My friends and I went with the Jedi and soldiers to twin talk buildings. There, we would ambush a Droid army comings through. We split up using the two buildings to ambush the droids below us. Despite helping the Republic, Xebo wasn’t sure of this plan. It was a good plan, but it could go severely wrong for us, She voiced her concern with the Jedi about it, and they had a couple of dropships on standby should it go wrong.
Xebo and her men went with Obi-Wan to the south tower, while Anakin and his men went to the north tower. Fluttershy and Applejack stayed behind to help the wounded soldiers, while the rest of my friends and I went to help with the ambush. Sunset, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity went to the south tower, while Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and I went to the north tower. We waited patiently in the building overlooking the streets.
“So Aegis, I’ve been meaning to ask. What have you and your friends been doing these past few years?” Anakin curiously asked me.
I took my eyes off from the streets and turned toward him. “Well, after we left the Jedi Order, my friends and I travelled to Equestria where we found our families. Turns out, I have a brother in the Frontier Militia.” I told him thinking about Sunset’s parents.
Anakin was surprised to hear this. “You have a brother?” He asked, to which I nodded my head.
“Yup, he's a commander in the militia. He also works on weapon development for the Frontier Militia sometimes.” I said, remembering he was working on a certain special project. Before Anakin could ask anything else, his wrist comm went off.
“Anakin, how are you doing over there?” We hear Obi-Wan ask.
“We’re set. I’ve got some guys here that are anxious to get going.” Anakin responded.
“Glad to hear it.” Obi-Wan said before Anakin hung up.
Pinkie Pie took out her binocular, and watched the main road. I took out mine and did the same thing. Below us were a full company of droids advancing on our positions.
“Looks like a full battalion.” I said watching the droids. “Wait, they brought a handful tanks. We’ll have to get rid of them first before they open fire on us.” I said. Anakin and the clones agreed with me. Good thing Lieutenant Xebo had us bring M57 Pilum Assault Weapon, or rocket launchers, with us just in case. These double barrel rockets were capable of destroying a AAT with a single shot. As the clones were picking up the rocket launchers, Pinkie Pie's poofy tail twitches.
“Um… what was that?” The clone Captain whom I learned earlier was named Rex asked. Yeah, that's about the same reaction when someone sees Pinkie Pie's body parts shake for the first time.
“Pinkie Pie’s body parts twitches whenever something’s about to happen. Just don’t question it, it’ll save you the headache.” Twilight answered, especially how she spent a full week trying to understand why Pinkie’s hair shakes like that. Anakin and the clones found that more than a little strange, which I can’t blame them.
“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” I asked her.
“Everyone, I have a really bad feeling right now. I think we should leave. Like, right now.” Pinkie told us worriedly.
“What? Why?” Anakin asked her. While Anakin questioned her, Twilight and I knew when Pinkie feels like something’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen. We looked down below at the droids to see the column of droid splitting up into three rows.
“The droids are splitting up.” Twilight said out loud, getting Anakin and the clones attention. Just then, we noticed blaster fire coming from the opposite building Obi-Wan and my friends were in. Anakin quickly got on his comm.
“Obi-Wan, what’s going on?” Anakin asked.
“We’re cut off. The droids are onto us.” Obi-Wan radio over the sound of blasters and gunfire. I couldn’t believe it, the droids knew we were here. Not only that, how did they come up here without us knowing. If the droids were in the south building, chances are they're in the north too.
“Gunship, Come in. Hawk we need an evac in the south tower.” Anakin ordered the Gunship.
“Already on it, sir. Lieutenant Xebo ordered evac and we’re on our way.” The pilot replied.
“South tower? We’re in the north.” Captain Rex said, not sure why Anakin said the South Tower.
“Oh! Maybe we can zip line across.” Pinkie enthusiastically suggested.
“My thoughts exactly.” Anakin smirked before he slashed the window and sent out a force push, shattering the glass. “Rex, fire your cables.” He ordered. The clone troopers fired their cables from their blasters, creating a biplane between the two towers. I quickly looked at the droids below us. If we zip line across, the clones will have no cover. I could use force barrier to block the blaster bolts, but I don't think I can cover everyone with it.
