Battle of Geonosis (Part II)

-Once you realize that heroes die, everything becomes that much more terrifying.

"The enemy ships have been destroyed" said the clone next to me as if I had not seen with my own eyes how two hundred fighters presumably piloted by Jedi, had destroyed several capital class ships in a matter of minutes.

"Maximum speed to all ships!"

The Acclamators tore through the ruins of the enemy fleet and we soon entered the planet's atmosphere. The deserted, rocky field welcomed us as I looked carefully at the lack of response forces.

"I need confirmation. We have not detected any intercepting forces. All other Acclamators respond."

Slowly the rest of the fleet confirmed the lack of enemy response. Soon I saw the LAATs take flight from the Acclamators.

I walked slowly to the hologram. Looking at the orders for each regiment when I noticed who I had sent to capture the enemy leadership in the arena.

"Delta Squadron I'm entrusting you with the most crucial part of this operation. Identify the location of the enemy leadership. Find them and this war ends here"

I exited the troop interface and re-entered the map simulator. Where no Acclamator had even been hit by Anti-Craft fire. Clearly the Geonosians were given too much credit.

"All Acclamators follow your mission. If the situation causes my ship to deviate from the plan you are to follow your current standing orders. Follow your training men there will be no Heroes today."

I turned on the internal communicator

"Move away from the Arena and deploy all LAATs. I want the entire planet scouted. Points of interest, anything non-local, as well as military industrial objectives."

Soon I saw dozens of LAATs departing in all directions. Reconnaissance was important and the key to any decent military operation. To secure the backs of our troops I had to check the terrain.

Eventually enough time passed that I required an update on the landings. To rectify this situation I activated the hologram communicator. "CC-2224, confirm the front line situation."

Before me appeared a generic Clone General. With nothing to differentiate him. Should I try to look for more individualism in the troops? Individuality on Kamino was a fast track to decommissioning. Here the uniformity was just confusing.

"The vanguard hit the ground fighting and the Acclamators are unloading the troops and heavy artillery. Defensive lines are being dug and will proceed to destroy the enemy forces."

I nodded. Nothing could go wrong. The artillery would take care of flattening the enemy. However, something seemed to be wrong.

Thirty minutes passed since the beginning of the battle. Everything seemed to be going well but a call from the Delta squadron surprised me. They were supposed to be on radio silence.

"This is Commander 0001. What's going on?"

I quickly noticed the RC-1138 clone seemed to be in a hurry as he was firing.

"Supreme Commander, the battle is a distraction. We have information that they are organizing a fleet with the majority of their military and diplomatic assets. They plan to flee the battle. I'll pass the location."

I quickly got the location and looked at the holographic map. They were relatively close.

"Good job Delta. Get out of there alive."

"We're on it."

With that I cut communications, it made sense in the face of a losing battle to organize an organized escape with most of your forces. Like Mao in the Chinese civil war. The land can be recovered, the men cannot… Well, the droids could be recovered. Anyway, no doubt the strategic decisions were made by someone wise.

"Attention. Let's go to the next location. We have to intercept the retreating enemy forces. It's just us, so prepare for immediate combat. All soldiers to battle stations!"

Quickly the imminent combat alarms sounded and the ship accelerated towards where the enemies were according to the Delta squadron. The trip did not last long when I could see dozens of enemy ships prepared for the retreat from Geonosis. However, there was a problem.

"Commander, how are we going to shoot down their ships? We don't have sufficient firepower on the keel side battery."

I took a quick look at the situation and understood that the situation was difficult. They could not be shot down and most of them could escape. And I had to end this rebellion now. I could not allow them to escape.

I quickly activated the ship's internal communicators.

"Captain angle the starboard battery," The ship groaned as the point thrusters fired. The capital ship strained under the forces of the in-atmosphere maneuver. Bringing the starboard turbolaser battery to bare.

"All clear."

I nodded proudly as the ship finally turned around.

"TO ALL GUNS. FIRE AT WILL."

The enemy ships began to take off however the gunfire pushed them into the ground destroying several of them. It was like killing Daccians in a barrel all over again. Or it would've been if one of the enemy ships hadn't decided to emulate the rising sun!

"COLLISION ROUTE WITH AN ENEMY SHIP IMINENT," shouted one of the clones. However, that ship quickly had its thrusters shot out by two Jedi fighters. As the planet's gravity pulled it back to the surface I received a holographic call. I turned it on and saw Obi-Wan.

"Good to see you again CC-0001."

Jedi militarily were incompetent but as individual assets they seemed useful.

"Thank you very much Master Obi-Wan and keep up the good work. Don't let any escape."

I closed the call and continued to watch the situation. Part of the ships had already taken flight above us with all the ships on the ground destroyed.

"Return to the initial position" I instructed as an explosion shook the ship, I began to notice how we were slowly losing altitude.

There were risks in taking this maneuver. The reverse thrusters had never been tested in the atmosphering gravity well of a planet like Geonosis. Now I had to improvise. Again.

