Republic Airfield: On the outskirts of the Republic position.
“
Commander Skywalker, twenty five gunships have joined our flight.” Appo said quickly.
“
501st?” Anakin asked.
“I
ndeed sir. The boys are ready to play.” Appo joked as their Gunship soared between the massive skyscrapers before lining up a straight shot with the airfield, allowing the ship to begin accelerating to full speed. Behind them trailed twenty five additional gunships that had been sent up from the Cruiser Staging Area. They carried with them seven hundred and fifty clone soldiers of the 501st, with some soldiers from other battalions mixed in. This force was to act as the first of many reinforcement runs to bolster the airfields defenses. The gunships quickly closed the distance, and soon a red light filled the cabin.
“
Sir, we have a landing area in sight.”Appo spoke as he and the ten other soldiers with him readied their weapons. “
It's a ways back from the fighting but that's as close as we're going to get.” Appo spoke as he gripped his hand tightly around the overhead supports
“
Take us down as-”
“
Incoming!” The pilot shouted as a single red laser bolt slammed into the cheek of the gunships face. Half of the cockpit was blown apart in an instance, sending sparks throughout the consoles of the gunship and the copilot flying out of the opening. Off to the side of the airfield, about a kilometer away from the republic positions, stood a single AAT tank and a small collection of droids in escort.
“
We hit one?” The commander droid surprisingly spoke. His glowing eyes watched as the Gunship billowed smoke in it's wake as it flew over the Republic Airfield“
We hit one! Yay!” He gleefully said as the the droids around him began exchanging high fives and exited cheers. His head clicked back into position, watching the gunships and lining up a second shot when a certain site caught his attention“
Uh oh.” The commander sadly said as one of the Gunships broke off from the flight and had begun to hover nearby. “
Roger, roger.” Another droid chimed in. “
Aim for the gunship, hurry!” The droid ordered as his voice broke. His hands had been placed firmly on his head as he sized up the enemy before him. The gun on the tank first turned horizontal, clanging into position before slowly rising vertically. The Gunship opened fire on the droids, with the pin point lasers cutting through the droids as a Mass-Driver missile slammed into the tank, sending an explosive cloud of fire and shrapnel raining down all around. The clones inside the gunship quickly rappelled down from the gunship, and made their way to defend the flanks.
“
Sir! I've lost most controls, we're going down.” The pilot panted. A piece of shrapnel could be seen sticking out of his blackened side, blood gushing from the wound. “
I'll try to set her down as softly as I can.”
The Gunship limped over the Republic position below as it slowly lost altitude. As it flew dangerously close to the Venators beneath it did the engines go out. The nose pitched hard towards the ground below, with the pilot using every last bit of his strength to keep it from nose diving any further. “Engines gone.” The pilot said as the sound of an engine spinning down was heard as they neared the last of the Venators. “
We're going to hit the top of that ship.” He spat out, as a series of coughs stole his voice. Anakin's hand was thrown out quickly. His eyes closed as he began to focus. The front of the ship moaned as the force began to pull it upwards. The pilot watched with a cautious eye as their ship passed mere feet above the top of the Venator. A few seconds later they impacted the ground, aft section first.
Dirt exploded out in front of them as the nose slammed down into the ground. The nose of the craft dug deep into the ground causing a trench to be dug as they skid across the airfield. After a few moments skidding on the airfield, the aircraft turned to the side and flipped. The wing of the Gunship crumpled under the weight of the rest of the ship. A moment later the ship had came to a complete stop just two hundred meters away from their clone positions. While they were safe for now, the enemy was just three hundred meters away and ever gaining.
“
Everyone ok?” Asked Appo as he stood up in the now sideways Gunship. “
Master Skywalker?” He asked as he turned around to see the Jedi Master on the ground with his eyes closed.
“
He's alive, sir.” A clone medic shouted. “
Knocked out is all.”
"
How?" Appo asked.
"
Hit his head off my gun as the nose hit the ground, sir." A clone replied.