“Anakin, I suggest my friends and I takes the left side. We can block the blaster bolts for the troops with our lightsabers.” I suggested. It'll be difficult hanging onto the biplane with one arm, but we should be able reflect the blaster bolts away from the soldier.
“Nice thinking, Aegis.” Anakin said before some of the clones handed me and my friends some of their DC-15S blaster carbine to use as hooks.
We hooked on the lines and zipped across between the buildings. It was a good thing I overcame my fear of heights years ago. The droids spotted us and opened fire. Anakin, my friends and I blocked as many bolts as possible for Rex and his men. Despite the numerous blaster bolts, we managed to deflect most of them. Anakin broke through the window as we made it inside the opposite tower without losing anyone. Anakin and I ran forward at the droids with their backs turned towards us. We quickly cut them down as my friends and the troops followed behind. Cutting down the last droid near us, we ran into the room where Obi-Wan, Xebo, the soldiers and my friends fighting off the droids.
“This way is clear.” Anakin told his master as he ran up next to him, blocking laser bolts.
“How did you get over here?” Obi-Wan asked, surprised to see us.
“I improvised.” Anakin responded, focused on the droids in front of us.
“Where’s everyone else?” Twilight asked, noticing the slight lack of soldiers.
“I called in a gunship to our position and ordered some of my men to secure the roof.” Xebo answered, blasting a droid in the head.
We were holding back the droids at the corridor, but the droids just kept coming. Obi-Wan levitated a stationed blaster cannon in the air and threw it at the droids. Despite this, the droids kept coming.
"Rarity, the floor." I said. Rarity nodded her head in understanding and touched the ground with both of her hands. With her force cryo, she froze the floor the droids were on.
"What!" The droids said, unable to process how she did that. Thank's to the frozen floor, the droids had no friction to stand on and slipped. The Jedi were completely shocked Rarity could do something like this. The other droids stopped, seeing what happed to their fellow droids on the slippery ice.
“Twilight. Together.” I told her. She nodded and we swung our palms outward at the same time, sending out a powerful force push at the droids. The B1s flew backwards yelling all the way through the hall they came in, some falling out the windows. With a brief respite, we all ran for the elevator, squeezed in, and headed to the roof. The elevator doors opened up, revealing a pair of militia riflemen quickly pointing their weapons away when saw we were friendlies. We ran out of the elevator to the edge of the roof with the gunships have yet to arrive.
“Soldiers, take cover. Any moment now those droids will be pouring through the elevators.” Xebo ordered the troops. The militia soldiers at the elevator fell back to get better cover. Even the clone troopers followed their lead and too cover. A moment later, droids started pouring out of the elevator one by one.
The troops opened fire as Anakin, Obi-Wan, Sunset, Rainbow Dash and I charged the enemy. The rest of my friends stayed with the troopers to reflect lasers. We started taking down the droids one by one before the second elevator door opened up, revealing a tactical droid leading a group of droids. We were forced on the defensive as the droids just kept firing at us.
Finally, a Republic and Militia gunship arrived. The militia gunship is called a Stork, which was based off the razorback VTOL transport ship from the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Universe. Both ships flew to the side of the building, opening their hatches. The clones and riflemen got onto the ships as my friends and I continued to block blaster bolts.
“We need to go!” I yelled as I blocked a blaster bolt with my beskar shield.
We ran straight for the gunships when I spotted a clone trooper bravely ran forward and teared the head off the tactical droid, bringing it with him. The soldiers gave us cover fire as we got on board. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash got on the militia Gunship as Sunset, Twilight, and I went with the Jedi onto the Republic gunship. The moment we got in, the blast doors closed and we took off.
The clone trooper who had the tactical droid’s head gave it to Captain Rex. “Maybe this tactical droid will tell us how they knew our plan.” Rex told us. I couldn’t help but wonder as well. As far as I know, the droids had no way of knowing our ambush.
After we returned to base, Twilight and I headed to the command center to help Rex with the droid’s head we brought back. The rest of my friends went around the base to help where they could. Rainbow told us she was gonna take her starfighter to the weapon depot. She wanted to try to replace the rapid fire blasters on her starfighter with a Republic heavy blaster so she could easily destroy the droid tanks.
