Echo and Fives made their way through the devastated streets of Theed, their footsteps echoing in the chaos of battle. Fives, focused on the holotable, frowned as the map became increasingly distorted. The interference from the riots and explosions seemed to affect the signal, causing Queen Neeyutnee's location to constantly move on the screen.
"Damn it," Echo muttered, looking around in growing frustration. "We've been running in circles for half an hour, and we're still nowhere near the queen."
"Shut up, Echo," Fives replied grimly. "Trust me, I'm on edge too. If anything happens to the queen, we're done for. The Republic is barely holding on down here, and they're not doing much better up there. If we can evacuate her, at least there'll be some hope."
The situation in space was bleak. Only two Republic ships held out, covering each other as they desperately tried to fend off the Covenant's relentless attacks. For every shot the Republic ships managed to dodge, the eight Covenant ships unleashed devastating energy blasts, coming ever closer to shattering their enemies' defenses.
"What if we took that shortcut?" Echo suggested, pointing to a narrow, partially rubble-covered side street. "It would get us closer to the queen's location... at least a few meters."
Fives nodded, saying nothing. Both clones cautiously advanced down the alley, scanning the terrain for signs of the enemy. The tension was palpable, every corner could hide a Covenant ambush.
Without warning, an explosion rocked the alley, throwing them to the ground. Debris flew around them, and as they stood up, they found themselves surrounded by several Grunts and Jackals, who opened fire relentlessly. Echo and Fives quickly took cover, firing back accurate shots that pierced the Jackals' shields and took down the Grunts quickly.
"Damn Covenant! They won't let us pass without a fight!" Echo shouted as she reloaded and continued firing. With coordinated movements, the two clones managed to eliminate the enemies, but time was still against them.
After making their way through the fallen bodies, they resumed their march. The atmosphere felt increasingly oppressive, with the roar of explosions in the background and smoke obscuring the sky of Theed. Finally, the map stabilized, and the queen's location appeared fixed on a building a few hundred meters away.
"There she is. If we can get in, we can evacuate her before the Covenant advances any further," Fives said determinedly.
Echo and Fives made their way through the ruins of the Naboo capital, carefully advancing through alleys filled with rubble and the remains of destroyed vehicles. Every so often, they would stop to avoid Covenant patrols or pass through areas that seemed abandoned, but the sound of nearby fighting reminded them that the city was far from being under control. After a time, they found themselves just a few meters from the building where Queen Neeyutnee and her guards were fighting to hold out, entrenched against a horde of alien forces.
Hidden behind a wrecked Wraith, Echo pulled out his binoculars and surveyed the battlefield in front of them. "Fuck…" he muttered, watching as a wave of Grunts and Jackals advanced towards the building, while a pair of Elites led the charge.
"What are you looking at?" Fives whispered, taking the binoculars away from him to take a look. "Fuck," he repeated, realizing the numerical disadvantage.
Echo took a deep breath. "We need a plan. We won't last five minutes if we just advance by shooting. The Jackals are well covered, and those Elites are too much to take on without a strategy."
"What do you have in mind?" Fives asked, gripping his energy sword and psyching himself up for what was to come.
Echo quickly came up with a plan. "Listen: First, we throw a grenade to disperse the Jackals and break through their defenses. When they're disorganized, I'll throw another explosive to create more confusion and take care of the Grunts. Then, we go for the Elites. You go straight in, using the sword to engage them; I'll cover you by taking out as many Grunts and Jackals as possible."
"Crazy..." Fives nodded, preparing himself. "But it's the best we've got."
At the signal, Fives threw a grenade to the right, causing the Jackals to scatter, trying to reorganize their shields. The explosion created a cloud of smoke and dust, and Echo took advantage to throw a second detonator directly at the Grunts, causing another explosion that sent several flying. With the battlefield in chaos, both clones emerged from their cover.
Fives, energy sword in hand, quickly advanced towards the nearest Elite. The alien saw him coming and activated his own blade, letting out a defiant cry before launching a direct attack towards the clone. Fives barely dodged the blow, the blade crackling dangerously close to his helmet, and slashed with his own sword, which the Elite blocked with ease. The two engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat, and Fives soon realized he was out of his league; the Elite was stronger and faster, each blow from the alien sending him back, and only his reflexes allowed him to stay alive.
Echo, meanwhile, systematically eliminated the remaining Grunts and Jackals, firing accurately and using the rubble for cover. Each shot was calculated, knowing that every second counted to give Fives time in their confrontation.
In a moment of distraction, Fives was pushed to the ground by the Elite, who raised his sword to deliver the final blow. But before he could react, Fives desperately rolled, raising his sword and, in a stroke of pure luck, managed to pierce the side of the Elite, who let out a cry of pain before collapsing. Fives, panting and covered in sweat, withdrew his sword and recomposed himself as best he could.
Both clones, now with no more resistance, launched themselves towards the entrance of the building, eliminating the last Jackals defending the place. They managed to reach the building where the queen's guards, seeing them arrive, seemed to regain a little hope.