“
Ok!” Appo shouted as he readied his weapon. “
You clones, get outside and defend this gunship. Keep to cover.” He shouted as the clones readily made their ways up and out the open end. He tapped a few buttons on his wrist, causing a channel to be opened with the Clones nearby. “
Mayday, mayday, this is Commander CC-1119. Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker's shuttle has been shot down and we are in need of imminent reinforcements.”
The clone soldiers were soon joined by Appo as they began to fire on the ever approaching CIS forces as they kept in cover behind their downed Gunship.
- - - - -
“
The promised one was shot down?” The Blackguard commander spoke as a Droid present a holomap of the area in front of him.
“
Roger, roger.” The droid chimed back. “
We intercepted a message from a clone.” The droid informed the Blackguard Elite Wielder.
“Good.” He spoke as he moved towards the holotable. “
How many Dark Jedi have landed thus far?” He asked.
“
We have had several additional shuttles drop do-” The droid started.
“
Not the shuttle count you useless piece of scrap metal.” The Blackguard Commander said as he balled his fists. “
How many Dark Jedi?” He asked in a tone that removed all doubt.
“
Around one thousand sir! Every time we try and count one kills another, so it can be dif-” The droid started.
“
Good.” He spoke as he pointed with his right hands pointer finger towards the holomap. “
Send two hundred down our left flank supported by commando droids. The right flank gets three hundred with Droidekas and Commando droids. Sent what ever mercenaries we have, especially the Gamorreans, down the right flank as well.” He said as he folded his arms behind his back once more. “
I expect the enemy will provide quite the fight in the north.”Temple district:Anora's army
The thunderous sounds of battles being waged off in the distance were music to the ears of Anora as she slowly strode out of the shuttle and onto the ground. Being off the shuttle and out of the way of the anti-air cannons was a welcome relief for her. Her head sharply turned to the left, resting there for a second before it quickly turned the other way. After a moment her head slowly moved back to the front, and she began to examine the turret they had landed near. Her eyes fixated on the Jedi that stood at the guard. Beneath her mask her eyes closed, as she raised her right hand up and reached out with the force. She felt confusion, anxiety, fear but above all else she felt the hope that the Jedi's before her clung to. Her eyes quickly shot open as one of the Jedi near the gun felt different.
“
Not many of those Dark Jedi made it, I was told to expect a small army on arrival.” She spoke. “
Run off to play hero have they?” Her form move forward a few feet. Her head locked in on the Jedi, examining him in detail as best she could from this distance.
“
Around thirty Dark Jedi have indeed run off, from reports many have perished while the remaining few are pushing on the temple as we speak.” One of her fellow Blackguards informed her.
“
Tell the Mandalorians to keep their distance if they do get engaged.” She said as her face turned slightly to the left. “
They are more valuable alive. If those Sith idealist draw the attention of the Jedi Knights before we punch a hole in their gun's then they're as good as dead already.” She finished by turning her head back towards the Jedi. A smirk crossed her face. He was different from the rest of the order, that much was certain, but how much so?
“
Take the shuttles and execute the attack on the secondary grid.” She said as she turned towards her fellow Blackguard named Kham. “
Have you got conformation from the Mandalorian named Ardur, is he and his forces in position?” She asked.
“We're in position, ma'am.” A voice over her comms spoke. “
One kilometers out and high up. We got you covered.”
“
Good.” She replied “
Anyone closer?” She asked.
“
Yes ma'am. Thirty Neo-Crusaders have been moved within five hundred meters and are to remain hidden until you call.” The voice responded.
“
Good.” She replied once again. “
Kham” She said as she looked at the Blackguard standing next to her. “
Take what forces we have here, I would like to have a conversation with that Jedi.” She said as her head turned once more to face the Jedi with the short hair and rugged face. “
I think we can have quite the conversation.” She said as she sat down on the ground.
“
And if he refuses to listen?” Kham asked.
“
Then I will kill him and his fellow Jedi, now go.” She said as she began meditating. Her body began floating off the ground as she embraced the force.