With us in the command center were Xebo, Rex and Commander Cody, Obi-Wan’s second in command. Rex set the head on the command console as Twilight plugged some cords into it. The command table showed a hologram of the twin buildings we were at.
“The Republic Army and Militia are in the north and south towers, level 46.” We hear the recording of the tactical droid.
“It just doesn’t make sense.” Rex said. I agreed, I can’t think of anyway the CIS knew we were there. Suddenly, the droid’s head started to short circuit and smoking before dying out.
“Blast!” Rex said in frustration. Looked like the CIS put in a failsafe incase it was ever captured.
The astromech who Anakin introduced me to was R2-D2 chirped a little before said Jedi and Obi-Wan entered the room.
“Well, at least we’re not the only ones having a bad day.” Anakin said.
“Generals. They had all our intel.” Commander Cody told them.
“That would explain the ambush. How could we have left ourselves so vulnerable to a security breach?” Anakin asked.
“I don’t think we did.” Obi-Wan replied, getting us to look at him.
“You think someone infiltrated our defenses.” Anakin asked his master.
Xebo hummed in thought. “It’s possible, but whoever infiltrated us would have to be skilled and have resourceful enough to acquire intel to our plans.” She said.
“But that’s still wouldn’t explain how they got our intel.” Anakin told her. I thought about it for a moment before realizing something.
“What if someone from our side gave it to them.” I said, though I didn’t want it to be true.
“I suspect your right, Aegis. The infiltrator would have someone working with them.” Obi-Wan concluded.
“A spy, sir? But who would want to betray our troops to the Seppies?” Commander Cody said in disbelief.
“Excellent question, Commander. Perhaps it’s time we made a visit behind enemy lines. I think we’ll find our answers there.” Obi-Wan told us.
“We’ll get right on it.” Cody acknowledged, but the Jedi had other plans.
“No, Commander. I need you here to find the security breach.” Obi-Wan said otherwise.
“You can count on us, sir.” Cody told them.
“One more thing. This mission is extremely confidential. The spy could be anyone. Let no one know of our mission.” Obi-Wan ordered.
“Your mission? Do you two think that’s a good idea, if something happened, it could deal a major blow to the troops.” Xebo expressed her concern.
“Don’t worry, Lieutenant. This wouldn’t be the first mission where it was just two of us.” Anakin assured her before leaving with Obi-Wan, even though Xebo was still skeptical.
The lieutenant only sighed. “I’m gonna inspect the militia comlinks, they’re programmed to record any transmissions made through them.” Xebo told us before she left.
Rex and Twilight begun walking toward the door. I was about to join them before I noticed Cody spotted something. I moved my eye at what he was looking at and spotted a clone comlink that was still active.
“Someone left this comlink on. Someone has been listening to everything we said.” Cody told us. We all looked at him in shock.
Rex looked down the hallways and spotted something. “Hey! Stop!” He yelled at someone, before giving chase. Twilight, Cody, and I ran with him. Down the hall was a clone running away from us.
“Who’s that?” Cody asked as we ran for him.
“I can’t tell, but he’s wearing clone armor.” Twilight said as we continued pursuit. We spotted the clone running in the hallway to a fork where he went left.
“Twilight and I will follow him. You take the west corridor.” Cody ordered.
“I’m on it.” Rex replied, going right.
“Right behind you.” I said as I went with Rex.
Rex got out his blaster pistol as I gripped my lightsaber. When we got to door leading to the mess hall, we spotted a person’s shadow running up. Rex pointed his blaster as I readied my saber. The person who was running turned out to be Cody with Twilight behind him.
Rex and I holstered our weapons as we looked at the door leading to the mess hall. “He must have gone in the mess hall.” Rex said, before he opened it. As we walked in, the mess hall was full of clones and a handful of militia riflemen eating dinner, going about their business. Twilight and I saw happened to see Applejack giving one of the clones a slice of her apple pies.
“We’ve got a big problem.” Cody said looking at the soldiers around the room.
“Yeah. Most of the people here are brothers.” Rex grimly responded.
I looked at a clone eating some grub near us. “Excuse me, do you know who came in right before us?” I asked.
