Bala Hunter

THE ENSIGN



Bala was born on Concord Dawn in 25 BBY.Due to the possibility of financhial difficulties,her parents were forced to giver her up.They left her in box,in a small town,with a note saying,Please,take care of this little girl who was,and still is,our little daughter. To this day,her biological parents havn't been identified.

Two Mandolorians happened to be looking for a place to settle when they came across little Bala.They adopted her and raised her in the arts of the Mandolorian tradition.Her parents saw her grow up to be a tough woman who had become a warrior.Once Bala learned about the war against the Separtist and the Republic,she told her parents that she would go in as a mercenary and work for the Republic.With the work of pursasion,she managed to have her parents approve of her choice.

START OF A MERCENARY
Once Bala arrived to Corosaunt, she navigated through the  towering buildings towards the Republic military office.She got out with her helmet at her side.She strode over to the office.She knocked and th Republic military offi

cial greeted her and let her inside.She then explained that she was wanting to be hired as a mercenary and work for the Republic.

She gave him her back ground information,weapons,and other personal information.They then discussed work.After an hour of talking over terms,the military official said she was hired.She was then assigned to a battalion known as Titan Company.

She left and met up with the battalion's officers,Commander Amadeus,Lieutenant Devis,and Lieutenant Iron.

THE ASSAULT ON GAFTIKAR-PART ONE
A few months after meeting up with the company's  leaders,  Republic generals told Titan Company that they were being sent to the planet Gafitkar,a Separtist world that is said to have a droid  base getting ready to attack the rest of the world.

Tittan Company then got onto the cruiser,the Warren.They all got into the cruiser and made thier way towards the Separtist plantet.

'Once i settled into the cruiser's barraks, a question that had first came to my mind when i first met the battalion's men came back to me again.I  went over to one of the troopers,Sergeant Stalks,and asked,'What do you plan on doing when the war is over?'

He looked at me for a moment with an arched eye brow.Right when i was starting to think it was a c'ruel question, esspecially for these men, he answered, I dont know.But even if it does,I will keep serving the Republic untill my age  starts to affect my service.-Entry from Bala's journal.'

Once the cruiser's admiral,Admiral Malick, annouced that they were going  to exit out of hyperspace in the next hour,Am then gathered up his men and had gotten a hologram of an aerial shot of the droid base they were being sent to.He discussed with his men the plan and started to divide groups and jobs.One platoon was to land at the southern side of the base and take out what ever targets there were siletnly.After that, they would take up  positions inside the forest.

Another platoon  was to land at the northern side of the base.They would charge up to the base's entrance,spread out  along the wall but still hide behind cover in the woods, and hold thier position there untill they signal the platoon positioned up at the hill to amush the droids from both sides of the wall.Once that has happenend,he platoon positioned at the southern side of the base would climb up the walls and go take out droids inside the base.

Bala was assigned to platoon bravo,the platoon that was going to to land at the southern side of the Separtist base.She nodded and asked wat the objective was (Am said he would tell it after he was done with the plan).He said the plan was to go infiltrate and destroy the droid base,but before doing so they would capture thier data.Am then dissmissed every one and ordered them all to prepare for the assault while he discussed the plan to the LAAT pilots.

Bala went to her loker and began pullling out ammo clips,grenades,bacta, and extra food provisions in case the fire fight is long and the men begin to get sick because of lack of food.As she started to finish up putting every thing in her pack,Admiral Malik annouced,Jumping out of hyperspace.

Bala quickend her speed getting things in her back pack.She then jumped up and sprinted for the hangar with her helmet at her side and her  bag on her back.Once she got to the hangar,she searched for the familiar faces of her assigned platoon.She finally saw one of troopers,Lier,and jogged over to them.She put her helmet on her head and waited for the other platoons to arrive.

About ten minutes  later,platoons Alpha and Delta finally arrived to the hangar.Am wished everyone good luck on his helmet speeker and climbed into the LAAT compartment.Everyone soon started to do the same  once the LAAT pilots told everyone they were ready to board.

Once everyone  and every thing was prepped and ready for take off,Admiral Malik's voice boomed through out the hangar. We are now in the planet's atmosphere.Gunship pilots,you are cleared for take off.Good luck Titan Company.



THE FIRE FIGHT
Bala suddenly felt a little jerk as the gunship lifted up as it made it's way out of the cruiser's hangar.The LAAT flew out of the hangar and the crew inside the compartment veiwed the land scape as they  flew over it.The land was covered in dense forests and patches of lakes.Other gunships were scattetered every where around them.Bala and the others inside the LAAT admired the veiw untill the blast of the familiar sound of cannon fire filled the air.Immediately,one of the gunships around them burst into flames and started to descend down to the surface.

