Sorry for da wait :)))
ill take the blame here, i got a lil lazy ill admit and kinda just did other stuff rather than write, but do not fear, for Jake is here!!!...not mentally but you get it... :/
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The droids walked ahead, Clank offering his large body as cover from the waves of sand the air threw at them, the planet seemingly trying to ward them off, but Jake didnt care, his eyes stung as grains of sand pelted him, he walked forwards, he had lost to much to stop now, but more importantly, Bucket and R4 had suffered to much. The sands of Geonosis rolled by like a wave of water, sweeping rocks and small reptiles away, it took nearly two hours, Jake didnt have his speeder, so this was to be expected, he had brought a small charger for his droids, extra water, food, all stuffed in his B1 bag. He and his group were set.
Teeshes eyes tightned as they focused, his reptilian senses outwitting the humans. "Jake, i think i ssssee your housssse up ahead...ive missssed sssseing it" Teesh admitted, Jake face contorted into a happy grin, he slammed his helmet back on, he had taken it off cause of the heat, and despite his excitement prepared for the worst.
The group walked towards the erieely quiet house, the sand had seemingly stopped blowing as stillnes dryed out Jakes lungs. Racket arrived first, rolling past the group and skidding in the sand, aiming its cannons around looking for enemies, lowering them after a few seconds...the area was empty...
empty?
well that didnt make any sense.
Jakes eyes tightned, he scanned the area with caution, but even with his efforts, he and his party searched the area, and found nothing..no traps, no troopers...nothing.
"So..this is it?" Ada questioned, walking next to Jake, who had sat down in the sand infront of his house, the droids and Teesh around him. He looked up at her, he didnt reply at first, his eyes scanned her, before he realized what he was doing and looked forwards.
"Yup" he answered, ignoring his actions, Ada plopped next to him crossing her legs, the sand shifting to her form. She smirked beneath her helmet, while Clank and Rusty played Rock Paper scissors in the background, Tac observing carefully.
"sooooooo you made this, all by yourself?" Ada continued.
"Well no, i had...R4" Jake spoke softly.
"Whos..that" Ada asked, rembering what Teesh had told her.
Jake didnt reply, he stared at his helmet, holding it infront of him, before gently placing it down, the sand shifting slightly, and then grabbing R4s eye around his neck, taking it off and slolwy handing it to Ada. As she reached to grab it Jake flinched, pulling back, his eyes looked at her helmet with a hint of worry, but he sighed and let her take it. Ada looked at carefully, gently turning it to see it, admiring the simple craftmenship.
"R4 was my...uh ..brother in way?" Jake said questioning his words.
"Brother?...a droid" Ada spoke with confusion but nice enough for it not to seem rude.
"Yeah yeah i know" Jake let out a fake chuckle "But he was all i had, and Teesh but ya know."
"Not the kindest guy" Ada finished.
"Yeah" Jake smiled softly, looking into the sand.
"What happned?" Ada said suddenly, Jake froze up, his eyes dragged away from her helmet.
"Empire...ripped him apart" Jake muttered, bringing his knees up to his chest.
Ada stared at him, through the helmet nothing could be seen, and she knew this.
"Youll be alright.." Ada scooted closer to the teen and patted his shoulder, Jake gave a sad smile.
"Thanks...." he sighed heavily, twiddling his fingers in the sand. "Theres something i must do" Jake carried himself upwards, extending a hand for Ada to rise up ,which she took.
"What?" she questioned, but recieved silence as Jake walked towards the others.
"Droids..Teesh, come here" He urged them, taking them inside his house, Ada included. He stared at the surrondings, he wished he could settle, take a seat in that chair and rest, but he knew better than that, the Empire would be all over him.
He reached a hand towards Ada, she gently handed over R4s eye, Jake taking it with a genuine smile as he held the eye to his chest, it clanking gently against his cloth infused metal.
