Secure Meeting Room, Tipoca City, Kamino
"Alright then," Ciaran announced. "Master Skirata, if you don't mind...?"
Kal shrugged. "As long as everyone has a buddy, I'm fine, and my boys here will be certainly accommodating. You know your team better than I do."
"Right then. Gulan, you will be going with Fixer."
The Bothan quirked an eyebrow at his companion who politely saluted, but didn't say anything.
"Silencer, you will be going with Boss."
For his part Boss nodded affirmatively at the Silencer, who as usual did not react to the news in any noticeable way.
"Thrawn, you will be with Sev."
Thrawn bowed politely to the sniper, who cocked his head in what was either curiosity or derision-it was hard to tell.
"Grievous, you and Ordo will go together."
The two of them promptly entered into a brief but intense staring match, which ended with Grievous nodded with respect and Ordo shrugging.
Before Ciaran could speak to Scorch, the commando facepalmed. "So, I get to be the one guarding the VVIP, great," he muttered, then glanced at Ciaran again. "One question; how do you feel about explosions?"
The rest of the Deltas went through various motions of exasperation as Ciaran arched an eyebrow and coolly responded with "I've found that there are very few problems precisely placed charges can't solve."
"
Exactly," Scorch happily said.
"If you two are
done," Kal said derisively, "we've got work to do. I'll get on the horn and let the rest of the boys know what's coming, but for now you all need to get ready. Now then..." Kal muttered as he typed in something and the projector's image changed to display a squid-like vessel. "This right here is a Trident-class assault ship, which given the way they came in are what the Seps are going to be attacking us with." He gestured to the "beak" of the ship and continued, "These things have durasteel drills that allow them to pierce through regular metal, and given their maneuverability I can't tell you
exactly where these things are going to land." After finishing, Kal pressed another button and the display changed to an image of Tipoca City. "What I
do know is that they're going to be going after the primary cloning facilities and the clone cadet barracks," and as he spoke the locations he mentioned lit up, "so we know where they're
going. Odds are though that they'll try to break through the main hangar, but the boys should be able to handle that themselves."
"We're going to be running counter-ops," Ordo cut in. "While we're going to aid the others if needed, our main job is to make sure the Seps don't have any commando droids running around. And odds are that our missions will lead you right to your Sith."
"Right. That's all for now, everyone prepare yourselves and try not to get each other killed," Kal dryly noted, though he shot an unreadable expression in Jango's direction. "Jango and I will be staying here for a bit while we report to the brass."
Everyone in the room began to filter out barring the two Mandalorians. Kal quietly began to prepare a message for the Republic forces as Jango looked on with indifference.
"Do you really need me here right now-"
"How long do you plan on running from who you are?" asked Kal, interrupting Jango's comment, not even bothering to look at him. The bounty hunter was nonplussed and coldly noted, "I have to survive, Kal, and you know damn well why."
Kal finished his message and looked up back at Jango. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Kal dropped his head. "I know," he said quietly. "The thought of my boys losing their freedom like that..." He looked back up at Jango with an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Jango, whether you like it or not those boys out there are your
vode in blood and in spirit
. You
have to help them."
"All I
have to do," Jango coldly responded, "is to do what the Republic tells me, survive, and get paid."
Kal glared at him. "Would you say that if Boba was a soldier?"
The room went silent as the two men stared each other down anger visible on both their faces. "
That is what it's like for me knowing about this now," Kal said. "You can deny it all you want, but you
are still a Mando, Jango. And a Mando would
never turn his back on his
vode at a time like this."
The two continued to glare at each other before Jango stormed out of the room. Shaking his head and sighing, Kal went back to the terminal and placed a call to the Republic field command. "Put me on general communications. I want to tell the troops something."
"Understood, Sergeant Skirata."
"Attention all troops. This is Sergeant Kal Skirata. I'm not one for big speeches, so I'm just going to say this: when you are out there fighting today remember what it is you're fighting for. You're fighting for your home. You're fighting for your brothers who have yet to join you. Remember that, and draw strength from that will you share with your brothers!
Vode An!"
Tipoca City, Kamino
Across the city, the troops preparing for battle went silent after hearing Kal speak. Then, someone-it wasn't certain who-began to
chant. And then more and more began to join in, adding their own voices to the growing chorus that began to echo throughout the entire city.
"Captain Rex, what are those soldiers chanting?" asked Anakin, who was preparing for the battle with him, Obi-Wan, and Cody.
"First time you've heard this sir? That's 'Vode An,' one of the chants we got taught as young clones. It's there to remind us that we're all brothers no matter what."
"This sounds familiar..." Obi-Wan thought out loud. "Is it in Mandalorian?"
"Yes sir," replied Cody. "Jango himself was the one who taught the first of us the chant."
As for the man in question, Jango was elsewhere in the city, going over final checks of his equipment. Though he wasn't around the rest of the troops, he was still able to faintly hear the chanting of the army through the walls. And as he did, he stopped for a brief moment before continuing his checks.
...Though if one listened very closely they might be able to hear a few quiet words spoken.
"Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an."
The chanting continued unabated even as the Separatist's Trident vessels leaped up from the sea and began their attack on Tipoca City.
Perspective Shift:
[] Ciaran/Scorch
"Do you have a plan besides 'blow them all up?'" "Hey, that's only part of the plan."
[] Gulan/Fixer
"How much longer will it take for that slice to finish!?" "Well it would help if I wasn't getting shot at as much!"
[] Silencer/Boss
"Multiple hostiles on all sides." "Good. It'll make our jobs easier if they come to us."
[] Thrawn/Sev
"Anything else I need to know before I begin locating targets?" "Just point out whatever needs to die."
[] Grievous/Ordo
"Never seen that kind of droid before..." "Heh...perhaps this one will actually be a challenge."
AN: Man for being a shorter one this update was a
bitch to write, but this is the last 'talky' update before the 'shooty' updates.
Anyway don't worry about "missing out" on a perspective, just vote for which duo you want to see first; you'll get the chance to see the other groups in action too.