As the gunship's  doors slid closed, the pilot's voice broke out inside the compartment, ''Ugh,those droids caught sight of us from below.Good thing no fighters are out here.If things get too rough,I'll open the hatch and you all will have to parachute to the surface and make your way to the southern side of that base.

You all understand?

Acknowledged,pilot.We'll keep that in mind.



Bala and others around her began grabbing thier parachute packs and shouldering them on to thier backs as the sounds of cannon fire blasted outside.She  looked around herself and noticed one  of the men looking down.Behind his helmet,a tiny droplet of water, that could have only been a tear, dropped and slid down his armour.She walked over to him and tapped him on the shouler.Hey,trooper.Clear your head.You got some thing on your chest?

He looked at her and nodded. My brothers were on that ship.One of them was Cord.He and I were in the same batch back on Kamino,and he had even saved my life on Geonosis.I had  swore I would repay him one day,but now I won't even be able to talk to him in the barracks.

Bala could only manage a nod.She couldn't bring her self to become sentimental in a time like this,otherwise she woud be endangering her life and those around her because of those thoughts.I know it's hard to let go when it comes to the death of those you care about,' Bala manged to say,but right now we gotta keep our minds to the task and win this war for the brothers who died fighting.''

Right, he replied.

She nodded and walked  back to her spot inside the cramped space in the LAAT compartment.The gunship shuddered as the cannon fire continued in the air.Landing zone in bound, annouced the pilot.'Get ready to jump, lads.

Roger that,

Everyone started to put thier parachute packs up and began getting thier weapons and supplies out.The click of weapons being checked went through out the gunship.Bala had gotten her pack back out that was  filled with extra ammo clips and medical supplies.She picked up her twin blasters from thier shealthes and checked them.Suddenly, a red light beamed inside the LAAT;the signal that the gunship was landing.

Everyone began getting on either side of the comparment and readied their weapons.It was so quiet,that  all every one could hear was each other's breathing and the sound of the gunship landing.The light inside the gunship changed green,and the gunship's hatches slid open,revealing the battlefield that awaited them.

* * *



Once the hatches slid opened,blaster fire was every where.They leaped out of the LAAT and dove for any source of cover.Bala raced towards a tree and crouched behind it.Blaster fire shot from every direction.Troopers laid sparwled out on the ground, motionless.Others were crouched down liker her and fired in the direction the blaster fire was coming from.She looked towards the direction of the base and saw nothing but other trees.A blster bolt shot out and missed her helmet only by a centimeter.She dodged and began firing with her twin blasters.

A large explosion sounded from some where  and banged through out their location.Bala looked and saw that an LAAT  had been hit  in the air.....And was going to crash land right on thier position

SPREAD OUT AND FIND COVER!Bala yelled though her helmet.

Everyone scattered and tried to get as far away from the crashing LAAT as possible.Bala sprinted for a tree and dove for cover.She looked and saw the LAAT hit the ground with a deafening  BOOM.The ground shook and pieces of the gun ship flew in all directions.

Bala got back up and sprinted farther down towards the droid base.A peice of the gun ship landed right behind her,causing  her to fall on the ground.Her ears were left ringing.She had gotten back up and ran for cover.Blaster fire still continously fired from every direction.She fired back from behind a tree.She went behind the tree and looked around herself.

The remains of the LAAT littered all around the forest,with sparks clinging to them.Patches of fire laid burning,making the trees look like torches in the afternoon light.She looked down on the ground and saw troopers laid sprawled on the ground,motionless.Others were skattered around the  woods,firing back at the droids.

Static suddenly cackled inside Bala's helmet.Am's voice began pouring through her com,sounding pained and hoarse.Bala,this Commander Amadeus.Half of Platoon Alpha's gunships were taken out during the fight up there.Our troops are being pinned down at the moment.Respond.

Bala sighed with relief before replying to the the message.Troops.Alive.She said the words three times over in her head to reassure herself that this battle was not lost.

Bala here,commander.Our troops are pinned down as well by heavy blaster fire.We have extensive causualties.We are skattered every where.Im afraid its going to take us longer then we had hopeed for us to reach that wall.

Copy that.Tell every one to regroup and and charge to the walls,Am   said.

''Roger,

Bala was just about to comm everybody on her helmet when a BOOM  caused her to go air borne.She flew through the trees and hit with a hard THUD on the ground.Then everything went dark.

THE SIEGE
When Bala woke up,she was on her back,looking up at the trees.Her shoulder was throbbing with pain.The sound of blaster fire went off along with the shouts of orders.Her vision was hazy for a moment,then began to clear.Her head felt as if some one had thrown her up against the wall several times.She shook it off and sat up.Her shoulder immediately electrified with pain.

She gritted her teeth and did her best to  ignore it.Her helmet was left sitting beside her.A trooper jogged over and crouched beside her.'Take it easy',he said. 'The bacta is going to take a little bit to  heal that shoulder of yours.'