He placed it on the table, putting his helemt on his head afterwards, he pointed towards the door, Teesh sighing and leaving, Clank and Tac following the order. Ada stayed for a bit, but upon not receiving any recognition respected his request. Rusty stood there...
"Sir..." Jake turned his head slightly.
"We.. want to help...just wanted to let you know" The B1s lanky form shook slightly, Jake smiled.
"Dont worry bud, i know...im just a little...lost right now"
Rusty didnt really know what that meant, lost? but werent we at the right planet? either way the droid was somehow smart enough to realize now wasnt the time, and left.
Jake stared at R4s eyes, a drop of salty water fell from in side his helmet and onto the muddy floor, the boy shivered slighty, walking to the nearest wall and ripping out a chunk of wood, pulling out his blaster and shooting it, a small spark grew and the wood ignited in his hand, he ignored the fire creeping towards where he was holding it.
he dropped it...
Rusty was the first to look as Jake exited his home, smoke now pouring from the windows. Ada and Clank turned with tac and Teesh noticing last. Rusty began to panic.
"Sir?! fire...uh oh wait FIRE!!" The B1 tried to grab sand to throw it at the house, but it just slipped from its square hands.
"Rusty..leave it..i need this"
The B1 halted, the other standing next to him.
"Are you sure sir...R4s eye is still there " Clank uttered deeply, turning robotically to look at the boy, who stood facing the now large blaze.
"Good job kid....good job" Teesh patted his friends back, the lizards cold eyes warmed up. Jake sniffled silently, his palms sweat, and it wasnt from the barbaric sun, it was because of himself.
Ada stared at the helmet covered boy, she pat his other shoulder, but he stepped forwards away from her, simply shaking his a slow "no"
"Sorry...I...i dont know......you yet" Jake confessed.
"Its alright...you follow your path" Ada spoke, trying her best to immitate her elders back in her creed, unbeknowst to Jake of course.
They slolwy sat, one by one, Tac sitting last, watching the fire grow...Jake kept his helmet on, staring, his goals had changed.
He was taking the fight to them
For R4.
----------------------- Location... Industrial Scrap metal melting facility-- 3 hours later...---
Two TK troopers stood in front of a reasonably sized door, the sand blew against the large walls of the factory, which had placed it slef neatly in the center of a large battlefield, most of the Tanks of droids however werent there on the floor rusting away. The factory stood hundreds of meters tall, pumping smoke as paths clinged to the side with flimsy rails to protect troopers, despite the sheer size, there werent many troopers on patrol.
"So..hows the family?" One TK asked the other.
"Doing alright...havent seen them in awhile"
"I know right, this emporer guy must not be a fan of holidays"
"Youve got that right"
Jake looked down at them from an overhang, his droids, Ada and Teesh behind him. Jake had his helmet on but his shoulders visably slumpt when he heard them speak.
"Well...shit" Jake stook a step back. "Now i feel bad"
Clank turned to stare, thinking.. "Allow me sir" Clank broke the railing with a kick, causing the troopers to look up in confusion just to see Clank falling towards them, he landed infront of the two, kneeling down to absorb the impact.
"What the fuck?!" one of yelled as they both stumbled back.
Clank rose up and extended both his arms, readying his blasters.
"Please surrnder, it against my masters wishes to murder you" Clank grumbled.
"...uh" The TKs stood for a moment turned to eachother, nodded, then threw their weapons onto the floor.
"Honestly i hate this job" one reasoned.
"No yeah this place sucks" the other agreed.
"pays horrible" one continued.
"Exactly yes..yes" the other finshed nodding his head, both of them rasing their hands. Jake jumped down, followed by everyone else.
"Thanks...i honestly didnt want to kill you" Jake spoke in a thankfully tone, patting the troopers shoulder as walked past him, blasting the door controls and watching them open.
"Never got how that worked, just shooting doors" one TK asked mostly to himself.