Entering the building, Echo and Fives were met with a devastating scene: bodies of guards lay scattered across the floor, victims of the ambush. For an instant, their hearts stopped as they thought they might find the queen among the dead. However, upon a quick inspection, there was no sign of her. Both clones breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that there was still hope.
"That was impressive," one of the palace guards commented, still stunned by the clones' heroic entrance. "We were expecting reinforcements much sooner… but we didn't think you'd arrive."
"We had some complications along the way… I see you've had your share as well," Fives replied, securing the energy sword on his belt with a hint of weariness.
"Yes," the guard nodded, looking at his fallen comrades sadly. "We made it to the evacuation ship, but the Covenant ambushed us before we could get on board. We managed to get out of that trap alive… but at a high cost."
"Have you tried contacting the palace?" Echo asked as he sat down at a table, taking a deep breath to regain his strength.
"We tried, but no luck. It seemed like the signal was blocked… those damn aliens are probably using some kind of technology to jam communications," the guard replied, clenching his fists in frustration.
Echo nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "They have to be using some kind of jamming device nearby. If we could disable it, maybe we could reestablish communication with the palace and call for reinforcements."
"That would give us the advantage we need to secure a retreat," Fives added, thinking of how to fight their way back through the surrounding Covenant forces.
Echo and Fives exchanged an uncertain look. Where was the queen? If she wasn't among the corpses, where could she be?
"By the way... where is the queen?" Fives asked, his tone full of suspicion.
One of the palace guards opened his eyes in a mix of surprise and guilt. "Hell, I'm sorry," he replied, pulling a small device from his pocket. Pressing a button, a section of the wall slid up, revealing a hidden compartment. There, the young queen of Naboo appeared, holding a pistol in her hand, though her fingers were visibly shaking from fear and exhaustion.
Both clones breathed a sigh of relief. "At least if we went down, she was going to be safe," the guard commented, his tone satisfied with her caution.
"Have reinforcements finally arrived?" the queen asked, cautiously stepping out of hiding.
"Yes, Your Majesty," another guard replied, bowing briefly. "But the situation isn't good. We need to evacuate as soon as possible, and the only safe place is the palace."
Echo frowned. "We're five kilometers from the palace and without any vehicles. Going on foot would be suicidal, considering the Covenant-controlled terrain and our lack of communications."
Fives nodded and looked at the map on his holopad. "There's a high point near here, a transmission tower. If we get there, we could use its antenna to reestablish communications and call for an evacuation transport."
The queen eyed the situation with some trepidation. "And what are our chances of making it?" she asked, with a mix of bravery and fear.
Echo and Fives exchanged calculating glances. "It's risky, but it gives us a real chance of getting out of this," Echo explained. "The Covenant's signal jammers should have a limited range, and if we manage to get up the tower, we could get out of their jamming area and reestablish contact with the palace."
"So how do we move?" a guard asked, holding his blaster nervously.
Fives drew up an improvised plan on his holopad. "Listen up: we'll split into two groups. One will secure the way to the tower, and the other will protect the queen. We'll move quickly and in tight formation, taking advantage of the terrain and any cover we can find. Once in the tower, Echo and I will go up to reestablish communication, while the guards hold the perimeter."
"Understood," the guard replied, with renewed firmness. "But... what if we're intercepted?"
Echo let out a sigh. "That's why we're going to need every detonator and weapon we can find. We're going to fight our way through, no matter the cost."
The queen nodded, calming her guards. "I'm ready. I trust you."
The march to the tower began. The group moved cautiously, stopping at every corner and taking back roads to avoid Covenant patrols. As they moved forward, tension grew—the sound of explosions and blaster fire filled the air, reminding them how critical their mission was.
When they reached the first point of contact with enemy forces, the guards and clones launched a lightning attack, surprising a group of Unggoy and Jakals. The fight was quick and brutal; the clones coordinated to eliminate the weaker Covenant forces before they could alert their superiors.
They eventually reached the broadcast tower, but the situation quickly became complicated. A group of Elites guarded the base of the tower, accompanied by two Ghosts patrolling the perimeter. Fives and Echo looked at each other, knowing that this battle would be their toughest test.
"Echo, take the detonating charges," Fives said, passing her a package. "We're going to need a major distraction to get through."
Echo nodded, placing the charges in strategic positions. "On the count of three… and we run to the tower!"
When the charges exploded, the ground shook and metal fragments and debris flew in all directions. Taking advantage of the confusion, the clones and guards launched an attack in waves, eliminating the distracted Covenant forces. Fives, with his energy sword in hand, faced an Elite that crossed his path, and, although the fight was fast and brutal, he managed to cut through it with a calculated move and a lucky blow, finishing it off before it could react.
Finally, they reached the entrance to the tower. Echo and Fives sped up the stairs as guards secured the area, fighting off any arriving Covenant reinforcements.
From the top of the tower, Echo adjusted the transmitter controls and activated the communicator. However, instead of a clear signal, only a series of clicks and static could be heard.
"Come on... come on..." Echo muttered, trying to improve the signal. Finally, after several seconds of adjusting, she picked up a fragmented response.
