Chapter 134 - Captives (1/2)

Dageer would have liked if the clones could all follow the same path that the droids did, to enter the outpost. But doing that would cl.u.s.ter all the clones together, and they would be an easy target for the Dwarf-Spider droids and their laser cannons.

So, at some moment, the 303rd would have to spread out. Dageer could only hope that Dab and the others had found all the ion mines, or at least most of them, otherwise it would be a massacre.

As he stepped into the snow, Dageer was searching every corner of the path ahead with his eyes. He didn't want any of his brothers to step on a mine, and he certainly didn't want to step on one himself.

It was when the clones were three hundred meters away from the outpost that the droids opened fire. As they had practiced thousands of times, the clones split, and advanced while returning fire.

With his every time better accuracy, Dageer shot down a droid after another. The droid lines up the walls were being cut down faster than the clanckers could replenish them, but the 303rd was also suffering many casualties. The main culprits were the Dwarf-Spider droids, that could strafe a whole area in one blast. Although the clones were focusing their lasers on the spider droids, their armor could take a lot.

At the same moment that one of the Dwarf-Spider droids finally died, an unlucky clone also detonated one of the ion mines that hadn't been found.

Three other clones were caught in the blast, which were quite few, considering the 303rd still was closely packed together. The second blast, the electromagnetic pulse, was almost harmless, only putting a few detonators out of use.

Hear the screams of the wounded was always terrible, even more so when one couldn't do anything about it. War was horrible, and it showed no mercy. Missing limbs, gaping wounds, soldiers bleeding to death... all of that was still better than the silence of the dead.

After Kuvu's death, Hell Squad didn't get a new medic. A part of it was because they always had some 303rd trooper tailing them. Dageer was, after all, the sub-commander of the 303rd. The other reason was that deep inside, Hell Squad thought that having another trooper that wasn't part of their squad would slow them down. That was arrogance, but they had earned the right to be arrogant.

So, when they heard the injured crying, Hell Squad kept their heads down and carried on. They didn't like it, but their job was to attack.

Another two or three ion mines exploded before the vanguard reached the walls of the outpost. They killed a dozen men when combined, but the number of troopers that reached the walls was more than enough.

”Just like Thule, right, Dageer?!”

By his side, also flattening himself against the wall, was Commander Keeli. Dageer shook his head.

”All I remember of Thule were two crazy men going against an entire base by themselves. At least this time we have more men.”

”I am glad we brought more hooks this time. On three!”

A row of about twenty clones, including Hell Squad, put their DC-15As on their backs, and pulled out hooks. Quickly, they started climbing, and breached the outpost using the windows.

As soon as they let go of the cables, more clones started climbing them. In a few minutes, an entire section of the wall had been taken. It might also have something to do with the fact that two jedis were helping them.

...

Dageer was organizing some clones to move the dead droids out of the way when Tech came to him.

”Sir, General Di asked you to go to the prison area.”

”What is it about?”