Star Wars: A Clone's Tale/Chapter Two

19 stayed crouched behind the rock that was his cover. The platoon's objective was to take down a Commerce Guild Homing Spider Droid, a mammoth robot five times taller than he was, a large globe core suspended on four gangly legs and armed with a pair of tributary beams. Homing spiders' only weakness was they were designed as anti-vehicle units, so they couldn't target infantry as well as their smaller counterparts, but they were still dangerous. The textbook method to bring down a Homing Spider, because they were all but impervious to small arms fire, was to get in close and hit it with concussion grenades or hit it with rockets at range. That wouldn't have been too hard, but over the past two years, little foul ups were slipping in where least expected. The spider didn't know they were there, allowing the lieutenant, 76, to assess the situation. 19 was just waiting for something to go wrong.

19's comm buzzed from 76, "Third Squad, take position behind target…quietly. We want to keep the only advantage we have here."

Third Squad was 19's group. The squad leader was 45. He was hardly qualified as a squad leader, but his batch number was 245, so he made leader just by virtue of being birthed first. The combat didn't change his personality at all. He was still just as absorbed with himself as he had been four years ago, except now he had a squad of troopers to boost his ego.

45 raised his open hand in the air and pumped it down in a fist, "Third squad, form up. Follow my lead." 45 always took point, even though the second man always ended up making and often taking the first shots. The team formed up behind him and they made their way around the spider droid, dashing between rocks and rises to keep from being noticed. The droid was still completely oblivious to their presence, which had 19 worried. Those droids had some of the best short-range sensors on the market. Why wouldn't it know they were there? They reached their position and 45 signaled 76 that they were ready.

76's voice came over the comm in the clear, "Hit it with grenades on my signal." As he said that, the rest of the unit jumped out of their holes and tossed a volley of grenades at the target. The magnetic grenades attached themselves to the droid and detonated after a second of holding on. The spider droid rattled a little, but the only damage to show for their attack was some scoring on the armor plating. 19 readied a grenade and prepared to toss it when the droid inevitably counterattacked. They waited a minute, but the turrets never moved. Now 19 was really worried. Just as the clones were thinking they damaged an internal processor and killed it, the droid sank down on its legs, bringing the core down within a half meter of the ground. Over a dozen small panels on the lower exterior opened up and extended some armatures. Those armatures were carrying battle droids. The droids hit the ground and immediately unfolded and raised their weapons. The group split its fire, six firing at third squad, and nine at the rest of the unit. The spider droid also came to life as well, opening up with tributary beams on the clones. The first shots took several troopers by surprise, gunning them down and depleting their numbers. Without a second thought, 19 stowed the concussion grenade and pulled an ECD. The electromagnetic charge detonators played havoc with the droids electronics. He armed the grenade and tossed it toward the group of droids. The detonator went off on landing and shorted out three of the six droids attacking. 19 ducked down and pulled his DC-15 rifle off his back to start blasting mechanicals.

45 looked over at 19, "I didn't give you the order for that grenade, soldier."

"I didn't know I needed your permission to save our skins." 19 wheeled up and around and started firing at the battle droids. His three shot burst took a droid's head off and dropped it to the ground. He shot another in the chest, knocking it to the ground. That finished off the droids attacking third squad, but there was still the rest of them to deal with, and 19 was fresh out of ECDs. First, second, and fourth squads had some awful cover that might as well have been non-existent and couldn't get clear of the homing spider.

That thought jarred 19's mind. The homing spider. If they could take that down, it might bring the battle droids with it. 19 stowed his rifle and readied that concussion grenade again. The spider's lower turret swiveled and gunned down 36 a few meters away. 19 dove toward him, shoulder-rolled as a beam sliced behind him, and came up running. He slid to a stop next to 36 and knelt down, quickly examining his wounds. There was a large burn on the left side of his armor. The wound would have cauterized itself, but the damage had been done. He dragged his wounded brother to the cover of some rock and hit his comm.