Blaster fire continued to ring out in every direction.Her brain  and muscles screamed GET UP!GET UP AND FIGHT!

She controlled her nerves and asked,How long have I been out?

 ''About four hours.Sergeant Stalks managed to carry you to shelter before the tanks started to fire  on our position.We were able to take them out. At the moment we're pinned down by droids.Almost to the wall.

Bala only nodded when in her mind she picutred every one having to get to cover while she laid there doing nothing.The very thought made her want to crawl under a rock and cry in shame.Lazy chakkare,she scolded herself.

The Titan Company corps man jogged  back to the front in search of other injured that were in need of medical assistace.She sat there against a tree and was forced to listen to the sounds of combat that sounded from all around her.She looked down at her red Mandolorian armour.It was covered with dirt and grime and was scorched by blaster fire.She smiled. My first battle scars.

The throbbing of pain in her shoulder began to go down a little.Bala reached for her helmet and slid it over her head and grabbed her twin pistols.She got got up and sprinted for the the  front line.Trees were knocked over and patches of fire laid all around them.Blaster fire continouly banged through out the forest.It was exacly how Bala saw it before she  had gone unconscious.

Once she made it,she saw that the wall laid just one hundred meters from thier position.She looked up at the wall and saw turrents placed there,raining blaster fire down onto the forest floor.Then droids laid in front of her.All held thier ground and fired at Titan Company.She un shouldered her bg from her back,amazed that it was still there, and brought out a spare magazine and a couple of grenades.She loaded the magazine into her twin blasters and fired at the droids that laid in fornt of her.She grabbed a grenade and threw it.It hit and brought down one fourth of the droid wave,creating a crater between thier ranks.

At that point,the droids  were forced to fall back a few feet.Titan Company took the oppurtunity and charged towards the droids.Bala grabbed  another grenade and threw it as she charged with the others.The explosion created yet another crater and took out a chunck of thier force.Blaster fire came from the droid flanks and began to make them fall back and give up even more ground.Eventually,they were only meters away from the wall.One by one, the final wave to protect the Separtist base was elminated.

Bala commed Am and annouced,Commander,we have reached the wall.Repeat,we have reached the wall.Do you copy?

Static cakcled in reply for a few moments.Instead of Am replying it was Devis's voice that filled her helmet.'Commander  got hit hard by a grenade.He's getting worked on right now.We are about two hundred meters away from the other side of you.You'll have to scale the wall by your selves im afraid'.

Got it,

Everyone then prepared to scale the wall.One by one,all five cables connected to the wall.They then all then began climbing up the base.As Bala climbed,she realized that she was exhausted like those around her.She never felt so tired because of grief and physical pain in her life.She shook it off and pressed herself harder as she climbed the wall.

They then finnaly reached the top and then began setting up positions to cover those those that were making their way up behind them.The inside of the droid base was massive.Tanks and droids formed ranks.A control center was placed right below them.A tower  laid to one side of the base next to what must have been thier landing zone.Cannons formed up along the top of the walls.

About a spit second of rest was all Bala got before the army of droids spotted them and  started to fire at them.Blaster fire went through the air once again.Bala fired back with her twin pistols.Fortunately,because they were up on the wall, it was harder for the droids to hit them all acurately.Bala picked up one of the last grenades and threw it.The greaade exploded and took out half of the droids below.Titan Company then began to go down from the wall and into the base.

They all took up positions and fired at the droids.As Bala fired her twin pistols,she spotted the command center;it laid right beside the wave of droids.A plan began to form in her mind.She then spoke to every one on her helmet speeker.'Troopers,cover me!'

She jumped  up and bolted for the command center.

* * *

Bala never ran so fast in her life.

But to her,every thing was going in slow motion.The  droids fired at her,having thier blaster fire miss her helmet by only an inch from her helmet.She summoned every sappling of her strenghth to make herslef go faster.After what seemed like hours,Bala reached the command center.

She looked around at  all the consoles,looking for the Separtist data with her head down.She found it aand took the data chip and slipped it into one of her pockets.She got back up on her feet and fired her twin blasters back at the droids.The droids were then picked off one by one untill none were left standing.

Bala contacted Am and reported,Commander,Bala here.The Separtist base has been taken and all hostiles have been elminated and we are in possesion of the data.We will begin placing detonators shortly.Do you copy?

A moment passed,and Am replied with a pained voice.Roger that,Bala.We have taken out the droid force and are being picked up.We'll let the pilots know that you'll  need evac before that base is turned into rubble.

Copy that,commander.

