317 The Light Of Day

In the total darkness, about forty-five clones followed the three Jedis. In those three weeks underground, more and more soldiers perished due to untreated wounds. Unfortunately, there was nothing Three-four and the other medic could do. They didn't have enough medical supplies, enough water, enough anything.

When they got to their objective, the same place where they first tried to escape, the Jedis turned on their lightsabers, providing a small amount of light.

"Brain."

"Uff..."

Grunting slightly, Hell Squad's second-in-command stepped forward, and started feeling the rocks and boulders with his hands, looking for any crevice. It wasn't difficult to find them.

After deciding which ones were the best for what they wanted to do, he pulled several dozens of thermal detonators from the backpacks that the troopers behind him handed to him. Of course the detonators, the last thing someone would want to have in an unstable cave system, were what they had the most. But now, at least, they would play an important role in their life or death gamble.

In about twenty minutes, the explosives were all attached to the walls. Dageer then watched as the three dim lights that represented General Kenobi, General Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano, moved forward, before disappearing.

Their plan was simple: use the thermal detonators to blow up the rocks and boulders that had covered the exit, while the Jedis would be responsible for keeping the cave from collapsing. The chances of it working were near zero, which was why they waited for so long before trying it, in the vain hope that someone would find them. No clone was afraid of dying, but they also wouldn't follow a plan that would almost certainly kill them, unless they had no other option.

"Everyone ready?"

"We always are, general."

"Then, hit it, Brain."

Hesitating for a fraction of a section, the grenadier pressed the trigger. The explosions lit up the cave with a blinding light, and a deafening noise left the ears of the soldiers buzzing.

After the flash of light disappeared, the clones realized that they could still see. Rays of sunlight shone into the cave, as rocks floated, creating a tunnel. More rocks and dust fell from the ceiling by the second, making the Jedis grunt as they advanced slowly, maintaining with the Force their only path to survival.

"Cell, Fives, go, go, go!!!"

Barely hearing Commander Cody, the two clones had already sprinted through the precarious tunnel. They were the contingency plan. In case the others got trapped again, they would seek help as quickly as possible.

Luckily, that wasn't necessary. Albeit shaking and sweating, General Skywalker, General Kenobi, and Ahsoka managed to keep the cave system from collapsing on top of them for long enough for everyone to leave.

Dragging a wounded 501st trooper with him, Dageer put one of his hands in front of his eyes. They had spent three weeks inside the dammed underground, and the light of day was blinding. It would take time to get used to it again.

When he felt he was on the surface again, and only the sky was above him, Dageer let out a sigh of relief. Hell Squad and he had faced countless near-death situations, but none as scary as this one.

His relief didn't last long, however. As his vision returned, and the buzzing in his hearing faded away, he noticed they weren't alone. The characteristic noise of metal scrapping against metal, and the blurry outlines of droids made him try to reach for his pistol and vibroblade. Before he could do so, he was kicked in the chest, and fell down, a commando droid aiming a blaster at his head.

"Republic troopers, stand down!"

Dageer was already moving before General Kenobi's words reached him. He kicked the clancker's ankle, which made his recently healed leg ache, but caused the droid to fall. Despite the pain, he was on his feet in a split-second, his vibroblade piercing through the commando droid's head, and into the ground.

He was about to pick up his DC-17, but stopped when he heard the Jedi yell. Looking around, he quickly found the reason.

Several hundred droids, mostly B1 units, were surrounding them. For some reason, they hadn't retaliated, even after Dageer's counterattack. Searching with his eyes, he noticed Cell, Dab, Three-four, Tech, Fives, Captain Rex, and Commander Cody had also taken down a droid each, and held their bodies as precarious shields.

"Let go of them. We are in no position to resist."

Unwillingly, Dageer pulled out his weapon from the twitching clancker, and put it back on it's sheath. The others, upon hearing General Skywalker, hesitated for a second before dropping the droids' bodies, and throwing away their blasters. The Jedis also turned off their lightsabers, Ahsoka slower than the two fully-fledged Jedis.

"Well done, Master Jedi, well done. If you decided to resist, I would have been forced to kill you all, which would have been a pity. I am so very interested in how and why do you come from the ground in such ragged state."

Smiling and laughing, a Koorivar - a repugnant species with dark-green skin, long nails, and entirely black eyes - pushed aside two droids, to face the Republic group. Dageer immediately recognized him as Passel Argente, magistrate of the Corporate Alliance, and one of the most important Separatist leaders.

"If you really want to know, Separatist scum, we got trapped by one of your friends. He didn't live long enough to gloat, however."

"Quiet, Snips!"

Frowning, Argente gestured to one of the commando droids besides him. Instantly, several droids walked forward, and violently cuffed the Republic group. Dageer and his brothers would have liked to resist, but General Kenobi stopped them once again.

"Bring the Jedis, the two ARC Troopers, and anyone whose rank is lieutenant or above with us. Oh, and that squad too. I believe you must be Hell Squad, and you, Commander Dageer, right? Count Dooku told me many interesting things about you."

The clone didn't answer, and let himself be pushed by the clanckers. Not liking the lack of respect Dageer showed him, Argente nodded to the leader of his escort, and the commando droid punched him in the stomach.

Already weakened by the month underground, Dageer wasn't able to keep his knees from bending, and fell face-first to the ground. Still, he didn't make a sound.

"We are prisoners of war, Passel. We are to be treated accordingly."

"Ha! You almost makes me laugh, Master Kenobi. But you are right. You will be treated accordingly. Just not as you think. Captain, can we continue?"

The Koorivar smiled maliciously to the three Jedis, and turned around to enter his vehicle again. It was by a stroke of luck that he happened to pass by just as the Republic group appeared. He would surely be rewarded when he brought back three Jedis and several important enemy troops.

"What about the other... Bzzz... Clones, sir?"

Looking at the thirty or so normal troopers, most of them wounded, Argente's smiled grew wider. He loved that part of the job.

"We have no use for them. Kill them all."

"No!"

"Bastard!"

The struggles of the Jedis and clones were useless. The sound of blasters being fired rang out, before everything was silent again.