章節 220: Going Back

"General Di and Commander Keeli are gone. If you don't want their sacrifice to be wasted, get us to your hideout quickly."

Syndulla and Gobi stared at Dageer in shock. They already suspected that was the case, but Dageer was so blunt about it, and the way he talked made it seem like it was their fault. And, in a certain way, it was, but Syndulla would never admit it.

"How... How do you know?"

"General Di was General Ragout's master, Syndulla. Jedis have a special connection, and you know that."

The two freedom fighters exchanged glances. They had never seen Dageer - or any clone, for what it matters - get so angry. In fact, most of the time, they were like emotionless machines, who only knew how to fight. Even when their brothers died by their side, they barely looked at them. Or at least that was what the Twi'leks thought. They didn't know the pain that the troopers actually felt.

"I am sorry to hear that. We all are. Master Di was a great Jedi, and he will be missed."

"He really was. Now, we need to get moving. Miwy is already leading the way with General Ragout. Do you have any complaints, Syndulla?"

The Twi'lek looked at Dageer, not with anger, but guilt. He knew he was partially responsible for General Di's death.

"No. Let's go."

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In a dark room at the Jedi Temple, General Yoda clenched his small fists. He felt a tug in the Force, and sat down to meditate.

"Uhmm..."

His eyes closed, he called a droid forward, and told it to find General Kenobi, General Skywalker, and General Windu. Soon, four people arrived. Ahsoka Tano had followed her master.

"You wanted to see us, Master Yoda?"

The four sat in front of the small Jedi, their legs crossed. Ahsoka and General Skywalker were clearly itching to ask the reason for the meeting, but they let General Windu take the lead.

"Uhmm... Gone, Master Di is. The Force around Ryloth, turbulent is."

"We felt it too."

Both General Windu and General Kenobi lowered their heads. They had known General Di for a long time, so they also sensed when he died. General Skywalker and his padawan, however, only got to know about this now.

"This is the first loss the Republic had in this war."

"But it won't be the last. We have to claim back Ryloth as soon as possible, otherwise more systems will join the Separatist."

"True that is. Master Skywalker, ready for this mission, you and your padawan are?"

"The 501st just have to restock, master, and then we can leave."

"Good. But careful you must be. A dangerous place, Ryloth has become. More than one Jedi, we need. Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker, as soon as your fleets free are, you will go too."

"Yes, Master Yoda."

"Now, meditate with me you must. Dark times ahead there are."

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Two days went by pretty quickly. The freedom fighters and clones had a lot to occupy their minds with, and the few supplies that the Republic sent were running out. However, they were enough to save hundreds of injured, and support them for long enough so Syndulla could use his contacts, and find a steady supply of food and medical supplies. Dageer didn't know where he got those things, and he didn't care.

At this moment, the sub-commander was walking around the Twi'lek hideout, an underground world of tunnels and caves. Suddenly, he saw Shouta.

The young girl was playing with her friends, unaware of everything that happened in the last few days. When she saw him, she ran over to him. She really liked Dageer, for some reason, and the clone had no reason not to return that affection.

"Mister Dageer! Mister Dageer!"

"What is it, Shouta?"

"I have a question. Daddy said that Mister Jedi and Mister Keeli died... Is that true?"

Dageer sighed, and knelt beside her. Her father, Gobi, wasn't very tactful in telling her that, but if one really thought about it, it was difficult to hide the fact that thousands of clones and Twi'leks have died. She and the other children would notice it anyway.

"Yes, it is true. They died to protect us."

"Ohh..."

Shouta lowered her head, and for a moment Dageer thought she was going to cry. However, she didn't know the two of them well enough to feel so much for their deaths.

"You should go back. Your friends are waiting for you."

"Ahh! You are right! Bye, Mister Dageer."

"Bye, Shouta."

What Shouta said made Dageer think of something. The droids had given up searching for them long ago. They thought that eliminating the 303rd was enough, and, to tell the truth, they probably were right. There was little to nothing that the survivors could do.

"Tech, Dab, Cell, and Metal, come to me."

Not much later, the four clones arrived in front of him. Their armors were scarred and scorched, with holes and cracks, but none of them even though about repairing it. It was a symbol of the battles they went through.

"What is it, sir?"

"We are going back."

The clones frowned, not really understanding what Dageer meant.

"Err... Go back to where, sir?"

"The battlefield. The seppies had been gone for a while. I want to scout the area, and, more importantly, we have to bring General Di's body back. The Jedis have a special way of treating their dead. Those are our orders."

"What about Commander Keeli?"

Dab asked this questions so quietly that Dageer almost didn't hear him. However, he knew what the clone wanted. It was impossible to bring the bodies of all the troopers who died, but Commander Keeli had special importance for Hell Squad.

"Him too. Now, let's move."

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Six people left the Twi'lek hideout, heading towards the battlefield. Leading Dageer, Cell, Dab, Tech, and Metal was Miwy. The freedom fighter, who apparently hated the idea of relying on the Republic before, now offered to help the clones in almost everything, especially after the 303rd was wiped out. Maybe it was pity, maybe it was something else, Dageer didn't know. However, she offered to take them there, and he gladly accepted. He knew the terrain, but not so well.

Just before they got to where the battle had happened, Dageer stopped the group. He wanted to make sure that they would only carry two bodies back. It was a brutal, but necessary precaution.

"You saw before what the aftermath of a battle looks like, lads. But this is no normal battlefield. The clanckers are gone, but we still have to watch out."

"Understood, sir."

"Miwy?"

The woman nodded, and took the lead. After another half an hour, their BARC speeders finally entered the valley where General Di realized his last stand.

"Oh!"

Miwy was surprised when they entered the treeline. In fact, it was more accurate to say she was terrified.

The small forest from before was destroyed. Trees lay on the ground, and the few which were still standing had scorch marks. So did the rocks and the ground.

But what shocked her the most was obviously not the devastation, but the bodies. Three hundred and twenty-five clones stayed behind. None made it out alive. Their corpses laid on the ground, or leaning on trees and rocks. Many had not one or two black spots on their armors, but a dozen. It was clear that they all went down fighting.