[SW The Dark Mercenary] Chapter 12 - Attack Recall

(Jabiim, an hour and a half after troop drop on the ground)

 

Jabiim, one of the most miserable planets to vacation at. Not because of the muddy terrains or rocky areas, but because of the constant rain that always poured down onto the planet. It always made it a miserable and irritable climate to stay on. It hardly ever brings sunshine for a good week, nor does it get any nice temperatures at those times around.

 

Though, that's what Commander Kydan Witress thought.

 

During the constant fire blasts and explosions in front and around him, he couldn't stop thinking of Jabiim any less than Kamino itself. Sure, both planets were actually nice and pretty at times, but at most times, BOTH planets always rained and rarely ever stopped. It was considerably miserable and irritable. He didn't like another second of the planet.

 

Even though he kept thinking how miserable it was here, that didn't deteriorate from his focus of the battle at hand. His shots and defences were precise and made sure not to make a single mistake on the battlefield.

 

Not alone in the fight, he fought along side his Jedi partner, Calena Irune, who was leading the entire assault, wielding her blue saber as she easily and smoothly delfected the droid's gunfire. Gunning from behind were Commanders Breona and Patterns, along with a battalion of the 117th Legion, all gunning down droid after droid, as well as the enemy Jabiimis who allied themselves with their notorious Jabiimi Nationlists leader, Alto Stratus.

 

These clones were the perfect soldiers for this battle. They have all trained under heavy terrains back on Kamino and have proven themselves that they were the best that were still yet to come. They are the greatest soldiers in the Galactic Republic history. So focused on what he was doing, Kydan was snapped out of his trance of thoughts when he heard Calena shouting out to him.

 

Calena- "Kydan, get your head down now!"

 

Just at the nick of time, dropping to the ground on his stomach, a missle launcher shot from behind flew pass him, just a foot away from his body. It flew right into the last portion of droids in the front, depleting each and every last one. With that, all the droids were completely wiped out in their sector.

 

Picking himself up from the ground, now soaked and muddy, he turned his gaze to Calena who looked irritated at him.

 

Kydan- "What?"

Calena- "Couldn't you hear me earlier merc boy?!"

Kydan- "Not with all the constant shooting and what not...no, not really."

 

Marching right up to him, she stood right in his face, now more fustrated than before. He figured that he had said the wrong answer now, and felt quite proud of himself. He just "loved" to get her angry time to time.

 

Calena- "Another second or so if I didn't snap you out of your own thoughts, you would have a giant hole in the back and front of your thick skulled head! Next time, when I say 'get down', you get down! Understand?!"

Kydan- "Actually, in my defence, what I heard was, and I quote, 'Kydan, get your head down now!' before hearing the gun shot from behind. So technically, you didn't say "get down" at all."

 

That little defence made her even more angry. And yet, he was right about that. But she wasn't gonna tell him that. She wasn't gonna let Kydan be the good guy around here. It was pretty much all his fault anyway.

 

Calena- *Growls in fustration* "You are so annoying Kydan, you know that?!

Kydan- *Smirks* "Exactly how, princess?"

 

Now that comment did it. Turning around and glaring at him with daggers, she clutched her fists tightly, ready to beat him up to a pulp if she had to. Which she would.

 

Calena- "I'LL SHOW YOU HOW, YOU SON OF A--"

Pattern- "Uh, genereal?"

 

Calena whipped her head around quickly and snapped at her own commanding officer who was considerably cautious at that moment before being scared half to death.

 

Calena- "WHAT?!"

 

Taking off gaurd and by suprise, Pattern straighten himself before continuing with a softer voice than before. At that moment, he was just scared as hell by his own general, even if he was a captain.

 

Patterns- "U-Uh... G-General Kenobi is contacting us, m-ma'am."

 

Taking a minute to calm down, she blew out some of her stressing air as she takes the comm from Pattern when he presented it to her before turning her head back to Kydan, glaring straight at him deadly.

 

Calena- "I'll deal with you later, jungle boy."

 

Walking back towards the inner defences, Breona and Patterns walk up to Kydan who was a bit bewildered and confused all at once.

 

Breona- "Nice going there, sir."

Kydan- "What the bloody hygerri did I do? I was listening to her exact orders!"

Patterns- "Yes, but you crossed the line calling her 'princess', sir. You of all people know that she hates being called that."

Kydan- "Can't blame me for saying the truth. She is a princess... and a bloody vicious one to say as well."

Breona- "That, we can all agree on commander."

_________________________

 

Few hours later, now evening time on Jabiim, whoever could tell due to the constant raining, the 117th made a small outpost for the time being until moving out the next morning. On Jabiim, the fights lasted for quite a long time, considering that Battle Droids don't sleep. It just made it harder for both the clones, Jedi and Jabiimi loyalists to keep up with the enemy.

 

Many of the clones were resting after the battle, but Calena didn't feel like sleeping. Sure, she was exhausted and stiffed from all the battles recently, but she ddin't have time to rest. Not when the Separatist Army could come and wipe them all out in their sleep. She sat on one of the folded chairs staring straight at the computers that was used for tactical advantages and news reports from the forward fronts.