Bala helped the troopers with placing the explosives on  the walls.A little while after putting them all in place, gunships began to come in veiw.Bala was so exhausted and relieved that she almost collapsed.She witnessed so much death and expierenced  so much combat that it left her mentally scared. Thats what I'll feel like after every battle.And thats what these men will always feel after every battle.The Republic knows this,and yet they barely get a day off.

Bala shook away her thoughts and quickened her pace towards the LAAT.She jumped up into it's compartment and grabbed hold of one of it's handle bars.The gunship lifted and began making it's way towards the cruiser.Once they were almost near the upper levels of the atmomsphere,a massive explosion banged loud enough for almost the entire planet to hear.

Every one looked towards the direction where it came from and saw a mushroom cloud where the droid base once stood.They all kept thier gaze fixed on the black smoke as it went up into the air untill they could no longer see it because of the clouds.It was silent in the gunship after they lost sight of the burning base.Although no one mentioned it,Bala knew why.Thousands of lives were sacrificed because of some thing that has now been reduced to nothing,but ash.

THE BATTLE OF RAXXU
A couple of weeks after Titan Company had been deployed to Gaftikar,the Replublic was sending them to a planet known as Raxxu.The planet wasn't known for alot of Separtist activity but was known for it's natives.They never took either side, but had favored the Confedarcy then the Republic.Now, it was said that they were buying droids for security in case the Republic comes,and even had already built a droid factory.

Titan Company had been ordered to wipe out their droid factory and capture  the Separtist general,General Mur'vall Alrick.Every one knew that the success in this task was very vital for the war effort.After the breifing of the assignment,Bala looked around at the faces of the troopers.Thier eyes ånd facial features said every thing about what they thought about this: Why can't this war just end?

Lines streaked across under each man's eye.Mouths almost formed frowns and exhuastion  made thier bodies slakening.She looked over at Am and saw that his face was etched with worry.His battalion had lost it's hope.

I know the battle of Gaftikar took it's toll on every one,Am began.but every day our brothers are sent across the galaxy to fight even bloodier battles.They sacrifice their lives for this wretched war when they are given the choice to run away from from thier service.Those brothers will never be forgotten.Lives are  spent and sacrifices are made every,single kriffing day.We must honor those men by returning victorious after every deployment.Am I understood?''

'SIR,YES SIR!' They all said in chorus.

Good.Now, lets discuss how we will win.

Am brought up a hologram of  an aerial shot of the droid factory they were going to attack.Unfortunately, there wasn't much vegetaion like Gaftikar.All there was was sand.In Bala's peripheral vision,she saw a few heads tilt down.It must have reminded them of Geonosis,she thought.

Am told them all that thier defenses were high  but scattered.Sadly, the Raxxu people most likely knew thier land and knew how to fight in desert like conditions,which made taking them out was going to be difficult.In the hologram,there seemed to be a ray shield at the factory's entrance.Beyond it,laid the inside of the factory.It's buildings towered high above the walls.Droid drop ships were laid in a corner beside fighters.Droids patroled around the base with tanks.

Am then said that alot of Titan Company's force was going to be concentrated where the shield was.Other platoons were going to have to be skattered around the factory so that they could occupy other security that could be near the entrance.Once they had destroyed the ray shield,the gun ships would evac the other platoons with the help of aerial bombers.The gun ships would then land troops inside the base.

Once the breifing was finnished,he dissmissed everyone  to thier barracks and summoned his platoon leaders to discuss where they were going to land during the assault.Bala walked over to her quarters with her helmet at her side.She began getting out of her Mandolorian armour and hung it in her  closet.She placed her helmet at her bed side and got into her sleep clothes.

She collapsed  on the bed and was so exhausted that she didn't even bother pulling the covers up  and immediately fell fast asleep.

Bala woke up to Admiral Malick's voice that boomed through out the cruiser.We are now over the planet.Titan Company report to the hangar  to be deployed to the surface.Gunships will begin making thier descent in ten minutes.'

Bala leaped out of bed and began getting her Mandolorian gear on.She got her helmet from her bed side and slipped it on to her head.She sprinted out of the room and bolted for the weapon locked room.She rushed inside and found her locker and grabbed every thing.She grabbed her belt and twin pistols,her pack,and stash of grenades.Once she was finnsished she bolted out and rushed  towards the hangar.

After she arrived,Am,Devis,Iron,and the other platoon leaders were already there.She jogged over to Am and said,Reporting  in,commander.

He nodded. You'll be with me and Lieutenant Iron at that ray shield.I'll  be needing you and a couple of EOD experts planting detonators along the wall near the ray shield.

Got it,

He  nodded back  and walked over to his platoon leaders.A few minutes passed and soon the rest of Titan Company was gathered around the hangar.Gunship pilots,prepare for take off',Admiral Malick announced.

