear Fives and Hardcase calling out to their divisions, trying in vain to give some boost to moral.

"Stay alert, fingers on the triggers."

"Watch the shadows men." 

Three flying rays were chittering and racing away from the direction of the base. "They look spooked." Fives noted. A rumble, like a distant explosion shook the ground. "What the-"

Another rumble, seeming to come from right under their feet rocked the planet. Rex lost his balance and fell, slamming against the canyon wall. What came next was a sight that made every nightmare seem like an anxious daydream. "Oh Skrag."

It looked akin to a giant centipede, segmented with armored plates. It was also the size of four tanks lined up end to end, and those things weren't small. It burst from the ground, like some mechanical maggot. Rex shivered. Ok. Enough with the comparisons. Hardcase lifted his heavy rotary gun and started firing without any hesitation. At the head of the monstrosity was a ray-shielded cockpit. "Blast it!" Rex heard him self yell over the roar of the battle. The rest of the battalion finally joined in, shooting at the monstrosity that hurtled threw them, and tore apart their ranks. 

Rex found his way up to Fives and Hardcase. "The heads are ray-shielded. We need rocket launchers!" He shouted over the din. He couldn't see his brothers faces, but they nodded. The ground lurched again, as another centipede burst from the ground. And another. 

"Jesse! We need those rocket launchers, now!" He roared into his commlink. These things were tearing through them like paper. Rex looked up at the hill that they had just marched down, and saw figures moving. Waving his hand, He motioned the two others up while he layed down cover fire. One of the troopers met them, and passed over two mortars before getting struck in the leg with a blaster shot. 

"Take it. Take... it." He gasped, shoving the launcher at Hardcase. Kix met them, and grabbed the trooper by the arm pit. 

"I've got him. I-I've got him." He panted, and dragged the trooper up the hill. The troop let out a scream of pain at the movement. 

"Go. Go go go!" Rex yelled, coming up behind them. Fives tossed the launcher to Hardcase, as the ammo a few seconds later. They found cover, and listened as teh noise of the grating and shrill shrieks coming from the the tank got louder, louder, until finally it was almost on top of them. Rex and Fives pulled it's fire, and Hardcase got the massive rocket launcher aimped properly. With a soft pop that belayed it's destructive capabilities, the mortar hit home, smashing through the ray-shields and letting out a shockwave that threw them all back.

Rex lay flat on his back as red, green, and violet fire streaked the sky, trying to remember how to breath again. His ribs, which had just fully healed from the ordeal of the trandoshan jungle, throbbed painfully. Finally, he ammased the strength to stagger to his feet. There were telltale rumbles of another of those things closeing in.

"Everyone, regroup and take cover!" He ordered, making for a line of trees. The rest of the battalion followed. 

"We're safe for now, but those things will be coming around in seconds." Fives told Rex, who looked at the monstrosities from the cover of the trees. Thinking quickly, he had an idea.

"Bring up the launchers. Spread detonators along that corridor. We need to trap them in the bottle neck. We're gonna blow those things sky high." He ordered, pointing alond the east corridor. "Move it. We've only got a few seconds."

"Here they come." Fives warned, lifting his rifle. Rex put fresh charges in his blasters, and focused on the faint blue light streaming through the fog. Several of the men began waving their hands and blasters in the air and taunting the tanks. Rex just readied the detonator. 

Kriff on a silver plater. There were four of them now, all heading their way. As soon as they were in range, Rex set off the charges. 

The men, and Rex, all jumped back as the explosion shook the ground. It was hot enough that they could feel it through their armor. Rex's ribs had enough of the explosions. He was going to be covered in bruises by the time this is over, and he hadn't even gotten shot yet. 

Cheers rose from the men. "We got 'em. We got 'em." Rex jumped to his feet and ignored the ache that criss-crossed his chest. 

"Alright. Let's move out." He took one last look over his shoulder at the smoking wreaks of the tanks and shuddered again. They had to walk through the tangle of them to get to the base. They came across a pod that was still flickering. 

"This one's got some juice left in it." Neon said, sidling up beside Rex. 

"Waste it." He ordered, his own voice scaring him. It was so emotionless and empty, like one of the target practice clankers. 

"With pleasure." Hardcase replied, leveling another mortar into the ray-shield. It shattered, and the umbaran inside tumbled out. Rex put a blaster shot into his back. Good soldiers, indeed. When had being a soldier in the grand army of the republic equaled being a monster. He just shot a man that was injured. An umbaran, not a clanker. 

He was as much of a monstrosity as the demolished tanks they were walking through. The thought didn't scare him as much as it should.