 

Calena- *Sighs* "This is gonna one of those long weeks...I can already tell..."

Voice- "You could say that again."

 

Widening her eyes a bit, she turned around and saw Kydan holding some type of coffee in hsi hand. She just scowled at him and turned her attention back to the computer screen. She was still furiated with his actions earlier, and she was not in the mood to argue with him.

 

Kydan- "I can tell your still mad at me."

Calena *Sarcasm* "Gee, you don't say. While your at it, maybe you can put yourself in a body bag and send yourself back to Coruscant!"

 

Pulling up one of the stools next to her, he just sat there quietly as he placed the cup down before breaking the awkard tension around them.

 

Kydan- "Here..."

 

Glancing her eyes to the left, she saw him handing her something to drink.

 

Kydan- "I made you some coffee."

 

She just huffed out some air without a care. She was holding her patience as much as possible without losing it.

 

Calena- "No thanks. Coming from you, that's bad enough."

Kydan- "Your gonna need something to drink."

Calena- "I said I'm fine..."

Kydan- "Calena, please, just take the--"

 

Whipping her head directly at him, she got more irritable and fustrated with him now than earlier. She got to the point that he was annoying her to the very least.

 

Calena- "I SAID I'M FINE! I CAN HANDLE MYSELF! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE YOU GEWURAI!"

_________________________

 

(AU: 'Gewurai'; meaning 'idiot' or 'nerf-herder')

_________________________

 

An awkard silence fell between them. Kydan didn't even flinch or feel suprise about Calena's sudden outburst at him. He fully knew why. But he also knew that she was extremely exhausted and tired, from the lack of sleep she had received. Waiting for another few seconds, he spoke back to her softly.

 

Kydan- "...You are exhausted Calena, and we both know that a clear head will help us win this battle. Not sleeping or resting is one of those obstacles that keeps us from doing that. I was only offering you a drink because of those facts."

 

Standing up from his chair, he starts to walk back to his bunk when he looks over his shoulder.

 

Kydan- "If you change yor mind, however, the coffee is right there. Chisera hifuri."

_________________________

 

(AU: 'Chisera hifuri; meaning 'pleasent dreams')

_________________________

 

With that, he walked back towards his sleeping area, leaving Calena alone to have some peace and quiet.

 

She turned her attention back to the computer screen while she started to glance over to the coffee cup that sat on the table beside her. Why would he give her a drink? He knew very well that she could handle herself without any assistance. She was capable enough to fight this battle on her own without him. It was still hard to understand why Obi-Wan had placed her with him at all. She thought that he was pulling her leg to say the least. If he was, it was definetely working.

 

However, after a few minutes, she was now just glancing at the coffee cup rather than the computer screen in front of her. She really couldn't figure out why he gave her a drink. Perhaps he was just buttering up to her to get her mad again after she accepted the drink. She fully knew now that he was a complete idiot then.

 

But that didn't mean that she wasn't gonna stop staring at the coffee cup beside her.

 

Huffing out some air, she directly looks at the coffee cup beside her and reaches over to take it. If he was just gonna leave it there, why leave it to waste? But, then again, he probably did something to it without her even knowing. It could have been a prank, one where she would actually beat him to a pulp without any mercy.

 

Staring down at the coffee cup for a moment or so, she sighed in defeat.

 

Calena- "He better not done anything to it. I'll beat him if he did."

 

Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a small sip of the coffee, ready to spit it out form the grossness and smell that Kydan mixed it with.

 

But, suprisingly and shocking to her, the coffee actually tasted delicious! She hadn't taste something like that for so long, maybe ever since one of her earlier missions when she was a Padawan. Giving off a small smile, she took a regular drink from it as she tried to savor the moment while it lasted.

 

For once in his darn life, Calena thought that he did something good for a change. But she wouldn't dare tell him that. Why risk it when she could just tell him that it was okay? Simple as that.

 

Unknown to her, however, watching from a close distance, Kydan was sitting on his bunk fiddling with his CC-29 "Magna" Pistol he had made a few months back before seeing Calena enjoying the coffee he made her. Giving off a smirk, he drew his attention back towards his weapon.

 

Kydan- *In his mind* Well, at least she drinking it. That's a good start.

_________________________

 

(Jabiim, twenty one days after Battle of Jabiim had begun)

 

It seemed that the Republic forces were on the verge of victory. Recently, for the past week or so, Republic forces were abel to conquer over a dozen enemy defensive positions, drving the remaining Separatist and Jabiimi forces back. With those sectors secured, they were now able to make plans on capturing the main Separatist base and their leader, Alto Stratus.

 

But, the Republic didn't know what Stratus' true intentions were before it was too late.

 

Stratus had held his main forces back for quite sometime as he waited for the Republic forces to be further away from Shelter Base, the main headquarters of both the Republic and Jabiimi Loyalists. With the base vulnerable, Stratus issued a full out attack on Shelter Base, leaving the remaining Republic forces that were left at the base almost defencless. Stratus' forces were abel to inflict heavy casualties, with the assumption of killing two main Jedi Generals with the most part of Padawans that were there as well. The Republic was now at the brink of loose communications and tactical plans.

