//Midnight, just after Rancor squad's crash//
Silas Stood next to the comms officer as the holographic form of Krayt buzzed in and out of existence
"- downed *static* mission *static* time, with minor *static* continue *static* I repeat continue *static that eventually just cuts off*"Any way to reestablish connection and clean it up?" Silas asked the officer who shook his head.
"No sir, my best guess is that the clankers are jamming our long range comms, short range still works however."
Silas nodded
"Right, good to know. Thanks for letting me know, no rest up soldier. We've got a war to wage tomorrow." //Just before sunrise, deep into droid territory//
Hypori's sun rose slowly it rays shining slowly over the pockmarked wastes, in a silence matched only by its odd beauty. A beauty that was shattered in an instant as the whistling bang of a CIS heavy Flak cannon as it spat out its massive shell, the low rumble of the gun soon being joined in concert by the other gun emplacements that guarded the approach to the mesa where the separatists had built their droid factory. All in all a well defensible position, as the mesa was surrounded on all sides by large wide open, flat, plains. which provided the Flak Guns ample opportunity to shred anything that tried to cross to the factory. A fact that Jedi master Silas had to both give the seps credit for, and also curse them for as the smoke and fire that was an AT-PT billowed towards the sky, it's twisted wreckage spinning through the air from the force of the impact. In response to this opening salvo, the large contingent of the 419th that was becoming ever more clear in the morning sun, drove faster towards the mesa, fanning out like a tide of walkers and troops.
From his vantage point on top of the Juggernaut (affectionately called betty by the crew) near the front of the column, Silas could make out the flashes that gave the heavy guns away, touching the com on his left arm the Jedi spoke as clearly as he could in the cacophony of the battle.
"Leutenent Echo! Get your TE's into range, and target their main guns at the large hole to 20 degrees across the slope." Silently Silas gritted his teeth as three of the AT-TE's in the charge broke ranks and accelerated to as fast as their six legs would take them. A few of the smaller walkers followed them in a loose formation to screen their approach. Unsurprisingly the heavy guns began to target this group, resulting an a couple of the lighter walkers being taken out in an instant. With one AT-PT being flipped onto its side, due to the blast wave.
Silas knocked on the Juggernaught's hull
"Keep moving! I'll be back in a moment!"Launching himself from the wheeled vehicles top, Silas twisted his body and landed softly on the hard packed dirt. Darting off with as much speed as his force augmented legs could carry him, the Jedi mast wove his way through the wave of clones, coming upon the downed PT. Igniting one side of his saber staff the echani jumped onto the side of the walker, and began to cut his way into the smoking hull. After cutting a crude hole and throwing the cut out hunk of metal with a simple force shove, Silas reached into the walker and pulled the slumped form of a clone. Keying his comm the Jedi called for a medic as he pulled the injured man to the dirt.
"Dont move to much, it'll be alright soldier." The clone groaned in response as blood ebbed from beneath a tear in his armor, a sound that was almost lost as the mass driver cannons of the three AT-TE's that had split from the main group opened up, resulting in a thunderous detonation as a couple of the rounds struck true into one of Flak Cannons.
Finally the medic arrived and began to treat the injured pilot, freeing the Jedi to begin another sprint to catch up with the Juggernaut that had made considerable head way, despite becoming the target of a few flak guns. Catching a ride from a passing AT-RT, Silas was able to see out across the now sweeping offensive, smoke, fire and bodies strewn here and there.
"Damn it Krayt, we need those guns down now." he swore under his breath as the fast moving walker caught up to the wheeled juggernaut. Thanking the driver, Silas jumped to the top of the Juggernaut as two cannons in the distance trained the large barrels towards the roller. Silas felt the guns sights, felt the rounds being loaded by the auto loading mechanisms, felt the impending launch of the molten, burst shells. Yet just as he was about to let out the order to abandon the craft the most unsual thing happened... nothing.
The cannons did not fire, indeed it seemed that all of them stopped firing altogether. A new silence filled the air, mixed with the shuddering anticipation of the clones, which was replaced by a triumphant cry as far off in the distance a fireball of massive proportions filled the sky. Silas allowed himself a grin as he shouted out
"Alright boy's looks like the slog's over! Now, lets get us a factory!" . with a surge the 419th moved forward at an invigorated pace. Even as a rumble began to emanate from the factory as a massive amount of droids were let loose to try and halt their advance, the 419th pushed on, once more earning its nick name as the "Warhammer". Atop the juggernaut, Silas opened up a com channel to Krayt, reveled to find that it was no longer jammed.
