Narrator: A ground campaign continues! The forces of the 501st, 212th, and 717th have been besieged by CIS forces. Now split into two fronts, Jedi Commander Cooper must hold off the advance on his side of the city until relief arrives.
The air was still over the crystal city of Christophsis's capital. Smoke rose from long smoldering buildings, and ruins lay across many of its pop-marked streets. Though the sounds of hundreds of metallic feet stomped against the main road, the young commander of the 717th attack battalion peaked his head over a haphazardly constructed wall, one like many of his men now found themselves familiar with since their arrival upon the planet.
Jerome: God damn. Clankers are back!
He yelled out as moments later, a hail of blaster fire began raining down upon their entrenched position. Shards of teal crystal and rubble showered onto the young Jedi as a bolt from the supporting tri-droid shook the cover he was behind, debris raining down upon him as Republic forces started to fire back against the approaching formation.
Barrage: Damn clackers don't know when to quit! Isn't this like the third time today!
The clone captain yelled over the sounds of battle a few yards away from his commander, the man taking pop shots with his DP-23 before ducking back into cover as the droids fired at him. Smoke wafted off from a glancing round to his helmet, the clone cursing and shrikes lower against the teal crystal. Many others were forced into similar situations as massive blaster rounds smashed into their lines, allowing for seconds of return fire before the men and women in white were forced once again into their covers.
Liz: Well, we haven't been forced from here yet! Where the hell is that supporting arti!
She barked from Jerome's side, the incoming heavy blaster fire shaking the ground again. The two officers covered themselves as the cries of wounded clones echoed out before mercilessly being cut short with hot plasma bolts pelting against their armor and leaving them with smoldering holes in their once protective armor.
Cursing to himself, Jerome shifted to the side of his cover and opened fire upon the droids, taking down a few of their countless number before rolling back as the clackers fired upon him. Brushing the dust off the shoulder of his coat, he glanced over briefly at his major as she ducked after sending a few more droids to the scrapyard.
Jerome: We need to hold out just a little longer!
Liz: And how many lives will we lose for this plan!
She snapped at him, the young man growling, and went to retort as a stern voice cut the notion.
James: Liz, stop giving the kid a hard time. This will work. You have to hold out a little longer. The droids are almost in the kill box.
Owl: He's right, Liz. They're almost right where we want them. My troops are ready on your signal, commander.
The captain of the battalion's recon company reassured the duo. Jerome's gaze shifted to the surrounding bombed skyscrapers that flanked the main road on both sides, a slight glint from one of the broken windows the only giveaway for the trap laid bare by the inconspicuous rubble sprayed with red x's to the droids rear.
With a slight nod to himself, Jerome peaked out from behind the cover again, firing a few bolts, the front lines of the clankers now only within fifty yards from the Republic position. Forcing more and more clones back into their cover with hails of fire whizzing over their heads.
Barrage: They're almost right on top of us!
Jerome: I can see that! Just hold......Hoooold!
He yelled as the Tri-droids advanced another step and rotated their barrels before the young man slammed his hand against his comm.
YOU ARE READING
Star Wars, The Cooper Chronicle's, Book 1: The Rise
ActionOn a backwater world in the fringes of Republic space lives a young man. Living alone sense he was ten, his father leaving him when he was ten, and his mother having died of childbirth, he was alone for all by his old friend and an Astromech. Though...