The clone looked up to see his Captain and Commander right behind me staring intently at him. “Um, sorry. no. He was a clone, but I didn’t pay attention who he was.” He replied nervously.
We sighed in disappointment. "Thank you trooper, carry on." Captain Rex said before we left. If the clone near the door didn’t know who came in the door before us, I doubt anyone else would.
With no other way finding the spy in the mess hall, we went back to the command center to discuss our next move. As we walked back to the command center, I couldn’t help but wonder why a clone would betray us, or at the very least his brothers. From what I could tell, all the clones treat one another like family.
“One of us. Great. But which one?” Rex said in frustration as we enters the command center.
“We’ll have to wait for his next move. Keep this to ourselves.” Cody told us. If the other clones knew about this, it could sow discourse in the ranks. Even the militia soldiers wouldn't know which clone to trust.
“Shouldn’t we at least tell Lieutenant Xebo?” Twilight suggested to them.
“We should, but after we narrow down who the spy is. Whoever it is could be monitoring Xebo right now.” I told her. If the spy was smart enough to leave behind a open comlink, he could have found a way to keep tabs on the Lieutenant.
“Agreed, but we better contact the Jedi.” Rex told us.
“I’m on it.” Cody replied before walking toward the communication terminal. He tried to get in contact, but he can’t get a signal. “We can’t reach General Kenobi. Whoever it is has blocked our communications. We’re gonna have to find this guy ourselves.” He said. Maybe it was the droid army who was jamming communications. If that’s true, then it means the spy have already told the CIS of Anakin’s and Obi-Wan’s mission.
Rex looked at R2. “R2, come over here and plug in.” Rex told him. R2 came over to the console and plugged into it.
“Owl. Go ahead and help out.” Twilight told her BD-1 droid. Owl beeped before he jumped off her back and plugged into a separate console.
“What are you two doing?” Cody asked.
“If the Separatist are jamming comms. It means that the spy sent out a transmission to them, telling them of the Jedi’s mission. And it would have to be recent.” Twilight explained, coming to the same conclusion I did.
“So all we have to do out find out how.” I added.
“What do you think? He just sat down and wrote a note?” Cody asked.
“You have to start somewhere.” Rex relied, waiting for the droids to find something.
After a while, R2 and Owl beeped, indicating they found something. The two droids transferred the information to a data pad for us.
“R2 and Owl found something.” Rex said, picking up the data pad.
“What is it? Is it the traitor?” Cody asked, looking over Rex’s shoulder.
“I’m not sure.” Rex said, trying to make sense of the information on the data pad.
“Mind if I take a look at it?” Twilight asked, Rex nodded and gave her the data pad.
Twilight began reading the information. “Hmm. There’s wavelength interference, weak frequencies. Probably what he’s been using to send out transmissions. It only shows up a few days, then disappears.” Twilight explained.
“So day to day, you wouldn’t notice it.” Rex finished, getting what Twilight was saying. R2 beeped again and Rex before gently took the data pad from Twilight.
“What?” Cody asked, wondering what R2 found.
“It’s the pattern. The band’s only coming off one terminal in the whole base. Check it out.” Rex said before giving the data pad to Cody.
“Hmm. Slick’s barracks. Only Slick’s men would have access to that terminal.” Cody said. I assume Slick was one of the clones.
“Yeah. Slick’s not gonna like that.” Rex said, still not liking the idea that the traitor is a clone.
“No, he’s not. But if one of his men is giving away our intel, we have to find him and sort this out.” Cody told us. That was when I thought of something.
“But what about Slick himself. Wouldn’t he also have access to the terminal.” I asked them. Cody and Rex looked at each other and realized I was right.
“You have a point, Slick himself would be the only one beside his men who would have access to that terminal.” Rex said, though that didn’t make it easy for him.
“Then we’ll pretend that Slick isn’t a suspect, see how he reacts.” Cody said. We nodded in agreement and travelled to the clone barracks.
