"How's the situation up there, Shooter?", Thire asked, only to land his eyes upon an amber armored figure standing high up on one of the myriad coral trees. The moment the clone asked that, I paused.
"What'd you just call me?", I asked.
"'Shooter'. Us clones have a habit of naming ourselves as a bonding exercise. Talked it over with the boys. We came up with this name. I know you go by Samus, but right now you're part of my squad so that makes you one of us.", Thire said, looking up at me. He currently held a blaster in his hands.
"It's as the Lieutenant says. Nice to meetcha, Shooter!", Rys said, greeting me.
''Shooter', huh? Not a terrible name, but not quite a good one either. Either way, seeing as the clones dropped this name on me, I'll take it.', I thought. In the end, I simply nodded my helmet, and continued using my visor. It acted as its own scanner, so I didn't need to use any external devices like the clones used when they scouted.
"Point taken. Not that it matters much to me, but if I am temporarily a part of your squad, that means I'll be following your orders, right?", I asked. Following orders is what clones did best. They were designed that way. Thire nodded his head.
"As long as I'm the acting commander here during this mission, you will report to me. I didn't expect you to also have skills as a scout. Are you sure you ain't a Mando?", Thire asked, still doubtful.
"Haha! Worry not. I am no Mandalorian.", I simply said, shaking my helmet. I then turned back to the current situation. "But are you sure we are heading in the right direction? Master Yoda mentioned about not taking a straight path. That I get, but I see not a single droid in our vicinity.", I said, looking at the barren landscape. I could see the gigantic coral tree still hung over the rest, which was the palace where King Katuunko lives during his stay here. That was likely where the Separatists were.
Yet it didn't take long to get some hits on my visor, causing me to pause again.
"Wait a minute, I think I got something. Droids incoming. They're bringing some armored tanks with them!", I exclaimed, sucking in a cold breath of air. While the droids themselves weren't that difficult to deal with, the machinery they operated was no joke. And as I started to see the droids move, I saw one of them scanning around in an attempt to find us.
"I think I see them! There's also one hiding up in one of the trees. Start firing on Sector 11!", One of the droids commanded. Where is that, exactly?
Yet they didn't want for no one. As I continued to observe, the droids began to operate the tanks while they continued driving into the forest. Pew! Pew! Pew!
Red blaster lasers started firing one after another, not hitting us, like at all. The shots they were currently hitting were several rocks and coral trees that were a ways out. Seriously? I mean I know this is the initial entry of the Clone Wars, but these droids could do better. Every single shot they were taking right now was coming up empty. Just knocking up rocks and debris into the air, tearing it apart like nothing. What was this, a firing range?
I just stared in silence. It was Yoda to speak up next.
"At ease be, my friends. Within range we are not. Continue observing, you will, Shooter.", Yoda said, glancing up at me. Even Yoda was starting to call me by that nickname, now? Ugh.
But if I am to stick with these guys for now, I'll continue to listen to them. I need to get paid after all, haha!
As Yoda mentioned, the droids started to struggle, to our surprise. Their blaster fire ramped up, collapsing one coral tree after another. That was with the tanks, and seeing them destroy these trees, I took a mental comparison. Perhaps my Super Missiles were on par with one of these tanks? That's a scary thought.
It didn't take long to see the droids' movement start to waver. We just stood by in defensive positions, ready to fire back. One moment after another, the tanks began to slow down. I saw one droid panic in particular, signaling the droids to stop advancing. It took several tries to issue this command. I know these moments can rub off on funny, but all droids are programs. Seeing them trying to follow the attempt of this single droid to no avail was honestly a struggle. The order finally was acknowledged and the tanks stopped altogether.
I saw the droid shake its head.
"The droids have stopped advancing.", I said, signaling to everyone. "They're disrupting themselves due to how big the tanks are."
"Good. The more distracted those Clankers are, the better chance we'll have to launch a surprise attack.", Thire said, nodding his head. "You can come down, Shooter. We'll draw up a plan of attack."
Hearing this exchange, Yoda simply smiled.
"See? Size is not everything, hmm?", Yoda questioned. "Smaller in number, we may be. But larger in mind, we are, hehehe.", Yoda said, giggling.