"Turn this ship around at all costs!" I shouted. Quickly as we fell we tried to return again to the initial position. I could see how a few enemy ships were able to escape by entering hyperspace as soon as they could.

Mission failed. I thought with a tight lip. "They're going to pin this on me, I know it."

The ship landed hard sideways against the earth. The over fired thrusters merely ensured we landed starboard side up instead of portside. The impact sent me flying from the control zone despite holding on as tight as I could. My last memories were of my hands being ripped from the handles as I went flying into the nearby wall.

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"Hey, wake up!"

Slowly I regained consciousness. Feeling that I was in the air I looked around when I saw a young man with short hair except for a small braid. An adolescent idiot smiling with blue eyes.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded and moved my hands to remove my helmet. The new dent on It left it making me feel more suffocated than anything else.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. Slowly he backed me up against a metal wall. I looked around, I was outside the ship which appeared to be intact. Several clones were carrying injured people out of the ship on medical stretchers.

"That was a hard blow," I said with a chuckle. However, as far as I could see, there were no casualties and the ship was recoverable. It could be considered a success. Even if I failed to eliminate a large number of enemy ships, I eliminated at least half of them.

"I saw that maneuver. That was very bold of you, miss."

Miss? I looked at the young Jedi who looked quite young. "I am not a miss" I said trying to get up, however an indescribable pain assaulted my legs causing me to fall to the ground. Quickly the young man helped me up and supported me again.

"You must have broken your legs" He said as he took off my armor plates. And touched my legs. "Does it hurt?"

I nodded, biting my lower lip, the pain was very sharp.

"Yes, I think it's broken. I'll call a medical clone. By the way."

He shook my hand, "Anakin Skywalker."

I gave him my hand and shook it.

"CC-0001"

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three rotations had passed and the battle had moved on to mop-up operations. Although the enemy leaders fled and a third of their troops. The mission had been rated a success. I knew that was not the case. The lack of troops and fleet caused us to miss the chance to destroy the enemy before the battle escalated to outright war.

I looked at the hologram reports from KIA, most had casualties of 200 clones and below which was a resounding success. Ammunition expenditures were within the expected range. However, when I read the report of the last legion my heart almost leaked out of my mouth.

2000 KIA, 3000 wounded? The Legion was no longer operational. What happened?"

I quickly pressed the communicator

"Get me the 104th Legion."

Soon the image of a CC-3636 clone commander appeared.

"Explain your high casualty rate Commander."

The commander clearly seemed reluctant to speak. However he relinquished such desire and began to speak.

"Jedi Master Mace Windu took control of the legion and ordered us to charge enemy positions. He did not explain his motives and simply ordered us to do so. According to the military hierarchy I followed his orders, Supreme Commander " Said the clone commander as he saluted, he seemed to think he was to blame.

"It's okay. You followed your orders. Take a break and if you need help from medical clones from other legions I will do my best to assist you Commander."

"Thank you very much Supreme Commander"

I cut the hologram and hit the table out of sheer frustration.

Half of one of my legions had perished because of Mace Windu's uselessness. But I could not accuse all the Jedi of military incompetence. Just two of the great Jedi masters belonging to the Jedi council were evidently Criminally useless. Surely they had no officer training either.

I searched the data on the Jedi, finding nothing about any military training.

A drastic decision had to be made. 200 dead against 2,000. It was far better to release the legions to act on their own training, than to have them controlled by an incompetent Jedi.

I activated the holographic call for all clone commanders. Quickly they all answered.

"Until further order or confirmation. Jedi are forbidden to give military orders to any clone trooper unit. This will be the first war directive to be given in the war."

"Ma'am yes Ma'am" They all said at the same time.

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One rotation had passed since I made the decision. It was a logical decision and it was within my authority to make it. So I didn't hesitate. I sighed, rubbing my recently healed legs as I looked at a map of the galaxy. I have to secure Atraken. Sending Legion 47 to take the planet would be top priority.

I was about to contact clone commander 1985 when I received a holographic call.

I quickly accepted it and saw the Kaminoan Prime Minister. I quickly stood up and saluted militarily. If I was called, I had done something wrong. I didn't want to be decommissioned. I had to give in to whatever they asked.

"I heard about your first war directive. I would like to ask you. You do know such actions are grounds for decommissioning."

I felt the world fall away and the hairs on my body stand on end.

"I made that decision in the interest of the greatest effectiveness of the Grand Army. However, I will change it immediately if you deem it unacceptable."

I had to turn this around quickly. I had to show that I was doing it for the common good and that I was willing to change it. I couldn't die here because of a decision like this. I don't want to be killed.

"Then change it, we'll pass on the new hierarchy, effective immediately."

The call cut out and I collapsed almost immediately in the chair. I had felt death so close that it had honestly scared me. I hated this, hated being treated like a thing. Even Being X tangentially acknowledged I had a soul at least.

I opened the new hierarchy and looked at the new layout of officers. I felt my heart in my mouth when I saw that each legion would be led by a Jedi.

"This is going to be a disaster" I said, depressed at the future expectations for the clone army.

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