"Yeah, that does seem weird" Rusty agreed, the TK looking over with suprise. "You seem nice, to bad we have to knock you out" Rusty spoke happily.
"Wait wha-" Teeshes fist slammed into the TKs helmet, causing the trooper to fall over unconsiuos, poofing into the sand, Rusty being kind enough to sit him up up against the wall before following Jake inside. The other TK looked at his friend.
"Fuck.." Clanks fist threw it self at the trooper, their body flinging itself into the wall, landing right next to his unconsious friend.
"Well that works, alright Racket, stay here, guard our escape...please" Jake ordered, giving the droid a thumbs up, Racket simply nodded, and turned around.
Jake led the group, with Rusty, Clank and Teesh at the back as they closed the door, Ada and Tac right behind the teen. The inside was eeriely quiet at first, the metal walls dampning whatever sanity the atmoshpere had left, the pillars of steel towered high above even Clank and Teesh, what surpised Jake the most is that no one was there. Embedded with caution, Tac placed a hand infrotn of Jake, and did the honor of opening another door, launching his blaster forwards in preparation.
"Oh...."
"What is it?" Rusty squeaked, shifting his skinny frame past the others to walk into the large room.
"Oh...yeah thats, kinda scary to look at"
"Guys?.." Jake asked concerend following them in.
Jake laid his eyes upon the massive structure in front of him, conveyor belts flew in all diffrent directions, railed pathways followed them, Troopers walking about conversating with eachother. The droids watched as the body parts of B1s, B2s, Droidekkas dumped themsleves into large pits of moltne metal, smoke filled the ceiling as Teeshes eyes began to water, without a helmet on the smoke was irritating.
The lizard grunted in annoyance "ssssssssstupid ssmoke" Jake pat his back.
"youll be fine" Teesh gave the kid glare, knowing Jake was giving him a cheeky smile beneath his helm.
The group walked forwards, Tac finding a console and attemtping to shut of the conveyers, mostly to cause a distraction, but to hopefully delay the invitable.
"Alright" Jake whispered "Teesh, Rusty, stay here and defend this checkpoint, dont get spotted cause once we come back we arent coming alone"
"No problem kid" Teesh smirked.
"Roger Roger" Rusty followed.
Jake nodded "Clank, Ada, Tac, your with me"
With a series of nods, Jake and the selected few followed the boy, who was using every ounce of his will to not turn around and try to save those droids, even though he knew none them would even be savable, it was to late, but surpisngly, Jake didnt feel sadness, only anger.
The hallways was queit...
"aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA...." SLAM!
or not, another TK flew around the corner of a hallway and slammed into the wall. three TKs around the corner aimed their blaster up with suprise, taking steps backwards as Clank figure entered their few, blaster fire rand through out the facility as they harmless flew by the B2 or slammed into his chest, it didnt take long for Clank to start sprinting towards the TKs, the trooper in question starting to turn and run, which is reasonable but helpless. Clank slammed his body into one trooper, causing them to fly several feet away into the cold ground, Jake and Ada turned the corner and fired at another trooper, several bolts slamming into the troopers head and chest, the TK falling over very clearly dead.
"You are nothing!" Clank shouted in his gurgling tone, the TK backing up with his hands slowly raising, to little to soon, as CLank grabbed the troopers arm and threw them against the wall. A loud snap was heard as the TKs shoulder snapped, they tumbled into a sitting position as they breathed in a panic, only for them to look up and see Clank foot barreling at them, the B2s force was enough to crack open the TKs helmet and crush their head, splattering red all across the wall, it dripping disgustingly onto the grey floor.
Jake witnessed it as he threw his helmet off and fell to his knees, vomiting with widned eyes. Ada was quick to bend down to pat her friends back.
"Clank, dont do that!" She scolded, Tac walking around the corner.