Pilots then began to go over to thier gunships.Bala jogged over to one of her platoon gunships and waited for the pilot to open it's compartments' doors.A moment passed and the hatch slid opened.Bala and eight other troopers got in the LAAT compartment.They began putting thier stuff up and slid thier helmets off as they waited for the LAAT to leave the cruiser's hangar.Bala held her helmet by her side and examined the scars on her armour.She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked behind her.A clone with a red,slid back mohawk said,So, I heard you were there at the southern wall during that assault on Gaftikar.That true?

'Affirmative', Bala replied.

He shook his head.I was with Commander Am during the landing party.I looked and saw one of those shab gunships get blasted out of the sky and land on your platoon's position.After that,one our gunships crash landed right next to us.That's how I got this.

He turned and craned his neck where Bala could see a wicked scar curve from the back of his neck to the the edge of his cheek.Bala wasn't sure if she was more surprised to hear the trooper use Mandolorian curse words or see the scar he had recieved.

The blast from that crashing LAAT had caused every one to fall.When I fell,a piece of it had  scraped my cheek all the way around my neck.The wound was so deep that I had to be carried to the back where they were taking care of the other wounded.I blacked out and next thing I knew, I was in the med bay with sticthes.After hearing the number of losses, I'll never forgive my self.

Bala placed a hand on his shoulder. Undessi,ner vod. Calm, brother.

He nodded and smiled.Name's Kote. He held his hand out to shake.

Bala's parents taught her the Mandolorian language and remembered that word instantly.Kote was the Mandolorian word for glory.

She  shook his hand and said,Bala.

Pilots,your clear for take off, annouced Admiral Malick.''

The gunship's hatches slid closed and it lifted.The only source of light was the little yellow light from the beacon signaling  it was not time to land.Every one slipped thier helmets back on and gripped the handle  bars.The LAAT made it's way out of the hangar and toward the planet's surface.

VOICES IN THE SAND
After a few minutes of flying in  space,light finaly streamed throught the cracks of the gunship's hatches.Bala shoulders tensed as she waited to hear the sounds of cannon fire like she had  while in the gunship on Gaftikar.Instead,only the roar of the other gunships was the only thing they all heard.The gunship's hatches slid opened and Bala's shoulders relaxed.Before them spread nothing but hills of sand.The humidity and the view of the planet's surface made it look lifeless.How can any race survive here? Bala wondered.

After a few minutes of flying,the droid factory came into view.It's massive walls laid to the left and right.Raxxu people and droids looked like tiny insects that were scattered all around the factory.The hatches slid closed and a red light beamed red.Get ready lads, one of the troopers said in the gunship's compartment. Lets blast these arrutise sky high.

AYE, the others all said in chorus.

The sound of weapons being checked sounded through out the LAAT.Bala grabbed her pack and shouldered it on her back.She slid her twin pistols into thier holsters and grabbed her DC-15 blaster.Blaster fire suddenly boomed outside the gunship.The assault had begun.

Every one began getting on either side of the hatches  with their weapons ready.Every one could hear the purring of the LAAT landing.O'YA! Bala yelled out.

O'YA!  Every one replied.''Let's go. ''

A moment passed,and the hatches suddenly slid opened.In front of them laid a sand hill.Behind it, they could make out the walls of the droid factory.Blaster fire could be seen in every direction they looked.Wisps of sand hung in the air and clung to every one's armour like a blanket.The humidity made Bala sweat right whn she stepped out of the gunship and in front of the hot, blazing sun.

They leaped out and sprinted toward up the sand hill.Troopers had thier rifles and blasters out,ready to fire.Once they all made it to the top,they saw other platoons of troopers  in fromation,firing thier weapons at the the massive wave of droids.

The sound of thier metal marching almost sounded louder then the booming of combat.Miles away,laid the entrance to the factory.A humongus raid shield stood between them and the inside of the droid factory.Bala and the others looked below them for a few moments and began charging with thier weapons aimed and firing at the waves of droids.

Bala could only see the walls of the factory,sand,bodies of white armour either running or laying on the ground,and continous blaster fire.Since she didn't have a clear shot, she lowered her DC-15  and  grabbed a grenade from her belt.She primed it and threw it as far as she could at the waves of droids.It hit and a firey explosion could be seen from where they were running.Droids flew in all directions.The grenade created a crater and smoke curled from it.The droids continued marching and fireing their weapons.Once Bala's platoon had reached the front line that been created,another explosion went off, but  instead it was seen in  Titan Company's ranks.

Bala had no time to see it.All she saw was a burst of flame and half a second later she was up in the air.Her ears were still ringing once she hit solid ground.Part of her body was buried in sand.Trooper's bodeis were sprawled out all around her.She lifted herself up and could see that the front line had been broken.Troopers were standing in front of her,firing thier weapons.

A voice filled with static at first filled her helmet. Bala,this is Am.I see where you are at,but Iron and I are pinned down behind a hill.Get up and get moving to my position.