 

With the Shelter Base now heavily beaten, Kydan, Calena, Breona, Patterns and the remaining forces of the 117th were left to fend off for themselves. They were just heading towards the next sector to take a firm hold until any remaining reinforcements arrived. But, unknown to them at the time, they were quickly ambushed by Separatist Forces, leaving over a dozen Republic troops killed in the first attack.

 

As Kydan, Breona, Patterns and the 117th troops stood their grounds to keep a firm hold on their current positions, Calena was just speaking to Master Leska, now the new high-ranking General of the entire forces of Jabiim after the attack on Shelter Base. However, Kydan nor Calena knew anything about the attack, so whatever news Leska was giving them, it took them all off guard.

 

Calena- "What?! Shelter Base was attacked?!"

Leska- *Comm* "Correct! It appears that Stratus was luring us all out of Shelter Base so he could hit us without our knowledge! We suffered heavy losses, including many Jedi!"

Calena- "Who did we lose?!"

 

Not hearing a single word out of Leska for a moment left Calena pondering very deeply. What had happened at Shelter Base? Who did they lose that she wouldn't even respond to her question?

 

Calena- "Master Leska?"

Leska- *Comm* "...Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Sirrus were both killed in action after an attempt of rescuing survivors inside a damaged AT-AT Walker. I am now currently the highest ranking officer and leading command of the entire forces on Jabiim."

 

Calena didn't repsond at that moment. Did she really here her right? Was Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of her dearest and best friends, die at Shelter Base?

 

Calena- "...Master Kenobi is... dead?"

Leska- *Comm* "I'm sorry Calena, but the reports are accurate. Obi-Wan was caught in the explosion inside the AT-AT to save lives. There were no survivors in the wreckage."

 

Her heart suddenly dropped, smashed into tiny pieces. Her best friend, her favorite mentor, her family, was dead. Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. Of all the Jedi that she knew, she couldn't believe that Obi-Wan would die so suddenly. She loved him as a father, but now he was gone.

 

Sensing shock and sadness in Calena, Kydan withdrew his hold on the front, leaving Breona and Patterns to take the frontal assault, and ran back towards her to see what the problem was. Before he could even ask her, she just saw her with a sad and grim face with a few tears running down her cheeks. Something bad must have happen. And it didn't sound or look good.

 

Kydan- "Calena? What's wrong?"

 

With tears in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks, including from the downpour, she looks up to him and tries to choke up her words. Out of everyone she knew, she didn't want to cry in front of him. That was the last thing she had in mind. She knew very well that she would be teased after all of this because she cried. Because she cried and mourned for her oldest best friend.

 

Clearing her throat, she looks directly at him, not able to hold her small sobs.

 

Calena- "...S-Shelter Base was... annihilated..."

Kydan- "What? What do you mean?!"

Calena- "Stratus...issued a direct attack on the base...we lose a third of our forces...and Jedi..."

Kydan- "Who did we lose?"

 

Not replying to his comment, he grew a bit impatient but still remained calm.

 

Kydan- "Calena, who did we lose?"

 

Still no word from her left her trembling lips.

 

"Kydan- Calena--"

Calena- *Sobbing* "WE LOST OBI-WAN KENOBI! OBI-WAN! IS DEAD!"

 

Silence was only heard, followed by the constant sounds of the rain, gunfire and explosions around them. Kydan's face was competely frozen of shockness. Did he hear her right? General Obi-Wan Kenobi...was dead?

 

Kydan- "...What?"

 

Before another was spoken, a large explosion appeared in front of them both, sending them both flying backwards across the muddy terrain. Whoever else was by them were already killed, concluding that they too must have died from the explosion.

 

The last thing they both seen and heard was the continuation of the battle and rain. However, they last saw Commander Breona and Captain Patterns retreating from their positon with the last handful of their soldiers.

 

Patterns- "Fall back! Fall back! We're outmatched!"

Breona- "No! We need to save them! They could still be alive!"

Patterns- "No time! We have to go now! All units, retreat! Fall back to Outpost Nine! FALL BACK!"

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What did you guys think of this one? We like to make sure that the characters don't intentionally interfere with the protagonists. Don't need them changing the future of the movies or stories anyways lol. Anyhow, this was a fun build to do. We had taken some time going over the planet's terrains and such to kind of get the image of what the planet was really like. I know there isn't much green grass everywhere, and we would have love to use a yellow tanish grass, but was lacking on those supplies as well. And since we didn't really have time, we just kinda went with it. So hopefully it wasn't too big of a fail, but we'll leave it to you guys to answer that for me.

 

So again, thank you all for your wonderful support for the series, and please, continue to give us your feedback on how the story is going and what we could do to approve on. Also, to quickly note, we have reached over 16.7K, 86 favorites and 47 followers within a little over a week tops. The CGN crew and I all want to thank you all for getting us to this point of time. Without any of you guys being here, we would never be at this point of time. So thank you all, you guys are really the best! And on that note, have a fan-tucking-tastic day/night! See ya' in the next one.

 

- Director K.W., CGN Crew Members

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