Broke: A Clone Wars Tale

Dageer looked around, touching the rocks, trying to see if he could find some way out, maybe a tunnel or something. But there was nothing, they were totally trapped.

In the end, after a fruitless search, Hell Squad grouped together around Kit Fisto. Three-four had used some painkillers to stabilize the jedi, but it appeared that he was unconscious from overexertion. He had made a huge effort to stop the falling rocks, and all he needed was some rest.

What Dageer was worrying at the moment was how long it would take for the jedi to wake up. Just Hell Squad alone wouldn't be able to escape from their 'prison', and their air supply would end sooner or later.

"Three-four, how long before he wakes up?"

"Six or seven hours at least. But based on what I know about jedis, he will need at least two days before he can use the Force again."

"Damn! Okay... everyone, check your air supply. All of you have two days or more worth of it?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Sure."

"I'm okay."

"Yes."

"Yeah."

"I'm good."

After making sure that the members of Hell Squad were alright, Dageer asked them to get some sleep, that he would do the first guard shift. Almost certainly they wouldn't face any enemy, after all they were buried, but it was better to be prepared.

Dageer chose on rock and sat on it, his blaster on his l.a.p. The lights that represented Hell Squad members turned off one by one, and soon he was in total darkness.

-‐---------------------

"Kuok!!! Cough! Cough... cough!"

A sound startled Dageer out of his dreams. Instinctively, he grabbed his DC-15A, that was by his side. The coughing continued, and Dageer realized it was Kit Fisto waking up.

Dageer looked at his comlink. It has been six hours since Tech took over his place and he went to sleep. Now the one doing the guarding shift was Metal, who had his Z-6 Rotary pointed roughly at the direction of the jedi.

"Put down your weapon, Metal. It is the general."

The jedi got up and saw that Hell Squad was looking at him. When Dageer thanked him for saving their lives, Kit Fisto just waved it off with a smile.

"Hell Squad, am I right?"

"Yes, general."

"I don't think I know any of you besides Dageer. What are your names, troopers?"

"My name is Brain, Hell Squad grenadier."

"Metal, heavy machine gunner."

"Cell and Dab, scout and sniper."

"Tech, mechanic and technician."

"Three-four, medic."

"You came after me even after I ordered you not to. Though that might have saved my life, you all were still disobeying orders. I am sure you did that knowing that you could lose your ranks and be punished. So why?"

"Commander Monnk had to follow your orders because he had to think not only about you, but also about all the SCUBA Troopers. Our brothers of the 303rd will do well under his command, so we don't have to worry about that. I know we might get punished, but that is better than following orders and letting a general be killed."

"Hahahaha! What an interesting squad! Well, shall we get out of here?"

"General, are you strong enough? You just got conscious."

"We won't know if we don't try, right? Besides, as much as I trust Monnk, we can't let him do all the work alone."

Kit Fisto started making circles in their small 'cave', one of his hands always touching the rocks. After repeating this action for some time, he stopped at one point put both hands on the boulder.

"That is it. This is the point where the rocks are lighter."

He closed his eyes, and stood immobile. The rocks started shaking, and slowly started to fall apart, creating a path in the middle of them. The jedi started swimming through the path, and Hell Squad followed him.

The scene was impressive, but Kit Fisto's face was getting uglier and uglier. As he got tired, small rocks started falling as he chose to control the heavier and more dangerous ones.

Thankfully the path they had to cross was short, and an end was revealed. However, Kit Fisto couldn't control the rocks for much longer. When he got out of the tunnel, he turned and concentrated all of his efforts on the end of the path, letting the boulders fall where they had already passed.

"Quick! I can't hold on much longer!"

Swimming as fast as they could, Dageer, Brain, Cell and Three-four had already gotten out. Metal, Dab and Tech, on the other hand, were being slowed down by their heavy blasters and equipment.

"Leave it! Come on!"

Tech and Metal got out. Dab threw his beloved DC-15x away. The time was just enough for him to get out when Kit Fisto's eyes rolled on its sockets and he passed out again.

...

The Separatist and quarren base was chaotic but deadly silent. The vision that Hell Squad got when they swam over it was a mess. Half of the base was totally buried under rocks and mud. The other half was hit with sporadic boulders, and many buildings have collapsed due to it.

Kit Fisto clenched his fists when he saw all the dead. Droid parts were scattered at the bottom of the sea since they were heavier. But the quarrens were floating. Men, women and children, none of them had escaped. Dageer even saw some mon calamarians, probably in the same situation as the quarren he saw on Vernila.

Dageer knew that this was better for the Republic, but after seeing it, he understood why the jedi were so much against actions like the one that Yos Tivos took.

Kit Fisto spent a long while looking at the destroyed base, then turned around.

"Do we have any confirmation that Nossor Ri is dead?"

"No, sir, but I don't see how he can be alive."

"We survived, didn't we?"

"Yes... but we had you with us."

"For all we know he can be leading an attack at Vernila. This battle will only end when he is dead or captured. Let's go to Vernila."