It took a moment for Bala to register those words.The fall she toook left her mind fuzzy.Copy that,commander.On my way.

After she responded,she heard a low groan right next to her.She looked and saw one of the troopers that had also been hit was trying to move.Blood seeped out from below his armour.Every muscle in her body told her that she needed to pick this man up and and run with him toward Am's position.She knew it was insticts,and her father always told her that you should always trust them,esspecially in combat.

The droids continued to advance toward her and the troopers around her.She got up and picked the groaning trooper and slung him on her shoulders.His weight nearly crushed her but she managed to push all her leg muscles to he limit.She looked around and saw Am and Iron at the hill they said they were located at.It far,but she told herself she would run as fast as she could. A wounded warrior on your shoulders isn't going to keep you from completing the task your given,she told herself.

She summoned all the speed in her body and sprinted towards the Am.Blaster fire shot at her feet and missed her by inches.She felt one hit her leg,but her mind and body was too focused that she barely noticed it.She immidiately knelt down and brought the trooper off her shoulders.The pain then started to creep up her leg but she ignored it.

Am and Iron were on thier stomachs on top of the hill,firing at the droids.The trooper groaned again as he was laid up again the sand hill.Blood continued to pour out of his armour.Bala  slund her pack of her shoulders and brought out a vial of bacta and slid the hemet off the trooper's head.Her heart sunk when she saw  the familar slid back,red colored mohawk.It was Kote.

A gash that was opened on his face presented his flesh.Blood dripped from his neck.He gasped for breath and his eyes kept fluttering.Bala didn't need a med bay droid or X-Rays to know that this trooper wasn't going to live much longer. Not....Going...To.....Make it, he sputtered out as if he was reading her thoughts.Blood began to drop from his mouth.Bala lowered her head and closed her eyes,and prayed.Nu kyr'adc, shi taab ecaaj'la.' Not gone,merely marching away.

It was a breif  little speech Mandolorian warriors spoke to fallen comrades.Bala's father told her all the Mandolorian warrior customs before going to Corosaunt.Kote smiled and his eyes closed.They stayed  that way forever.

Bala's hands clenched and suddenly she felt as if the sounds of combat weren't even present.This man could have lived on Mandolore and be a farmer.Instead,he was born in a glass tube filled with bacta and forced to fight with out even given a saying of what he wanted to do.And here was one of those troopers before her.Slumped up against a sand hill after being killed from an explosion  caused by the thing hat he was,literaly,MADE to fight.The very thought made Bala's temper rise.Curse the Republic and curse this wretched war.

Bala got up and brought her pack back on her shoulders.She looked and she never realized that Am and iron had been looking at her.'Thank you,ner vod,Am said.She nodded and brought her twin pistols out.She looked towards the sound of the blaster fire and saw that the broken front line managed to stop the waves od droids from advancing,but having a difficult job of holding their ground.

You needed me,sir?'  Bala asked.Am nodded.Your jet pack.I need you to go up and cause confusion in the droid's ranks.Throw a few grenades.Iron and I will cover you.Once you run out of fuel,get back over here and then the platoons should be able to charge up and gain some ground.Understood?'

Aye, she replied.''

THE SAND STORM
Bala brought her wrist up to her face and pressed the commands on her keypad.Anger,exhaustion,and greif circulated all in her mind.It took  all her mental power to push it to he far reaches in her mind just so she could focus on her task.

The battle continued to rage on all around them.Troopers were firing at the droids and were buried in the sand.Grenades were thrown and hit each side.Craters were formed and bodies both white armour and metal flew up in the air.Once Bala finished putting the commands in,she squated and waited for the jet pack to shoot her up in the air.

Her father had taught her how to use  a  jet pack in battle.Bala had unhappy memories of herself going off and falling on to the hard ground and doing it over  and over again untill she finaly did it right.While the she recalled the lessons she learned and how to target accurately while in the air, She couldn't help but remember  the conversation she had with Kote who now was slumped up against the hill,eyes closed and looking as if he was peacefully sleeping in his clone trooper armour.

While still deep in her thoughts,the jet pack suddenly roared to life and made her soar in the air.She quickly got her mind focused and manuevered herself to where she wouldn't be awkwardly trying to balance herslelf in the hot,humid air.Once she was balanced,she aimed her twin pistols at the droids and fired.A couple were hit and went down.Eventually,the droids started to aim at her intsead of the troops in front of them.Thats right,you sha' buir.Try and get me.

Bala grabbed her grenade and threw it had a group of droids.The grenade exploded once it reached the ground and pieces of metal went in all directions.It created a large,empty space inside the droid's ranks.The platoons noticed this,and began throwing thier grenades and began charging.She doged blater bolts and continued to fire at the droids below her.Bala's heart raced with exitement and adrenaline.Am's plan was working.