On the way there, we let Xebo know we had a lead on the spy, and discreetly ordered her soldiers around the barracks, just in case any of the clones tried to escape. I convinced Rex and Cody to allow us to bring Applejack with us since she can tell when someone’s lying. I thought about bringing Sunset, since she can see people’s memories by touching them, but she only gets brief random images. It may not be enough to prove which one is the spy. Rex and Cody ordered Slick to the barracks. Once there, Slick came into the barrack with us waiting for him. We explained the situation without telling him he’s a suspect as well.
“No. No way. My guys are the best. No way they’re capable of something like this.” Slick told us as he crossed his arms, a little irritated. Just then, a group a Slick’s men came in through the door.
“Something like what?” We heard one of Slick’s men asked.
“You called them here?” Slick asked us, a little surprise.
“Of course, we did. We’re getting to the bottom of this. Now.” Rex told him.
“Look, let me have a few minutes with them first. It’s gonna hit ‘em hard. They trust each other, and if one of our own betrayed us…” Slick didn’t finish as Cody interrupted him.
“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Cody told him, walking to the troops. I can’t help but notice Applejack narrowing her eye’s at Slick with a little suspicion. “Your men are tough, right? Take a seat, gentlemen.” Cody ordered them. The clones did as told, and sat down. “We have a turncoat in our midst, and we think it’s one of you.” My friends and I could feel how unease the troops were feeling being told this. Understandable considering they’re brothers and they have faith in each other.
We went to the first clone sitting on a crate. “I… uh, I don’t know, I was doing the things I always do after a mission.” The clone said anxiously.
“Things like what?” Rex asked.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m just a little nervous. You’re my CO.” The clone replied, still scared.
“The way I figure it, you tell the truth you got nothing to be nervous about.” Rex said.
“Jester is telling the truth.” We turned around to the other clone behind us. “Cleans his weapon after every mission. First thing, every time. He’s kinda obsessed that way.” He said. Huh, kinda like Rarity, considering she cleans he lightsaber hilt whenever she has some free time.
“Is that right? You were cleaning your weapon?” Cody asked the now identified clone Jester, a little skeptical.
“Yes, sir.” Jester answered.
“Go on the computer while you were in here?” Cody continued.
“No, sir. I didn’t even power it up. You can check.” Jester said. Rex and Cody looked at each other.
“Show me your weapon.” Cody ordered him. Jester reached for his blaster and handed it over to Cody. From what I could tell, it had no speck of dirt on it.
“Yep, freshly scrubbed.” Cody said, inspecting the weapon.
“The rag’s over there in the corner.” Jester told us.
“Good man.” Cody said before turning to the next clone. “You. You were cleaning your weapon too?” He asked them.
“No. I was hungry. I went back to the mess.” He answered.
“Right away?” Rex asked.
“Oh, yeah.” He answered confidently.
“Anyone with ya?” Rex continued.
“Sketch, sir.” The clone gestured to his brother next to him.
“We got to the mess at the same time, got our grub, grabbed some food from Applejack, and sat down.” Sketch answered.
“They’re telling the truth, sirs. I remember giving them some of ma apple pie.” Applejack told us. Rex and Cody seemed to accept this and went on with the next clone with an injured arm.
“Captain, give me just a moment with them.” Slick told the Captain and Commander to stop.
“No, it’s okay, Sarge. I got nothing to hide. I was in the infirmary.” The clone said, gesturing to his bandaged arm. “Got banged up pretty good by one of those clankers. Fluttershy was fixing me up and Doc’s got all the records there, if you want to check.” The clone answered. We moved on to the last clone sitting on a bed who had some scars on the side of his head.
“So, Chopper, old boy, what’s your alibi?” Rex asked.
“I was in the mess hall.” The clone answered without looking at them, but Applejack stepped forward.
“Now hang on a sec, you aren’t telling the full truth.” Applejack said, narrowing her eyes at him. All of us looked at her.
“She’s right, sir. Chopper came in a lot later, after everyone else.” Sketch said. Chopper looked at us in worry.
“Where were you before you went to the mess, Chopper?” Cody asked him.
“Nowhere. Walking around.” Chopper replied looking away. Clearly he was trying to hide something.
“Son, you know we’ll need a better answer than that.” Cody told him, crossing his arms.