"So you say, Master Yoda. But this is still a war zone. We need to be careful. My missiles should work nicely to create a gap in their defenses. Perhaps even take out a tank or two.", I said, jumping back down near them.
"You possess pretty good firepower. We may even have a chance to win this thing.", Thire responded, looking hopeful.
"I still don't know what the general is talking about though.", Jek replied.
"There's never figuring out a Jedi Master. We'll let that role fall onto you Lieutenant. You are our commanding officer after all, haha!", Rys replied, laughing.
"Enough yapping, and more walking. Master Yoda looks like he found a path, so we'll follow. That means you too, Shooter.", Thire said, looking back at me.
"Yes, yes.", I simply replied, allowing the clones to do their thing. Master Yoda even happily skipped along while he mentioned his joke.
After saying that, we all continued along, causing some time to pass. We passed through some more trees along the way, creating a pretty nice gap between us and the droids. They continued to struggle trying to move through the thick coral trees, and doing that only slowed their advances. What was it when you tried to continuously evade or mislead your opponent in hopes to get a better outcome? I think this was called cat and mouse, and obviously the droids are the cat, and we are the mouse. We can maneuver much more easily around these forests.
As I thought that, I heard another couple beeps come through my visor, causing me to pause and shift my gaze to another direction. A couple of droids started to scout ahead on foot, approaching us. Two patrols to be exact. A handful of droids.
"Lieutenant, we've a couple droid patrols coming in on foot. We should get ready.", I said, causing the clones to halt their walking. Hearing that, Yoda's gaze turned serious, and turned around to look at us.
"Now is the time to face the enemy, Lieutenant. Ambush them, we will.", Yoda declared.
"An ambush, Sir?", Thire asked, surprised.
"I think that's doable. We aren't up against the full army here.", I said, giving my two cents.
"Understood. We'll start to go on the offensive.", Thire said, only took around with his own scouter. His eyes landed on a particular spot. "There's a good opening from the right. We'll flank 'em there. Shooter, you can sprawl back up into one of the nearby trees. Wait to fire on my command.", Thire said to me, giving me my own order.
"Understood.", I said, swiftly vanishing from sight, and started to climb up said coral tree. I don't know if I was a natural at this, or if there was a factor playing out like those X Parasites, but I've become quite agile. I could move in ways like you would see a monkey do. I reached the peak of this coral tree in record time flat, and opened up my Power Beam. It was ready to start launching its Seeker Missiles. I wouldn't use my Super Missiles yet, as that would cause too much of a scene.
Seeing me already gone, Thire then looked down at his own squad again.
"Alright, let's move!", Thire commanded, giving the signal to everyone to advance onto the droids.
My heart started to thump in excitement. Little did I dream that I would come across Star Wars at one of its most exciting times, the Clone Wars. Let alone me actually joining in on the fun. Right now, I'm working alongside master Yoda in an attempt to secure this moon and the Toydarians so the Republic can gain another foothold in the Outer Rim. Hopefully my existence will go undisturbed by the Separatists, should I choose to remain in these forests. I don't need to assist Yoda in clashing against Ventress. I am mostly here to help these clones make it out of here alive.
I am not sure if it will bode well if I get placed into Count Dooku's radar this early on. But even if he did end up finding out about me, my gunship can likely outrun him. Boy am I glad it already knows how to jump into hyperspace already. If the engines couldn't do that, I'd be a sitting duck here.
Letting these thoughts swirl around in my head, I saw the three clones take up position, hiding away in a nearby tree. Those droids were marching on, creating that iconic stomping sound you'd hear in the movies. It sounded very uniform. Even Master Yoda went in a different direction than the clones, taking his own path to lay an ambush. A three-pronged attack is pretty good, no? I'm covering aerial, the clones are covering the ground, and Master Yoda is there for any unexpected situations.
Hope was beginning to show in their eyes, mine included.
Time seemed to have slowed down during this moment. I saw Thire work his blaster to get it ready.
Doing a hand signal, as well as looking at me for a brief moment, he reached out from the tree and issued a command.
"Fire!", Thire commanded, letting his blaster rifle immediately shoot one of the droid's heads off. Seeing this droid collapse, the two patrols became momentarily stunned. I too was given my signal to shoot.
"It's nothing personal.", I said, and began to lock onto five targets in succession...