"Krayt you magnificent piece of work, I dont know weather to reprimand you for being late, or hug you for saving my skin." The tired voice of Krayt responded with a low chuckle
"If its all the same to you sir, ill take the reprimand. A hug might be a bit awkward."Silas laughed
"Too right. Can you get over here before we clean house?""I recon we can sir, just called for a gunship. Seems the AA grid when out with the heavy cannons. We'll be over there ASAP.""Right. See you then." Silas closed the channel and opened a new one to the driver of the juggernaut
"Keep us rolling, right on through the droids. I want to be in that factory in record time! Sooner we take that out the sooner we go home!"The roar of the engine and a jump of speed was all that the Jedi master needed for a response.
//A couple minutes later//
Blaster scored, and wounded the Juggernaut rolled to a halt in front of the open main gate to the factory. Disembarking Silas waved a couple squads to his side and ignited both blades of his saber to lead the foray into the dark interior. All nerves where on edge as they made their way into the superstructure, meeting little to no resistance. A worrying fact. Still the clones and Jedi pressed on into the heart of the droid-works, soon coming to a large turbo lift that obviously when up into the main part of the factory. Silently Silas waved the squads to fan out onto tow sides of the lift while he strode to the center. With a wave of his hand he activated the console and sent the lift racing up tube. When it reached the top, they were greeted not by the sight of a factory floor, but a large entryway, at the end of which stood an open door, through which Silas could see the glow of many holo screens and the shadows of only a couple droids.
Silently the squads and jedi made their approach, all readying for any fight that was to come. Signaling for the squads to halt Silkas silently crept into the room, which while dark, had the air of importance about it as a green flickering holo map showed the battle below and various screens showed troop numbers and distributions. At the far end of the map stood a single droid, a T-series who was still punching in orders into the maps main interface. With a boom echoing from the outside, the map flickered, giving it's now reliance on the backup power away.
"Welcome Jedi." Its monotonous voice sounded "I must applaud you for breaking through my guns. A near suicidal shadow op to destroy the generator was... unexpected, but has been logged for future use. Also, the general was quite clear in his orders that all Jedi were his to deal with. But due to his absence and your presence... I do not think he will mind too much when I deliver both yuor saber and the test results of the prototype to him."
"What?" was all Silas had time to say as the door leading to the turbolift slammed shut and two hidden ones opened to allow a number o B-2's to march out to engage the squads. Just as the Jedi master turned to rush to the clones aid, a blast door slammed shut in his face, cutting him off. Turning once more to the T-series, Silas saw that a hulking, dark plated, B-2 had emerged from the shadows flanked by two thinner, more agile droids armed with electro staffs. As those two moved around the map the large, dark metal, B-2 folded out its own armament, a pair of twin blaster cannons instead of hands. As the B-2 opened up, Silas lept into action, both figuratively and literally. Lunging at the first electro staff wielding droid, Silas drove the thing back, still it was supriseingly good for a droid, plus it had help from its friend. As both drove into the Jedi master with a flurry from their staffs, Silas quickly sized up the situation and reached out with the force, sending one of the staff droids flying with a shove. Which, despite crashing against a wall with surprising force and going through a couple of computers it still stood up, its head dangling from its torso. Grunting, Silas turned his full attention to the other staff, and with a quick twirling cut, severed the arm of the droid. who didn't seem all that phased.
Disengaging, Silas was beset by the B-2, who's cannons ripped up chunks of rock as they struck the floor. Thinking on his feet Silas sent himself into a backwards somersault into a slashing strik into the b-2's torso.
Only to have the blade that struck the droid fizzle and die out of existence as it struck home. Something that surprised Silas to say the least, causing a slight falter in his form, only to receive a hit from the droid for his troubles, which sent him careening back into the map console, the hard impact jarring his saber from his hand. Slumping to the floor Silas tasted blood and smelled it as it seeped from his nose, dripping to the floor. His torso and back hurt, and as he brought himself to his feet he knew that it was going to hurt in the morning. Reaching out he attempted to call his saber to him, only to be thwarted by the B-2 as the bringing its foot down on the shaft, it's sheer weight making a reletivly simple task all the more difficult and providing the opening for the two wounded staff droids to engage the Jedi.
