Broke: A Clone Wars Tale - Volume 1 Chapter 268 Brave Soldiers

The eleven members of Deep Squad were just like Dageer remembered them, perhaps with a few more scars. ARC Trooper Colt, of Rancor Battalion, on the other hand, was clearly a seasoned soldier, who had gone through a lot.

In the room were also Jedi generals Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Shaak Ti, and Ahsoka Tano, as well as their respective clone commanders, and a few soldiers Dageer didn’t know. They all had serious expressions on their faces, a testament to the importance of the battle to come.

After paying his respects to the Jedis, Hell Squad nodded at their brothers, greeting them, and paying special attention to the new faces. They were two, from the 501st Legion. One of them had a number 5 tattooed on his head, while the other had a blue handprint in his right chest. Both had the disposition of old veterans, but also some of the anxiety of a new trooper. Dageer guessed they had their first combat situation not long ago, but they were better than normal clones. Not unlike how Hell Squad came to be, back on the first days of the Clone Wars.

Captain Rex, Commander Cody, and Broodi from Deep Squad all nodded at them, while the two troopers saluted Dageer. Colt inspected the special unit in front of him, and it didn’t take long for him to be convinced that they truly were something else.

Turning his attention back to General Shaak Ti, who was explaining how they got word of what was, at first, a surprise attack by the Separatist. As she told the people around the hologram table about how a battalion of commando droids had been sent to take over a sentry post on Rishi Moon, Dageer understood why the two 501st troopers, Fives and Echo, were there. They, together with Commander Cody and Captain Rex, had been the sole survivors of the garrison. A member of their squad, called Hevy, had sacrificed himself, by holding back the clanckers, and later blowing himself up with the sentry post. With it destroyed, the ‘safe’ signal that was sent was switched off, telling the Republic that something was wrong.

To that, Dageer nodded at Echo and Fives. He knew it wasn’t easy to lose a squad member, and also their sergeant, and several friends. However, according to General Shaak Ti, they had behaved as true soldiers.

“Master Skywalker will be commanding our fleets in the air, from his own fighter. Obi-Wan and I will stay here, to protect our facilities.”

The young Jedi nodded, and so did his padawan. Seeing that the rest of the meeting didn’t have to do with their role in the battle, both took their leave. They didn’t know how long it would take for General Grievous to arrive, so they had to be prepared.

Recently, Dageer reflected, most of the battles he had been to had had to do with either General Grievous or Asajj Ventress. He guessed that was what it meant to be a special unit.

“All right. On Kamino, the Separatist will have two main objectives. The first one will be to cause destruction, and kill as many cadets in training as possible.”

“They can’t do that! They are only children!”

Coburn, a member of Deep Squad, couldn’t help but say that. While Dageer agreed, he also knew that the clone only said that because he hadn’t partaken in enough battles. That would change soon, unfortunately.

“The seppies don’t care. For them, a clone is a clone, no matter if they are soldiers or cadets.”

“I fear Cody is right. The Separatist war machines will shoot anything and anyone who isn’t one of them.”

Several faces nodded when they heard General Kenobi. They didn’t need a reminder of how brutal the war was. Every trooper had done things he regretted, and so had the seppies.

“Uham… Their second target will be our matrix facilities. There are three of them, and each contains a sample of the original genetic code for the clones. Unchanged, and intact. Commander Dageer, I believe you were involved in an incident that took place in Coruscant, regarding a mad Separatist scientist?”

Remembering the blue-skinned man, and his brothers coughing up blood, dying while Dageer and the others watched, powerless, he nodded.

“They failed that time, because the genetic code of every clone was modified. Those three samples, however, weren’t. If they get their hands on it, it will only be a matter of time before they can create a virus or a toxin that will destroy and kill our entire army in days.”

“Can’t we move them to a safer place?”

“I fear not, Broodi. If the embryos are disconnected from this genetic code for too long, it may incur in defects in their growth, maybe even death.”

Regretting it immediately, Dageer thought of 99, the poor clone. He guessed that was what General Shaak Ti meant by ‘defects’. It bothered him to hear she talk about how clones were born, because it was a grim reminder that they weren’t normal, but he understood that, if he wanted to give himself and his brothers a normal life, he couldn’t let the seppies touch the samples.

“The samples are in the east, south, and west side of Tipoca City. Me and Shaak Ti will defend the east, from where their main attack will come. Commander Broodi, your squad will be responsible for the south, and Dageer, Hell Squad take the west.”

“Understood, general.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Cody, Red, you will be responsible for the rest of our defenses. Hold for as long as you can. We have to give Anakin time to push back their fleet. Dageer, Broodi, you can’t leave your positions, no matter what. Kamino won’t be lost, and reinforcements are already on the way. The Separatist only want to damage us, not conquer the planet. However, if they get their hands on those samples, they can, and will, kill the entire Clone Army. No matter how the battle goes, you stay put.”

Dageer and Broodi exchanged glances, and nodded, their faces serious. General Kenobi couldn’t be more clear, and they understood perfectly that they were the last line of defense, not only for this battle, but for all their brothers throughout the galaxy.

“So, I believe we are finished here. To your positions, and may the Force be with you.”