THE ARC: A CLONE WARS STORY

- Execute order 66!

- It will be done my lord.
This is what Arc captain Steev heard in his head, in the middle of a
battle on the planet Deforis. A little confused and with a headache
he concentrated on the battle shooting the last battle droid.
In the background were only cheers from his fellow brothers for
winning the battle. However, for Capt. Steev the real battle only
began.
His only objective was to find his superior, general Jom Anan and
kill him without hesitation. It seems like the Capt. was driven by
an undeviating will of following this single order.
He transformed into a being with no personality and all he knows
about him is his name and that is a servant of the Chancellor like
the other clones.
After this short moment he went to a group of fellow clones and
started a cold conversation, which was something strange:
- Soldiers! We need to secure the perimeter and to improve our
defences! There is no time for celebrations! Now, MOVE!
A bit surprised the clones quickly dispersed, obeying the orders.
Now, the Captain’s new move was to go in the HQ to analyse the
situation and to find out when the jedi will came on the planet.
Meanwhile, in the space a Venator class destroyer emerged from
hyperspace engaging the three Separatist vessels commanded by
General Grievous himself. Both sides deployed their fighters in no
time.
Back on the Republican destroyer general Anan tried to contact the
trapped troops from Deforis, but the communications were jammed.
Therefore, the only objective was to destroy the enemy fleet against
all odds.
Back on the planet Capt. Steev was seeing the ongoing battle and
said loudly:
- The clankers will end the jedi! with a bit of joy in his tone.
However, the entire staff looked now at the Capt. without saying
anything, perhaps were just stunned by what they heard from their
boss.
Suddenly sergeant Wasper broke the silence:
- Sir, with all due respect HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? You can’t say
something like this! On that ship is our general and OUR BROTHERS!
Enraged Capt. Steev replied:
- Sergeant you have no idea what you are talking about! I have
orders as you have and I am going to OBEY THEM!
- Sir, what are you talking about? asked clone trooper Blond.
In the Captain’s head now was a shock. What just happened? Why he
said that about the jedi and his brothers? There was no logic.
- I’m terribly sorry, I don’t know what happened to me. I just
remember that after the battle I had a terrible headache and I
forgot who I was. I simply blacked out.
- Sir, you better go and rest a while, it seems that the battle put
a toll on you I’ll handle things from here, said sergeant Wasper.
- No, I’m fine, I’ll stay, do not worry about me, now as you were;
responded the Capt.
However, the headache turned, and to protect his brothers from
himself he ran to his quarters, but not before talking to his men:
- You are right sergeant, I will go in my quarters, check my gear …
You’re in charge while I’m gone, and if there are any updates keep
me informed.
After this statement the Capt. left leaving again his comrades
surprised:
- There is something strange about the Captain, boys; spoke Aag.
- Yeah, he never leaves his post like this, and I mean never, said
Gyxx.
- Not about that Gyxx, well about that too, but you haven’t seen how
he’s acting? Suddenly he became cold, distant, and is saying weird
stuff like the clanker’ll end the jedi.
- I wonder if he is a Sep spy.
- Shut up, Blond, the Captain won’t do something like this and we
know for a long time. I’m a bit worried too but maybe it’s just the
toll of the battle said the sarge.
- Maybe, I mean we are here, stranded for what? Three rotations?
said Gyxx.
- Yeah, it’s been tough, and the clankers are coming wave after
wave, it’s impossible said Aag.
- Alright, cut the chatter. Gyxx, Blond back on your duty, and Aag
go do your ARF stuff.
- Yes, sir responded Gyxx and Blond.
- Yes, sir but if I might add I have no walker and I’m the only ARF
trooper here so I’ll go prep the guns.
- Sarge! We have a problem!
- What is it, Gyxx?
- We’ll have company.
- Sound the alarm and Aag go inform the Capt.
- Yessir.

Meanwhile, Capt. Steev was walking down the hallway, just a few
steps and he’ll be in his quarters when suddenly he heard the alarm
and a known voice:
- Sir, Captain! We are under attack!
It was ARF trooper Aag.
- Well, there’s no time for rest. Go and command the cannons, I’ll
go on the frontal defences.
It was hard for Steev to concentrate because he had this mission
assigned by who knows and it was a nightmare, a living hell. He is
trapped in his own mind with no way to escape the only thought is
about THE MISSION which is unknown to him.
On the battlefield thing were bad, very bad.
- It seems that the Seps are tight on time boys!
- Shut up, Joker.
- Afraid you won’t get any clankers, O’Two?
- Status report, NOW, said a distant voice.
- Captain, sir, the droids are attacking in sectors E6 and F8, but
this time they have AATs, Tri-droids, and even cannons.
- Which sector is vulnerable?
- Well… aaaa… Sector F8, they have no cover, only trees.
- Order the cannons to support them, and take 3 men to reinforce
them, I’ll handle sector E6.
- Yes, sir.
The Capt. was already gone when Joker called 3 troopers to go in
sector F8. As the four clones rushed to their destination one broke
silence, it was O’Two:
- Hey, Joker, you got frightened by the Captain ‘cause you left all
your gibberish behind?
- Whaaat? ... Nooooo
- You should. I heard he went mad. The boys from the HQ told me.
- Yeah, so? He had a to manage a lot in these three rotations, said
Joker.