Chopper sighed. “I was hiding at the south exit. I didn’t want anyone to see me string these together.” Chopper said before reaching in his pocket and showing us battle droid fingers attached to a string.
“Battle droids fingers.” Rex said in all seriousness.
“Well, that’s creepy.” I couldn’t help but comment. Applejack and Twilight nodded their heads in agreement.
Chopper sighed again and leaned his back against the wall. “I just… I just wanted something back. I guess I felt like, like they owed me.” He said, looking at the stringed up battle droid fingers in his hand.
“I always knew there was something deficient about you.” The clone with the injured arm said as he and rest of the clones stood up. Chopper just turned away from us in shame.
Slick walked towards Chopper completely disappointed at the soldier. “This isn’t good, Chopper. Lying about where you were, taking forbidden items from a battlefield.” Slick told him.
“I know.” Chopper replied frustrated.
“I put up with the attitude ‘cause you have skill. But if you could break these rules, your whole character’s in question here.” Slick told him, accusing him of treachery.
“Wait, no. Hang on. I’m no spy.” Chopper defended himself. The rest of the clones where beginning to have a hard time believing him.
Applejack leaned toward my ear. “Chopper may have been lying, but he’s telling the truth about not being a spy.” She whispered. If he’s not the spy, the only suspect left is Slick himself.
“Chopper, we’re all brothers. But how can we trust anything you say now.” Slick told him.
“No, sir, I’m telling you, I did not…” Chopper didn’t finish as Slick interrupted him.
“It’s okay. We’ll get you a proper investigation. You don’t don’t have to say anything else till the Jedi come back and talk to you.” Slick told Chopper as he put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Wait, did he just say till the Jedi come back. Twilight and I looked at each other in realization.
Chopper shoved Slick’s hand away from him. “Maybe you should talk, sir. Tell them where you went.” Chopper retaliated. “I was at the south exit, remember? I saw you go in, sir. I saw you.” Chopper said as he pointed his finger at the Sargent’s face. Was he talking about the command center?
“Chopper, I have been patient.” Slick tried to calm him down, but failed.
“Everyone else turned right, toward the barracks and the mess. You turned left, toward the command center. Where were you going, sir?” Chopper said, getting up to Slick’s face.
“Obviously, the kid feels cornered.” Slick said, but we knew better.
“Sergeant, what did you mean, ‘till the Jedi come back’? How did you know the Jedi were gone?” Cody said, walking up to him. Guess we weren’t the only ones who noticed. Everyone in the room stared at him as my Twilight and I slowly reached for our lightsabers. Applejack caught on and reached for her’s as well.
“I really wish you hadn’t noticed that, sir.” Slick said looking down, before sucker punching Cody and pushed him toward us. Twilight, Applejack, and I caught Cody as he was forced back onto us. Slick quickly elbowed Chopper in the face before jumping over the bed.
“It’s Slick?” Cody said getting up as Slick ran out the door. “Slick’s the traitor?” He said as we gave chase.
As we ran after him, Slick took a right at the intersection down the hall and we heard him bumped into someone. It was probably one of Xebo’s men guarding the barracks. We turned the corner and saw Slick on the ground with a familiar pink poofy mane pony girl holding a tray of cupcakes scattered around.
“Pinkie Pie?” We said in surprise. Slick tried to get back up, but Cody and I tackled him back to the floor.
“Pinkie, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked surprised to see her friend here.
“Well, I was going around the base to give the soldiers cupcakes after what happened on the mission to cheer everyone up a little.” Pinkie explained as Applejack helped her friend up. She saw that Cody was putting Slick's hand in cuffs behind his back. “So… what’s going on here?” Pinkie asked, a little confused why the sergeant was being put in cuffs.
“Slick snitched on us. Told the droids our ambush.” Applejack told Pinkie and she helped her up.
Pinkie Pie looked her in shock before quickly turning towards Slick. “NO CUPCAKE FOR YOU!” Pinkie Pie shouted at the clone traitor. My friends and I looked at her a bit awkwardly.
As Cody and I lifted Slick up, I can’t help but notice Slick’s gauntlet was blinking red. “Slick, what’s that red blinking?” I asked with concern in my face. Everyone turned to look at Slick’s gauntlet.