Clank stared at the massacred TK, then back at Jake, who was shvering as Ada passed him a cloth to help clean his face up. The B2 felt somthing, it didnt know what exactly, but whatever it was it vowed the droid to never have Jake feel this was again.
"I appericiate your tenacity, however it seems our commander is not affialated to gore" Tac spoke calmly, walking up Clank.
"Understood..." the B2 turned to Jake "Apologies"
"Dont..its okay, kinda my fault i shouldve..uh..." Jake breathed in to settle his nerves, standing up with Adas help. "Told you guys, not to be overly..." Jake stared at the corpse "violent"
Clank didnt reply, Jake walked past the two droids ahead of him and contiued down the hallway, another TK running around a corner only to be blasted in the forehead by Jake, who already had his stolen blaster raised, their body tumbling to the floor. The grey hallways seemed endless for about five seconds, as they entered the control sector several TKs turned with their blasters raised, and one single Death Trooper, stood by a man in grey clothing, a small badge in his chest and a small pistol.
Jake took a visible step back, the Death Troopers visor cracked through the boy fragile state of mind, flashes of Buckets death rushed into his mind, which led to a cascade of remebering Bucket, to R4, and all the way back to Rusty, when he was struck down by Kelp around 3 weeks ago.
Teesh noticed his stillness, grabbing the boys back and throwing him around the hallway corner, Ada nailing one trooper dead before jetpacking away, Rusty just turned and ran to cover, Clank stepped backwards slowly into cover returning fire with both arms up, getting hit once before getting around the corner.
"Well now what?" Ada asked, red bolts whizzing by the corner, their red glow flashing along the Droids metal.
"We fucking kill these dumbasses" The others got their blasters ready as a trooper turned the corner.
"We heard that you know.." He stated sadly.
Jakes group stayed silent for a moment.
"Sorry...it was like an inspirational thing for us" Jake spoke slowly.
Another trooper turned the corner, peeking through his helmet. "No yeah thats fair" the original trooper nodded.
"Oh well, you guys wann head back over there and we can start ya know..pew pew.." Jake suggested ackwardly.
"oh yeah yeah...thanks" The TKs walked off, chatting to eachother.
"Why is everyone so nice in this factory?" Ada questioned herself aloud.
"Meh" Clank heaved himself up and turned the corner, instantly taking to blaster bolts before unleashing its hand cannon, taking out three troopers before being forced to pull back as bolts slammed into his chest. Adas jetpack belched fire as she took off around the corner, rolling mid air out the way of a bolt as she flew around the room with the TKs, taking out two with her pistols, landing atop another ones head before taking off again.
"Lets give them everything weve got!" Jake called out, runnign around the corner holding his blaster with hands, firing at the nearest troopers, Clank and Tac following. The Death Trooper shoved his commander away as the well dressed imperial hid behind some crates, the Death Trooper aimed up and fired a single shot, nailing Adas shoulder.
"WoooaoOOOAaHAAAAHH-"
the bolt didnt do much to her, but it caused her to spiral out of control and into a wall tumbling to the floor, she tried to get up with shaky arms, but fell over limp.
Jake saw this and pointed for Tac to go over and help, Jake and Clank pushing the remaining troopers to the other side of the room, only about four regular ones left, plus the Death trooper, who threw a grenade at the two, Clank pushed Jake out of the way and kicked the grenade, it blew up taking a chunk of the steel wall, Clank aiming and taking down another two TKs, Jake aiming from the floor and taking out another.
The last TK huddled behind a console in a a panic, the Death Trooper took a bolt to the chest and grumbled in angry static, grabbing the TK by the collar and throwing them forwards, the unlucky TKs almost immiandntly being gunned down by Tac, who was now providing fire support after having stabalized Ada.
The Detah Trooper seemd to roll his eyes, throwing his blaster to the ground and walking menacingly towards Clank, the B2 making a sort of low grumbling noise.
"Your kind killed Bucket.." Clank spoke, the trooper stopping a few from the droid.