Meanwhile, in space the balance started to turn into the Republic’s

favor. The boys from the Grey squadron managed to provoke medium
damage to a Separatist frigate after a trench run. On General
Grievous’s ship things were not so good.
- YOU FOOLS! Concentrate all fire power on the star destroyer,
ordered the furious general.
- But sir, we will vulnerable to those fighters said a pilot droid.
The General, already walking around, punched the droid in his head,
adding:
- I want that JEDI CRUISER DESTROYED!
- Sir, we have an incoming transmission, reported another droid.
- From Count Dooku?
- No, general, from the troops on the planet.
- Put him through…
- Sir, we commenced our attack but we encounter strong resistance.
- Press your attack, it’s only a matter of time until they’ll fall.
- Roger roger.
On board of his star destroyer, Jom Anan was hopeful: he can destroy
the Separatist and then can send reinforcements to the planet. His
moment of thinking was suddenly interrupted by a chain of explosions
on an enemy frigate, recovering from this `pleasant’ shock he
started ordering:
- I want Blue and Grey squadrons to press the attack on that
frigate!
- Sir? asked a clone.
- Yes
- We made contact with the garrison on Deforis.
- Put them through.
- General.
- Sergeant Wasper, status report.
- Our garrison has only 100 men, and currently the droids are
attacking in two sectors.
- You are the only high-ranking officer?
- No, it’s the Captain, but we have no lieutenants and only three
sergeants including me.
- How much longer can you defend?
- Not much longer, general. They brought AATs, tri-droids and
cannons.
- Do not lose hope. We already incapacitated a frigate it will be
only a matter of minutes until we’ll sent reinforcements.
- Sir, …
- We lost the transmission, sir, added a clone, I’ll try to re-
establish it.
- No, it was jammed, the only thing we can do now is to concentrate
on the battle.

On the planet, things were bad. In the Captain’s sector the droids
kept coming and with them a hail of fire and destruction. The clones
with only rifles and a few detonators tried to hold the enemy.
- I want two men with me, screamed suddenly the Captain. Also 6
thermal detonators, ASAP!
Shortly the Captain and his ‘team’ began moving until they reached
the right flank of the Separatists.
- The plan is simple: take two grenades each and place them on the
nearest trees to the column. Copy that?
- Yessir, said both clones.
The Capt. managed to place his detonators but there were problems,
one trooper was spotted by the droids.
- Plant those chargers and run, you idiot!
The clone placed one charge but the second exploded in his hand
ending his existence.
- Cuuuuuuut screamed the other clone in pain.
- There’s no time for crying, now move trooper, MOVE; ordered the
Captain.
They left the scene and after few seconds the charges exploded
causing the fall of some trees, which trapped the tanks and the tri-
droids.

In sector F4, where Joker and O’Two were the battle was more
difficult, with droids appearing from behind every tree.
- I’ve got word from the others, boys; exclaimed Joker with a bit of
hope in his tone.
- And what? asked O’Two.
- Well, the Captain took care of the Sep cavalry. They’ll send
reinforcements.
Despite the news, the troops were being overwhelmed. Blaster fire
was coming from everywhere and there was no cover. The droids were
flanking from behind cutting the only way to escape. In the midst of
this madness one trooper stood up with his rifle and started
blasting. It was Joker.
- What are you doing? asked O’Two.
- I’m buying you time, now retreat.
- It’s not the time for being heroes, come. In that moment, when
O’Two’s lips were closing, Joker turned his head probably to tell
his brother something, but before saying anything he was shot and
fell down.
- NOOOO, Joker, NOOOOO.
- Caporal, there is no time let’s go; screamed another trooper.
Seeing what’s happening O’Two retreated along the others.
when the droids reached Joker’s body, he was still alive with a
grenade in his hand:
- THIS IS HOW I RETIRE FROM COMEDY, CLANKERS! said laughing and then
the explosion followed.
O’Two heard it saying in his mind: he’s gone, he really took that
joke in serious.
The retreating clones finally met with their reinforcements: one ARF
trooper, two regulars and coming from behind was the ARC captain
asking:
- What happened?
- Our position was compromised… We’ve been out flanked…; started all
saying.
- Wow, wow, wow, who’s your leader?
- I am sir. Caporal CT-2020. We were flanked from behind by an
entire battalion of droids. This is what’s left of us. We would’ve
been fewer if Joker hasn’t sacrificed.
- We’ll set an ambush here; said the Capt.
In a few minutes, all was done. The Captain, despite his problems,
managed to organise all, and now he had to lead fourteen troopers in
a losing battle. His condition was getting worse: the headache was
now only a small problem. Every time he was blinking thoughts of
killing the Jedi came in. It was very hard to focus, however he,
somehow, found the inner strength to stand up and say a few things:
- Troopers, we’ll enter a battle from where few will survive, but
this is the only way to honour the sacrifices of the others such as
Cut, Joker, lieutenant Kye, and the list can go on. Their deaths
meant something and so will ours. We know when this battle will end
many brothers will be spared and will live to fight another day.
Gear up, now, we’re doing this FOR THE REPUBLIC.
After his speech, the Capt. went to his position as the others in
complete silence. Immediately, the sound of thousands droid
footsteps started hearing. It was hard for all to remain calm,
especially when you were in a situation such as the Captain. He
decided to close his eyes and try let this madness go. All he was
seeing now was just clone helmets, attacking in silence a moving
target. It wasn’t any droid… it was a Jedi. Every time a blue blast
came in his direction, the Jedi deflected it in another clone, and
this was going again and again. But when the Captain looked closely,
he was petrified. He was every clone that was shooting in the Jedi
and every time he died, no matter what weapon he was having. But
this whole moment of introspection came to an end because he opened
his eyes without realising. The droids were close, very close, so he
began firing.
- What is this?... Clones?!... It’s an ambush!... began saying the
droids as the battle began heating up. Soon the explosions began,
trees began falling and rockets flying.
- Watch those wrist rockets!... said one clone being interrupted by
another saying: INCOMING!
The Captain fought more aggressively than ever. He even left his
position, charging for the droid line without a second thought. He
was just firing his DC-17 hand-blasters.