"19 to third squad, get to cover! Hide and don't move! Stay out of sight!" He followed his own command and hunkered down with 36.

The wounded clone tried to sit up, "What's hiding going to do? We need to attack that thing."

"Just trust me, 36." 19 looked at the others in his squad. Everyone else was down behind cover and awaiting orders. He then looked at the spider droid. The bottom turret swiveled around looking for them for a moment, then turned its attention to the rest of the troopers behind it. That was 19's chance. He held the grenade in a tight fist and took off running toward the droid. As he rapidly closed distance, he identified what looked like a maintenance panel, something that could be blown off. 19 approached the spider droid and jumped as high as he could, grabbing and hanging on one of the legs. He hung for a moment before pulling himself up and onto the core itself. He climbed around the exterior until he found one of the panels he identified. As he climbed around on the outside of the droid, the battle droids below started to shoot at him. When they opened fire on him, the homing spider thought they were shooting at it, and it gunned down a few of its own droids in response to a threat. 19 hung next to the panel and jammed the armed concussion grenade into one of the seams. He leaned away as the grenade went off and blasted the armored panel off the droid's body. 19 took his rifle from his back and fired a long burst into the hole he had just made to make it as deep as possible. After stowing his rifle again, he took his second concussion grenade from his belt, armed it, and jammed it as deep as his arm could reach into the hole. He released the grenade inside the spider droid and jumped down to the ground. 19 landed in a crouch just as the grenade went off and did some serious damage to the droid. It sank down on one side, dragging one of its legs. The droid was leaning now, but it was still firing, not quite dead.

19 looked back at his handiwork. Still kicking, huh? He ran toward it again and pulled his rifle down. He shot at the joint were the lower turret met with the core. He saw sparks fly from the turret joint and knew he hit something important. He ran up to the turret and located were the firing mechanism should be. He reached his hand in, grabbed something that seemed vital, and began to wiggle it around. He fiddled until the turret fired. The tributary beam lanced out and snapped a droid clean in half. 19 aimed the turret up into the core and tweaked the firing unit again. He jammed the beam weapon up into the joint and wedged the firing unit so it continued the beam, then bolted away. The beam kept firing up into the droid's interior until it burst through the other side. The spider gyrated a bit before crashing down on top of the remaining battle droids and exploding very spectacularly. 19 turned around to admire his handiwork when everything around him began to fade into the large cube sim room they had started this mission in. Everyone was getting up from their cover positions and removing their helmets. 36 was standing up and brushing the carbon scoring from his armor.

28 pulled his helmet off, "These sims keep getting more and more realistic. I almost forgot we weren't really facing a spider droid."

36 removed his helmet as well, "The missions aren't real, but the pain sure is. Who's the wise guy who keeps putting these shockers under our armor?"

76 looked over to 36, "It's part of the training armor, 36. Your real armor doesn't have them." The "dead" soldiers were all getting up from the floor as well. When incapacitated in a simulation, the armor shockers deliver a constant stun pulse to the clone's nervous system to temporarily paralyze them and keep them out of action.

The door opened and the training briefer, a Kaminoan, came gracefully striding in, "Gamma unit, assemble in the briefing room in fifteen minutes." The entire unit cycled through the equipment room to remove their armor and weapons before gathering in the briefing room. The platoon was gathered in the amphitheater-like room talking about their recent simulator victory when two Kaminoans came to the lectern and got everyone's attention.

One that they recognized as the sim operator spoke first, "Gamma unit, you've all preformed very well. There were several of you that required some assistance. For those who gave that assistance, well done. Over all, the unit performed with ninety six percent efficiency. Nine KIAs reduced efficiency to ninety. All targets were destroyed, so that raised efficiency back up to ninety three percent. In total the unit performed superbly." The tall creature paused, "With me is someone you may recognize. I would like you all to give Prime Minister Lamma Su your undivided attention." He stepped aside and let the Prime Minister up.

