Chapter 26 - Turning Point [Continued 2] (1/2)

Part 3

Krayt Company positions, Alpha Site, Ryloth

I glared at the woman. This stunt with the overgrown bugs turned into living bombs was too creative for the run of the mill CIS imbeciles, while being exactly what a Mandalorian would do. For fun, amongst other things. I wondered if her armor was just for show or if she was the real thing.

The female I was keeping suspended in mid air shrugged. ”It seemed a good idea at the time.”

”Indeed.” I muttered.

If those things had reached our lines and detonated, my men would have suffered severe casualties. Anything less than missile strikes was pretty useless at taking down the animals.

”What is your game, I wonder?” I thought aloud while studying her armored form.

I liked what I saw. Heavy armor, enough weaponry to make Boil and Waxer drool... She could fit right in with the Empire's Mandalorian auxiliaries from my past. Not to mention she had curves in all the right places...

I shook my head in an attempt to get my mind out of the gutter. It wad too damn long since the last time I had gotten laid. I didn't have time to act like a hormonal teen.

”Like what you see?” she asked.

”Oh, my! Definitely!” shouted one of my soldiers.

”Waxer! If you will.” I snapped.

Metal striking metal sounded from behind me.

”Ow! What did I do this time?!” grumbled Boil.

”Thank you, Waxer.” I quipped.

I swear I could hear Cat muttering something about idiots and the nastiest ȧssignments he could find for them.

A bit of telekinetic manipulation and a soft clicking could be heard as the seals holding her helmet popped open. I waved my fingers, and it lifted revealing a beautiful face framed by a crop of shoulder length fiery red hair. I blinked at her.

I knew her! Ironically I remembered more bits from the later seasons of the Clone Wars than the first few, and all things considered, that was information that was already mostly useless. With the changes that occurred, it was highly unlikely that most things that I could recall would happen in a similar way, if at all.

The first time I had any recollection of this woman was while reading RI intel briefings. Granted, those things were largely a work of fiction with only hints of reality mixed in, but they had her name and possible allegiance.

”Bo-Katan Kryze. Fancy meeting you here.” I smiled under my helmet. ”How's your sister nowadays?” I quipped.

For few seconds her face was a mask of utter shock before she schooled it back in a cold mask.

”We need to have a chat,” I declared. ”But I am curious. You are supposed to be one of the best amongst the Death Watch. So, lets put that to the test. I want to see if this age's Mandalorians are anything like the ones I had the honor to fight side by side with during the Great war.

”Captain Cat, give us some space and don't interfere.” I ordered.

”A challenge, eh?” she gave me a lopsided grin, before snatching her helmet and putting it on.

”I accept!” she declared and drew her blaster pistols.

=RK=

Ghost Company, Gama Site, Ryloth

”They are flanking us!” shouted a clone.

His voice came over the roar of battle and was bȧrėly heard by his comrades.

”Of course they are...” grumbled Cody.

He blew off the head of an irritating B1 droid, before snapping out orders: ”Send in what's left of the reserve to the right flank!”

”This could have gone better.” muttered Kenobi.

He and his men had managed to break through the outer perimeter of the village and take the first two rows of buildings, before the CIS forces counterattacked. The battle had been raging ever since.

Obi-Wan felt his men falling one after another. By now, over a third of the clones were down, and the droids showed no sign of relenting in their attacks. Ghost Company simply didn't have the firepower necessary to stop the onslaught.

From the corner of his eye, Kenobi saw a trooper have his ċhėst perforated by a long burst of blaster fire. The man slumped back, never to move again.

Obi-Wan glared at the machines. They had to reach the cannons and disable them. Every minute they delayed meant more people were dying all over the planet.

=RK=

Torrent Company, Beta Site, Ryloth

”Master! Is this your whole plan?!” shouted Ahsoka.

She was back to back with Anakin, in the center of a large intersection. Nearly a hundred droids were advancing towards them from four sides, constantly shooting at the two Jedi.

”Pretty much!” he answered with a confident grin on his lips. ”Just about now! Wait for it...” he trailed off.

Even more droids were joining the onslaught, straining the Jedi's ability to deflect blaster bolts.

”Wait for what?! There are more clankers coming!”

Anakin frowned. He used telekinesis to activate his wrist mounted comm. ”Rex! Where are you?! We can't hold them for much longer!”

Couple of seconds later, the Captains voice came back.

”We are a bit busy here, sir!” screamed Rex, so he could be heard.

Two hundred meters away, most of Torrent company was pinned down by two platoons of Super Battle droids, which came to reinforce their metal brethren.

”Those B1s are trying to flank us, sir!” someone shouted.

”Send Echo squad to stall them!” snapped Rex. ”General, we won't be able to make it in time. A platoon of SB's just got between us, sir! We don't have the firepower to dislodge them any time soon! They are taking defensive positions and trying to contain us!”

Anakin cringed. ”Snips, we've got a problem.”

”You think!?” she deadpanned. Ahsoka could see a couple of droidekas rolling towards them.

Part 4

Krayt Company position, Alpha Site, Ryloth

I sealed my helmet and brought my lightsaber back to life. I did it just in time to deflect a burst of fire from the red-haired woman. Her blasters were snapping shots at meas fast as she could pull the trigger.

She apparently had trained to fight against Force Adepts, because her blasterfire was targeted at my blade, near the hilt. That increased the chance of my saber being blasted out of my hands from the force of the shots, and made it much harder to reflect her weapons fire back at her. Or that was the theory, anyway.

I used the Force to strengthen my grip and my smile grew. Bo-Katan could prove to be a challenge.

She jumped in the air on jets of flames coming from her rocket-pack. She made a motion with her left hand I was closely familiar with and a rocket flew my way.

I smirked and slapped the weapon away with a telekinetic wave, then I returned the favor. I sent two stun darts from my the launcher built in my left armguard. At the same time, my blade continued to deflect the blaster fire from the airborne mandalorian.

The rocket struck the ground to my right and detonated, showering me with pieces of rock and soil.

Bo-Katan twisted gracefully in the air and my dual shots missed her, spending their electric charges at the wall behind her.

Kryze flew up, ascending over the reflected attack, which smashed through the wall behind her. She rotated in mid air, so the missiles mounted on her back were pointing my way.