"... reception... who...?"
Echo took a deep breath and spoke in her firmest tone, using her clone designation. "This is CT-1409, Echo. We are at the transmission tower southeast of the capital. We have the queen of Naboo. I repeat, we have the queen."
The reply came in stutters, with a delay that made communication difficult. "CT-1409… we are unable to… receive your coordinates."
Echo gripped the transmitter tightly, knowing that every second counted. "Extraction coordinates at 45.93, -122.10. We need immediate evacuation. Covenant in the area. I repeat, we are under attack."
After a few seconds of silence that seemed like an eternity, the voice on the other end came back, somewhat clearer but with a tense tone. "CT-1409, roger. However, we have no reinforcements available at this time. All squads are engaged defending the palace and other critical positions. You must… hold out as long as possible."
Echo gulped and nodded, even though she knew they couldn't see her. "Roger that. We'll hold position until they arrive... if you can send them. Echo, out."
She cut the transmission and looked at Fives, who had already grasped the gravity of the situation. "There are no reinforcements," Echo told her quietly.
Fives nodded, a grim determination in his expression. "Then we fight. If we're to fall, at least we'll die doing what we do best."
Both clones made their way back down to the group, where the queen's guards and herself were waiting. With one last look of firmness, Echo addressed everyone. "There are no reinforcements coming for now. We have to hold out here until the end."
Echo and Fives, along with the guards, worked quickly to fortify their position. They set up makeshift barricades from rubble, raised fallen tables and columns for cover, and readied every weapon and ammo they could find. Blasters and detonators were distributed among everyone, leaving no corner unguarded. The clones and guards exchanged resigned glances; they knew they had little chance of making it out alive, but they were also ready to take out as many of the enemy as they could.
The first wave of Covenant came in like a storm. Grunts led the charge, lobbing plasma grenades that exploded off the walls, ripping chunks out of the defenses. The clones and guards responded with a hail of blasters, mowing down the Grunts at a frantic pace, but more enemies were advancing quickly. Soon the shielded Jackals joined the fray, blocking shots and returning fire, and behind them came the Elites, moving with deadly precision, their armor glowing in the crossfire.
Echo and Fives took cover, firing in rapid bursts, their hearts racing as Grunts fell at their feet and the walls lit up with plasma fire. Echo lobbed a grenade at a group of Elites, blowing them to pieces and filling the air with smoke and dust. Yet the Covenant continued to advance, unmoved, like a relentless tide. One Jackal managed to break through the barrier and rammed one of the guards with brutal force; Fives took him out with a well-aimed shot, but he couldn't prevent a second guard from falling, incinerated by a plasma bolt.
In the second wave, the Hunters arrived. The massive Covenant soldiers surged forward, tearing through the remaining defenses. One fired its fuel cannon, the explosion sending both clones and guards flying to the ground. Echo, near exhaustion, shouted orders to try and keep the group together, but losses were mounting and resistance was growing more desperate.
Suddenly, the rumble of massive explosions echoed across the battlefield, followed by a shockwave that shook the ground. Covenant soldiers stopped in confusion as bombs rained down across their ranks, blasting Grunts and Jackals to pieces and knocking down Elites and Hunters. Echo and Fives, still in their positions, stared in shock at the devastation. When the dust cleared, the battlefield was littered with the remains of Covenant troops.
From above, the distinctive roar of a Republic LAAT grew louder and louder, approaching at high speed. Fives and Echo looked at each other, almost in disbelief, as the ship descended toward their position. Immediately, a burst of static sounded over their radios, followed by a commanding voice.
"This is Sergeant CT-789! Can you hear me? Reinforcements on the way, you've held out long enough, boys!"
"This is CT-1409! We need immediate evacuation, we've got the queen with us and the guards are nearly exhausted!" Echo replied, trying to make himself understood through the interference and the sound of gunfire.
"Roger that, Echo! Hold on for one more second, we've got them in our sights!" the sergeant replied in a determined tone. "Prepare the civilians for extraction, we're coming!"
The LAAT's hatch opened before it hit the ground, and Sergeant CT-789 was the first to jump out. With rapid fire, he began to cover the area, ordering the clones inside the ship to follow suit. He quickly moved towards Echo and Fives, extending a firm hand to help them up.
"Come on, clones! It's time to get out of here!" he shouted, helping Echo to her feet and then Fives. "Get up and move those feet!"
With a last-ditch effort, Echo and Fives grabbed the queen and the remaining guards, leading them toward the LAAT under covering fire from the sergeant and the other clones. The Covenant shots barely grazed them, but the Republics kept firing to cover their retreat.
Inside the LAAT, the sergeant pounded on the ship's door. "Pilot, get us out of here, now! We've got them all!"
As the LAAT took off, Echo and Fives slumped into their seats, breathing deeply in relief and exhaustion. The queen and her guards were safe, and looking down, they saw the Republic forces finally taking control of the area, driving the Covenant off the grounds.
Echo and Fives looked at each other, smiling tiredly but satisfied. They had accomplished their mission.
End of Chapter 8.