As Lamma Su took the lectern, 76 stood up, "Attenhut!" The whole of Gamma unit stood to attention and saluted. Lamma Su took the podium and smiled, "Thank you. At ease." The clones all took their seats.

"I'm not here for a lengthy speech, so I'll be brief. I simply wanted to congratulate this unit on its fine work. Thus far, you are one of our best units in the training program. You are second only to Delta and Tau units, and are equal with Omicron, Rho, and Chi units. You leave all the rest behind. I should inform you that you are an inspiration to all your other brothers. Well done and keep up the impressive work. Thank you." The clones remained seated and silent as Lamma Su relinquished the lectern back to the trainer.

The trainer, too, was brief, "You are done for the day, Gamma unit. You also have a couple of hours before you need to be asleep. I suggest you use them wisely. Dismissed." The clones all stood, saluted, and filed out of the room. Once the platoon was gone, the two Kaminoans in the room were joined by two more, Taun We, Lamma Su's aid, and Zalma Far, one of the training techs.

The trainer sat down next to Lamma Su, "Truly, sir, what do you think of this unit?"

The Minister gave a Kaminoan approximation of a shrug, "I was completely honest in what I told them. They are one of the best in the program. I believe they will be quite valuable to the Republic."

The trainer shifted anxiously, "As I thought you would say. On that note of unit skill, there is one member of Gamma unit I would like to make mention of, being 319."

Lamma Su looked to his aid, "Call up his record, please."

"Checking. A moment…" Taun We was looking at her data pad, "CT-01/319. Trooper. 3rd Sector Army, 212th Infantry Attack Battalion, Gamma platoon, third squad. Notes from trainer for tactical excellence, superior marksmanship, stamina, and demonstration of leadership qualities."

Lamma Su nodded, "He sounds to me to be a superb unit. What might be the problem?"

The trainer leaned forward, "The problem would be what to do with him. He's simply too good to be kept where he is. He has repeatedly bested his squad leader and even his lieutenant. On multiple occasions he has shown great skill, prowess, and bravery. He is simply too good to remain a trooper under command."

Lamma Su nodded again, "So what would you suggest we do with him?"

"I'm not certain. We can't send him to the commandoes. Sergeant Vau would be very displeased with a late arrival that needs complete retraining. We can't move him to a better unit this late in the training either. I'm open to suggestions." The room was silent for a long moment.

"You could promote him."

Lamma Su looked over in the voice's direction, "Could you expound on your solution, Zalma Far?"

Zalma was calmly standing near the wall, "I was thinking that you could promote him within his own unit, sir. Having the best leading the good would drive them on to be the best with him."

The trainer started looking at his own data pad, "That could disrupt my training program immensely. The clones would have to adjust to a new authority position, and that could be counter productive this late in the course. I advise against that course of action, sir."

Lamma Su looked back at Zalma, "Do you have a defense for your idea, Zalma Far?"

Zalma simply nodded, "Sir, if I may speak candidly, you and I have both seen several of their simulation recordings. 319 has repeatedly demonstrated leadership qualities. The clones respect him, rally to him, and often look to him for leadership. He seems to have leadership already, sir, just not on an official basis. With the unit following their training and taking orders from the lieutenant, that could be confusing within the unit and break up cohesion if the troopers begin to take sides. If nothing else, it will maintain unit cohesion."

The trainer looked at Zalma as well, "What if 319 proves unqualified for the position?"

"I have every confidence in 319's capabilities."

The Prime Minister was quiet for a moment, "The idea has merit. Promote 319 to lieutenant and see how Gamma performs. If he is not up to the task, we will have to address the matter when it arises." The Minister rose from his seat and glided out of the room with Taun We in his wake.

Zalma Far was on his way out when the trainer got his attention, "I do hope your suggestion works out. If it doesn't, this could prove disastrous to the unit's training schedule."

Zalma smiled, "As I said, I have full confidence in 319's abilities. I think you'll see what I mean."