Just when she began to think that might actually be able to finaly reach to the droid factory,the sound of sand and wind roared.Bala looked and saw that a sand storm was making its way towards them.Bala fired off a few more shots and made her way towards Am and Iron's location.She dropped and ran behand the hill where she found Am's left shoulter pad was marked by a blaster bolt.

Sir,are you alright? She asked.

''I'm fine. Just a scratch.

A sand storm is heading this way.I suggest you order  the men to preapre for it

On it. Am began calling platoon leaders inside his helmet.While he did,Bala cotinued firing at the waves of droids.As she did,it her hit her that she never noticed Iron.She looked and was shocked to see that he was laying on his back with his helmet off.His armour was coverd in scars and burt marks. 'Iron was hit by a grenade,' Am eplained when he saw that she was gaping at Iron. I was able to put bacta in him which stopped the pain and caused  him to slip unconcious.He should be fine.

She nodded and looked back at the in coming sand storm.It was only miles,collecting sand coming ever closer every second.Blaster fire continued to rage in the air as the droids and troopers pressed on.Bala continued firing her twin pistols,but kept an eye on the sand storm.Alright.The plan is  to charge during the sand storm.That way while the droids will have a difficult time trying to manuever themselves through the storm we will have a perfect opputunity to take them out, Am said,almost sounding relieved.

Roger, Bala replied.

The sand storm was now right on top of them.Bala could feel her heart pound even harder with fear.If Am is wrong,then the battle is lost.The sand storm had then reached them, and Titan Company battled thier way through the ripping winds of sand.

* * *



At first,nothing could be seen except the huge cloud of sand that surrounded every one.Then the bodies of metal marching suddenly appeared.Blue and red blaster bolts erupted into the air once more.No one from either side dared threw a grenade,for each side feared that they might hit one of thier own.

Bala was afraid that her Mandolorian armour might not be suited for sand conditions.Before they were inside the sand storm,she already had a difficulty of over coming the intense heat from the desert's awfull climate in her thick Mandolorian armour.

CHARGE! A platoon leader yelled.Bala could make out bodies of white armour quickly get in fromation as they battled the on coming droids.The droids were then only a few feet away from them,and at that moment all the troopers ran forward with thier rifles and blaster fireing and hitting the droids accurately.Bala's heart soared.Am was right;they aren't made to fight in a situation like this.

Bala ran with them and fired her twin pistols to her left and right.She ran up to a droid and unshealthed the knife that was hidden inside her gaunlets.She stabbed the droid and threw it to the side.Blue oil covered her knife and her helmet.She continued firing her twin pistols at the droids and continued to rampage them all.The sounds of the sand storm and blaster fire deafened them all and made it impossible to hear any thing on the comm.

Troopers to her left and right fired thier rifles and held thier ground.Suddenly,out of no where,a humanoid from emerged from the sand and knifed a trooper.Bala,too shocked,watched as four more emerged and did the same.More and more came out from under the sand and brought out thier custom made weapons and fired them at the troopers.They were all covered in ropes of white cloth.Perfect clothing for desert conditions.A trap.Those chackare wanted us to charge on them during the sand storm before we even landed.

Bala fired her twin pistols and threw a grenade at the Raxxu people.She barrled role toward one and knifed it in the gut with the hidden knife in her gauntlet.He yelled in pain and fell inot the ground,clutching his stomach.Bala aimed and shot him with her twin pistol.He twitched and immediately stopped moving.

She looked around and saw that the troopers pushed the Raxxu people back.The droids  couldn't be seen in the sand storm,for all Bala could see was flashes of red and blue blaster bolts.The sand continued to rip across her armour and threatend to knock her down on her side.Bala fired her twin psitols at the Raxxu people and charged toward them.Blaster fire kicked at her feet as she coninued to fire.The Raxxu people began to run but was knocked back on thier stomachs every time they tried.

It was when weapons began to cease firing when the and storm began to die down.Bala heart soared with hoope and joy.She grinned and turned back to Titan Company's ranks.O'YA!' She yelled at the top of her loungs.O'YA!'' They shouted back.They all ran forward towards the droid factoy and the remaining waves of droids.Once the sand storm cleared,only a few platoons of droids were left standing.Titan Compny fired thier weapons and threw countless grenades.The droids went down one by one and not a single trooper  yelled in pain.

They continued to fire untill there were no more droids.They all ran toward the droid factory's ray shield and stopped at its entrance.Bala looked at the massive doors and at the walls that lined up left to right.The troopers stood thier for a second,catching thier breath,and began froming a perimter in front of the ray shield.Am jogged up to Bala and said, Now's the time to use those charges.Unfortunately,we only have two remaining EOD experts left thanks to the sand storm.

