Chapter 195 - At Most We Will Die (1/2)

The wall shook as another laser cannon shot hit it. The metal bent and broke, and a piece of the outpost's walls fell down. If this kept on for much longer, the whole wall would cave in, and the defenders would fall with it.

”Storge! Any idea on how we can take down those Tri-droids?”

”No, sir. Our RPS-6 Rocket Launchers are all used up. They didn't even scratch the armor of those things at this distance.”

”Arghhh!!!”

In the short seconds when they were discussing, a trooper, who showed himself to fire at the incoming army, died, his helmet and chest armor almost melting due to the number of lasers that hit him. A Twi'lek freedom fighter soon suffered the same destiny.

”Sub-commander Dageer! We are being slaughtered!”

Apele ran over to him at the same time that Dageer was firing at the droids, which incited a heavy response by the clanckers. His body moved before his mind could even process the information, and he swiped his leg, throwing the Twi'lek on the ground. Red lasers missed her by millimeters, and she laid on the ground dumbstruck.

The clones ignored the surprised freedom fighter, and returned fire, but they were terribly outnumbered. Many troopers fell at the cost of just a few dozen droids. After several more minutes, the wall was impacted once more, and another huge hole appeared. Just a few more shots and it would break entirely. Dageer decided they had defended the outpost for long enough.

”Sergeant! Apele! Start the retreat. Fifty kilometers from here is another one of our bases. That will be our second line of defenses.”

”Yes, sir!”

”Yes, Dageer.”

The defenders retreated quickly, and went to the south wall. From there, they would take speeders and flee.

But destiny wouldn't let the Republic forces get away so easily. A stray laser cannon shot hit the rock slopes that surrounded the outpost, and a large boulder fell on top of the speeders. The moment this happened, Hell Squad, Apele, and two other freedom fighters, as well as another four clones, were still inside the outpost.

As the dust settled, Dageer saw that the BARC speeders were destroyed. Unfortunately, even though they now had no means to escape, they could still be considered lucky. Under the rocks, boulders, and pieces of the wall, broken limbs and white armor could be seen.

”Storge! Storge! Are you there?!”

Several seconds trickled by when there was no response. But them, Dageer heard someone m.o.a.ning. Quickly, he and the others pushed aside the rocks on the away, and found Sergeant Storge and two other clones still alive. They were lucky to have been on the outskirts of the rock slide.

As Dageer pushed another rock aside, Sergeant Storge groaned in pain. The armor on his right leg was broken, and a horrible wound appeared under it. Flesh and blood mangled together, and bones could be seen cutting through the skin. Dust and small rocks were on the wound, making it even more painful to move. The other two clones were also hurt, one of them with a broken arm, and the other had lost his helmet, and his head was bleeding profusely.

”Three-four!”

”On it!”

The medic knelt down near Sergeant Storge, and started cleaning and bandaging the wound. However, in the middle of a battle and without supplies, there was no way he could treat it properly. Meanwhile, Dageer ordered the others to pay attention to the north wall. Cracks and holes were appearing on it, and the Separatist army could be seen through them. Luckily for the Republic forces, the rockslide hadn't totally blocked their escape path.

”Sub-commander.”

Dageer turned around and saw Lieutenant Fondor. The lieutenant had been one of the few lucky ones who weren't near the BARC speeders.

”Lieutenant.”

”We have to move sir. But... I don't think Sergeant Storge and the others will make it.”

Dageer looked at the lieutenant. As a soldier, he knew very well what Lieutenant Fondor meant. As a clone, he knew how painful it was for his brother to suggest it.

”The lieutenant is right, sir. We will only slow you down. Me and Torc here will hold the seppies for as long as we can.”

A coarse voice interrupted Dageer and Lieutenant Fondor. Although they had been talking quietly, Sergeant Storge had heard them. The clone had taken off his helmet, revealing a familiar face. He gestured to the trooper with the head injury, Torc.

”Leave us here and go, sir. You can't let the clanckers win, and dying here won't help.”