The Death Trooper raised an arm and flicked somethign beneath his helmet. "You killed my squad..that hunk for junk what was coming" The troopers helmet mechanized his voice, Clanks fists squeezed themselves.
"Youll regret your statement" Clank walked forwards his heavy steps echoing through the room, the droid realed back a punch throwing it forwards the trooper ducked and kicked the droids side, Clanks stumbling for a second before attempting to back hand him, the trooper hurling his upper body backwards, pulling out his side pistol and firing twice, both shots bouncing off Clanks armor as the B2 approached him, able to quickly land a front kick, sending the Death Trooper the ground a few feet away.
Jake watched as he saw movement in the corner of eye, the Officer was crawling towards the hallway entrance, Jake smirked. The Officer crawled as Jake stomped onto his back, kneeling down ignoring the grunt of pain from the imperial, pressing his blaster to the back his head.
"So heres how this works...you tell me where the ISB weapons center is, and i dont fucking kill you" Jake spoke with rising aggresion, pressing the blaster so the Officers head slammed into the floor, the Imp wincing in pain.
Clank grabbed the Death troopers aand threw him acorss the room crashing into the glass, it cracking. Clank ran towards the trooper who was stumbling to get up off the ground, grabbing their throat and lifting them above the ground.
the trooper choaked "That...stupiidd.." he choked for a moment "Droid deserved..it"
Clank stood still..then.
Something snapped.
"WAAAAAAAAGHH" Clank grumbled as loud as his vocabulator would allow, throwing the trooper into the floor, the steel bending and trooper yelling as he vertebra cracked and shattered, this wasnt over yet, Clank took a step and crushed the trooper hand, bending down to yank off the trooper helmet, exposing their bloody face and wide panicked eyes. The B2 didnt even take a moment to think as he lifted the now limp trooper by one arm, the Imperial groaning in pain.
"Look closely at my steel and witness your reflection. What you see if what you made" Clank grumbled, dropping the trooper, they crashed into the floor, barely moving, only their chest rising weakly.
Clank stared down at them, his hands by his sides.
"I almost dont want this to end..." Clanks words were met with a pained gaze, the B2 aimed one cannon down and planted a bolt into the Troopers head, which wore a smile.
Turning around Clank was met with Tac and Ada walking to him.
"Are you okay madam?" Clank asked, walking to meet them.
"Yeah, rough crash but ive dont worse in training" she explained stretching her back. "Wheres Jake anyways"
"Right here" the boy walked forwards "got the ISB location"
"Congratualtions, i am surpirsed the Officer gave it up" Tac spoke with a hint of a congratulatory tone.
"oh...about that...he didnt, hes actually very very dead" Jake said staring at the floor, probably slightly rethinking the whole killing thing, isnt to easy on the mind.
"Anyways i just stole his key and found it in the consoles databanks"
"Well either way were good to go" Ada applaued playfully elbowing Jakes side, the boy just chuckling lightly.
it didnt take long for everyone to meet up, Racket was surroned by three dead troopers, while Rusty and Teesh didnt face anyone, only hearing the blaster fire from their post. Walking outside, clouds covered the sun, giving a break from being baked alive for hopefully the next long while. Jake explained how he got the location, with Rusty being estatic about it, and Teesh complimenting the kid.
They would begin their treck back to the LAAT, it had been well over five hours since they had left, Jake wondered how the Clones where passing the time.
---------------five hours eariler....Geonosis---Jakes LAAT Gunship,,--People present via scans---- 4.--+---
The Sand softly blew into the air, pounding against Mutes grey armor, he stood, watching his brother playing with a deck of Sabac they managed to find in the back of the ship. Thier posistion was surronded by cliffs, the rocky soil colored a neat red, expect for one spot, only a trained eye could find the difference from below, but from above, a figure stood laid down, his black armor shimmering in the Geonosian sun.
A trained eye indeed....