Jumping out of the way, Silas landed on the far side of the room entering into an echani hand to hand stance. Not ideal for droids, but it would do. He was about to engage once more when his heart broke, the B-2 had shifted its attention from him to his saber under it's foot, one of its blaster arms opening up a few salvos onto the weapon, shattering at least half of it.
For most rage would be the logical outcome of this travesty, rage at the world and the droid. But for Silas it was something else, a cold numbness. Like ice water flowing into his system, a clarity and drive filled him. It was like the world moved in slow motion, blocking a strike from the one armed staff droid Silas lunched a jump kick into the chest of the other, knocking it off balance. Lashing out with an elbow strike to the one armed one, as he was in the air, Silas landed as the droid staggered slightly due to the sheer force of the hit. Grabbing its staff before it could recover, the Jedi master twisted it quickly and brought his foot down and into the droids knee, felling it. Now armed once more, the nearly headless droid closed in. Only to find the Jedi ready for it, and driving into it with just as much force.
After a short bout Silas saw his opening and drove his staff into the things chest, a dull red eye making the perfect target. With a buzz and a sigh the thing collapsed. Grabbing it's staff Silas ran at the odd B-2, leaping over the map and it. As he landed behind it Silas reached out with the force, both his hands curling to claws even as he held the staff. Gritting his teeth Silas pulled, not towards him but apart, the armor of the droid whining in protest as it shifted and moved. Satisfided the hole was big enough, Silas drove the electro staff into the B-2's back. It shuddered, buzzed, and died, it bulk falling to the side, freeing what remained of Sila's lighsaber.
Calling it to his Silas thumbed the remaining activation switch, and with a silent thanks the remaining half buzzed to life. With a quick backhanded stroke, the Jedi master removed the T-series and moved to the map controls. Hitting the release for the lock down, he was ready to see the slaughter that awaited him outside, the dead and dieing clones. But this day was not done with the surprises, as instead of droids he was met with the familiar armor of Krayt, and what battle ready members of Rancor squad remained. A look an a nod were all the two needed as the clones moved to secure the room, dispatching the still crawling one armed droid.
"It's good to see you alive Krayt." Silas nodded as he walked up to his commander.
"Good to see you too sir, sorry we couldn't get here earlier or..." Krayt's voice trailed as he looked down at the halved lightsaber.
Silas waved his hand
"Don't worry about it Krayt. My master always said the force gives us opportunities in the oddest ways. Perhaps this is one of them. Another I hope is a waiting transport outside?" [color=f7941d]"Aye sir. You'll also be happy to know that the main force is now just mopping up. It'll take some time, but thats a job for the garrison troops. Also you might like to know, you've got a message from corocaunt sir, marked from the Jedi, so I thought you's like to respond."[/header]
Silas nodded his thanks and moved to leave, when he stopped, turning slightly Silas pointed towards the odd B-2 and the head of the T.
"As odd as it may sound Krayt, I want those salvaged and with me and you as we return to the Intent." Krayt nodded and motioned a couple clones over to help him with the B-2, as Silas moved to the Turbolift looking at the ramins of his lightsaber. The metal was scorched from the blasts, and seemed permanently so but ti still functioned well enough, but it was still broken. A problem Silas hoped to fix, as the gears in his head turned.
//Aboard a LAAT gunship, en-rout to the orbiting Relentless Intent//
Silas looked over Rancor and Krayt, they were battered and bruised, much like himself, but were no real worse off. Flicking his eyes to the slumped, inert droid, that still garnered three guards for it. Silas hoped to learn something from it, and put it to use in able. But that was in the future, so instead Silas turned his attentions to a portable holoterminal that had been set up in the front of the hold. As it had already been routed through the
Intent's comms array all Silas had to do was turn it on and key in the comm channel that was provided, his own form appearing in the other terminals as he joined the call. He probably looked a bit roughed up, but he honestly didn't care at this point.
"This is Jedi Master Silas Va'aan, commander of the 419th. Checking in as asked sorry for my appearance, haven't had much time to clean up yet. 