Slick just smirked at my question. “Let’s just say I don’t leave the job half finished.” He said confidently.
A second later, we felt the shaking of an explosion. We stumbled a little from the shock. Slick back slammed us as we lost our balance from the explosion, and tried to run. Before Slick can get far, I quickly lifted him up in the air with the force before he got too far away and threw him against the wall. Slick stumbled from the impact and fell to the floor.
“Commander Cody! Do you read me? The weapons depot just went up in flames. Many of the our tanks and gunships were destroyed along with it.” We hear Xebo’s voice from Cody’s communicator. Despite being captured, Slick just chuckled, figuring he won. My eye widen in shock as I remembered Rainbow Dash took her fighter to the weapons depot.
“Rainbow Dash, are you alright?! Rainbow Dash?!” I asked on my comlink. I didn’t want to believe she got caught in the explosion. My friends looked at me near shock until we heard coughing from my radio.
“Aegis?” We hear Rainbow Dash’s voice.
“Rainbow! Are you alright?!” Twilight asked in absolute worry.
“Uhhh, I’m fine. OH NO!” Rainbow Dash yell.
“Rainbow, what’s wrong!?” Applejack asked. If she’s physically fine, what could be the problem?
“Wonder Strike is completely destroyed!” We hear Rainbow Dash cry. We all felt horrible for her. Rainbow Dash spent months customizing her starfighter.
Cody picked Slick up and pinned him to the wall. “Why Slick!? Why betray you brothers? Was it for some shiny coin?” He demanded as he slammed the clone traitor into the wall.
“Yeah, she offered me money, but she offered me something more important. Something you wouldn’t understand. Freedom.” Slick said, looking at him dead in the eye. My friends and I looked at him with pity. Since they’re clones, they don’t have the same freedoms as everyone else. The clones were bred to fight this war, they never had a the option to be anything else except fighting. Even so, he never should have put his brothers lives in jeopardy.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Sometime later, Slick was placed in the detention center until the Jedi Masters returned. When we checked what was left of the weapon depot, many of our blasters, and rocket launchers were destroyed as well. To make matters worse, almost all of the gunships and tanks were now just a flaming pile of wreckage with only one republic AT-TE remaining. Even though it was severely damaged. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie carried what was left of the Wonder Strike back inside the friendship. Sunset, Fluttershy, and Rarity went to the medical center to help the injured soldiers caught in the blast. By the time Anakin and Kenobi returned, Rex and I went back to the detention center and took Slick to the Jedi.
“I think freedoms gonna have to wait.” Rex told Slick as we escorted him to the Jedi. With them was Cody, Xebo, and Twilight.
“Slick? It was you?” Obi-Wan said in surprise.
“He gave us a bit of a chase, sir.” Rex informed them.
“You couldn’t be a greater disappointment. How can you do this to you brothers and our allies?” Anakin asked him as he glares at the traitor.
Slick just scoffed at them. “Only a Jedi would ask that. It’s the Jedi who keep my brothers enslaved. We serve at your whim. I just wanted something more.” He told us looking down. Twilight and I can tell the Jedi weren't moved by his motives.
“And all you had to do to get it was put the rest of us all at risk.” Rex told Slick in anger.
“I… I love my brothers. You’re too blind to see it, but I was striking a blow for all clones.” Slick talked back at him, believing he was in the right.
“If you loved your brothers, you wouldn’t have put them at risk.” Cody pointed out to him.
“You betrayed every one of us.” Rex told him. Slick didn’t show it, but he still felt guilty at putting his brothers in harms way.
“Take him to lockup.” Cody ordered a pair of clones. The two clone troopers took Slick away. Slick may have betrayed us, but I do understand his reason, even if I don’t agree with his method.
“Were you able to salvage anything from the weapons depot?” Obi-Wan asked us.
“Unfortunately no. Slick managed to destroy almost everything. Seem that’s what he was going for all along.” Xebo responded. Looks like he was trying to weaken us as much as possible before the droids advanced on us.
“We managed to save the heavy cannons, along with a Walker.” Cody informed them.
“Well that’s good. ‘Cause there are about a thousand battle droids on their way here.” Obi-Wan told us. They must know that Slick managed to destroy most of our defenses.