In space, the Jedi cruiser incapacitated another frigate, leaving

just General Grievous’s ship undamaged. The General, now furious
than ever decided to take his ship and fight. When he was leaving a
droid came to him:
- General, we have an incoming transmission from count Dooku.
- Put him through, responded Grievous.
- General, what is your status?
- The Republic sent one single cruiser to destroy my blockade…
- I already know that you are losing, general, that is why I
summoned you. I want to retreat immediately and rendezvous with the
fleet.
- What about this planet, Count.
- It doesn’t matter compared to your new target, the planet
Bothawui.
- Yes, Count Dooku.
- Set coordinates for the rendezvous point and inform the planet
garrison; ordered the general.
- General, the remaining ship is General Grievous’s flagship.
- What? Why haven’t you announced me earlier, responded to the clone
Jom Anan.
- We couldn’t because only now we could intercept a transmission for
Grievous.
- Divert all power to the cannons. All squadrons attack the
remaining ship; ordered the Jedi.
Before doing something, the Separatist ship changed position and
jumped to hyperspace.
- Prepare the gunships, and the fighters, and tell the ground troops
that we’re coming; said the Jedi.

The Captain realised that the droids will overwhelm them and ordered
the retreat. In this ambush they’ve incapacitated more than one
hundred droids at the cost of 8 troopers. Now, the droids had a
clear path to the garrison.
- This is general Jom Anan, we’ve destroyed the blockade,
reinforcements are on the way, ARC captain Steev.
Hearing this via his commlink the captain lost his focus and almost
fell in a hole. His thoughts were on the coming Jedi… he would
finally end his nightmare. But there was another problem: the clones
that heard him in the HQ, why were they so surprised? ‘They are
traitors. And I must deal with the traitors’ said an inner voice,
unknown to the captain. So, now he had to hurry to the HQ to
eliminate the threats, the traitors. He needed to disappear somehow,
but at that precise moment there was an explosion. He was the only
survivor although there were two injured clones: O’Two and ARF
trooper Aag, the last one being the captain’s best friend. The
captain got up and decided to put the clones out of their misery.
The first one was O’Two, who guessed what was going to happen.
- So, you are really a Sep spy? You betrayed all, captain… and then
he was shot. The next one, Aag was getting up when he heard the shot
but when he turned around, he was already at gunpoint.
- Steev, what are you doing? Why did you shoot O’Two? What’s wrong
with you?
- What’s wrong with you, friend responded with hatred the captain
and the shot his friend.
Now, the path was clear. In a short time, he arrived at the HQ which
was overwhelmed by droids, but instead of helping his brothers he
ran to the command centre where he found all the witnesses: Sergeant
Wasper, Blond and Gyxx.
- Sir, we are being over run but help is on the way, we… we’re going
to survive said Gyxx with hope in his tone.
The captain started blasting without hesitation until all we’re
dead. He headed for the door but it exploded knocking him out.
Steev was now alone with his thought the same nightmare in which he
was dying at the hand of the Jedi. He couldn’t take it anymore; it
was too much. And then the nightmare ended. Now he was all by
himself in the command centre, droid footsteps were hearing down the
hall, but when he saw what was coming, he was astonished. There were
all the brothers he killed. Aag, O’Two, Gyxx, Blond and Wasper. They
had no helmets, and all were looking a him as they started firing at
him, but Steev wasn’t dying he’s feeling the pain but he’s not
dying. The voice he heard previously in his head started again:
‘This is the real deal. You are the only traitor. You killed
innocents and you deserve to live forever in this nightmare’.
- What have I done? started asking himself repeatedly.