“The fight goes on, gentlemen.” Anakin said to them. The soldier nodded and walked away to prepare for tomorrow.
“Master Jedi. Could Twilight and I talk to you for a moment?” I asked them, feeling we should discuss this with them.
Obi-Wan thought for a moment, wondering what I wanted to talk to him about. “Very well, Aegis. What do you want to ask?” Obi-Wan replied as Rex, Cody and Xebo left.
“Kenobi, what are the clones you fight alongside with are to you?” I asked them in all seriousness. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other, wondering where I was going with this.
“They’re soldiers who made an oath to serve and protect the Republic.” Obi-Wan answered.
“Did they make that choice, or was it chosen for them?” Twilight asked, crossing her arms. The Jedi only blinked at what she said.
“What are you two trying to say?” Anakin asked with a raised eye brow.
“Anakin, the clones weren’t given the choice to fight this war. To them, there’s no life outside of war. And if you all make reckless decisions that cost the clones needless deaths, it’s little wonder Slick betrayed everyone if he thought he lived like a expendable slave.” I told them. I could feel Anakin getting irritated by what I just said.
“Aegis, these clones are vital to our war effort. Without them, the Republic would be completely defenseless. The clones understand this and are willing to risk their lives to fight the Separatists.” Obi-Wan defended himself.
“And for the record. We don’t treat our clones as slaves.” Anakin emphasized, a little angered.
I just sighed at his response. “For you, maybe. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that some of ya’ll plan put the clones in unnecessary danger. Especially after the Jedi chose to become their generals.” I told them before I turned to Anakin. “And for the record, Anakin. The clone troopers didn’t deny what Slick said about the Jedi. You want proof, look at the battle of Geonosis. You all may have won that battle, but it was a pyrrhic victory at best. Half of the clones there were killed because the Jedi never led a army since the Old Republic.” I told them, before leaving with Twilight. We could feel how stunned the Jedi were when I told them that.
“Are you alright, Aegis?” Twilight asked in concern.
“I don’t know, Twilight. I’m just a little frustrated with the Jedi.” I replied before sighing. “Guess what the Princesses said about the Jedi are true. They’ve lost their way.” I sadly said, worry about what the Jedi has become.
Twilight rested her hand on my shoulder. “Aegis, I know it’s sad with what the Jedi have turned into, but I believe we can still make a difference. Remember what the Princesses told us. We don’t have to focus on saving the galaxy, all we have to focus on is helping those we can.” Twilight assured me.
I can only smile, feeling a little better. “Thanks, Twilight. Let head back to the ship and get some rest. I get the feeling it’s gonna be a long day tomorrow." Twilight nodded and we headed back to our ship.
As we enter the Friendship’s hanger, we can see our friends staring at what was left of the Wonder Strike. The wings and thrusters were completely destroyed, the cockpit’s glass was shattered, and the rest of it extremely burned up. Rainbow Dash just look at her starfighter in absolute gloom.
“Oh Rainbow, I’m so sorry.” I said looking at my depressed friend. Rainbow Dash can only sigh. She was a fly pony at heart, and seeing her personal starfighter was like taking a blow to the heart. It pained us to see our blue pony friend at depressed like this. Thinking of a way to cheer her up, I stood next to her. “Don’t worry, Dash. After this mission, we’ll help you remake it. Maybe even better.” I said, trying to cheer her up.
“Yeah, maybe we can even add some upgrades to it.” Sunset added. All of our friends agreed.
Rainbow Dash smiled a little and looked at us. “Thank’s everyone. I feel a little better now.” She said.
We all at some dinner and went to our bedrooms. I got out my journal and started writing on my journal.
“Dear Princess Celestia. Today we were betrayed by one of our own. While we did find the traitor, we were shocked to find out it was a clone. He believed that the Jedi were treating him and his brothers like slaves. While I don’t agree with what he did, I do understand his reasons. Even though the truth enlightens the mind, but won’t always bring happiness to your heart. Your’s Aegis Spirit.” I said as I wrote in the journal. I set the Journal down on the table and went to bed, worried what tomorrow will bring.