Copy,I'll begin setting up the charges.

Once Am walked away,a question Bala had to know popped into her mind.Commander,what was the orginal number of the EOD experts?

He turned around and looked at her for a second.His T-shaped visor showed no emotion.No eyes,no mouth.Just a face that could never be read.'Too many to be lossed, he answered.

THE CAPTURED FACTORY
Bala  began setting up the charges along the wall.A few minuets later, the two EOD experts came over  and started planting charges.Not a word was said as they planted he charges.The two experts had thier heads laid lowed when they walked.Bala didn't to ask.Am's answer to her previous question said it all.It was so quiet, they  could hear the officers and sergeants barking orders.

Once they were finished,they began wireing up to the charges and putting timers on them all.After that,Bala contacted Am to let  him know that they were set.The platoons jogged behind a hill that was about fifty  miles away from the ray shield. 'Everyone ready?' Bala asked Am. Affirmative,  he replied.Bala got out of the 'the clicker,' as they all called it,and pressed the button.A deafening exposion boomed far from them.The ray shield was  covered in fire for a few seconds.The walls around it began to crumble down.

Once the dust from the falling debris was cleared,the  inside of the droid factory laid open in front of them.Thety all sprinted down the hill and into the factory.Everyone began to set up positions and clear the inside of the factory. Clear! A trooper called out.They then began to walk around the factory.Only the remains of blasted droids were the ony thing they found,that  and bodies of the Raxxu people.

This isn't right, Am observed.Intel says that there is only one species on the planet.Some one inside thier ranks decided to turn against their own.

That or intel was wrong about only one species,  one of the troopers said, Corporal Core.The inside of the droid factory that contained the actual droids were all found destroyed.They then found the command post.Bala's mind was so focused that she never gave a thought ogf the past battle, as if it really never happened and she was only helping these troopers with securing the factory.

AGH!  A trooper yelled in pain. A blaster bolt had sounded from some where inside the command post.A trooper fell and a hole had been pierced into his armour,smoke curled from it and rose out of his suit.Blaster fire immidiately went out in all directions.Get down! A trooper said.A grenade went off and exploded.The  attackers ceased thier firing.Bala rose from her spot and looked around.

Five bounty hunters laid spawled out around the room.Smoke rose from thier bodies.Beyond them laid the  Separtist general,Mur'val Alrick.His hesad features were just the same as the one Bala saw in the hologram.His black hair was cropped up to where it was right above his ear,his body plump as a pig and a gray beard covering his mouth.A trooper went over to check his pulse. He's breathing, he told every one.

Bala let out a sigh of relief.Every one gathered in the open area in the center of the droid factory.Bala's adrenaline from the last fire fights were so severe that she never felt the pain from the blaster bolt that had hit her leg untill now. Her entire right leg elecrtified with pain the moment she put wieght on it while walking.She gritted her teeth and kept the pain inside.The pain went locked up inside her with the grief,exhaustion,and anger.The combat she had  witnnessed the past weeks had left her mind permantely scared.Her father had warned her that after each battle, her mind will be too caught up in all the past fire fights that it will drive you  to the brink of insanity unless your able to drive it out and focus on the present, and since she was a woman it was going to be much harder.Bala struggled,for the flash backs of  death and destruction played over and over  inside her mind.

She looked up into the night sky.Its stars gleamed from above like fire flies.The form of an LAAT flew above them and started to land.A gun ship landed near them and its hatches slid opened.Bala walked toward it with the others and got into its compartment.It lifted  with its hatches still opened.Everyone had thier heads hung low,for the day and been fought hard, and knew that the next could be worse,and every day they lived they would only see death.For comfort, they looked up into the stars and pondered thier thoughts while  the gunships soared in the night sky from the burning droid factory.

PLANET COROKE
Bala sat crouched behind  the remains of a rock.She fired her DC-15 rifle and looked for a place that was served as cover and was closer to the waves of droids.Titan Company troopers were struggling to hold thier position.Jedi General Arligan Zey stood deflecting blaster bolts between Am and  Devis.Others were on  both around the general and behind over,firing  hier weapons or throwing grenades.

Bala stayed crouched in her lieutenant clone trooper armour.Four months ago she had decided to join the the GAR's ranks and beame a trooper.Am,Iron,Devis, and a handul of others from Titan Company managed to covince them to let Bala in.Ever since then, she had been fighting battle after battle for the Republic.

The fire fight continued untill Y-wings appeared over h droids' ranks.Missles  rained down them and a an explosion engulfed wave after wave.An explosion boomed and created a mushroom cloud into the clouds.

Yells of joy came from the troopers around her.Air support was one of the things all clones loved and prayed for during every deployment.To them it represents days of rest in the barracks where there isn't death but comfort,sleep,and food.Gun ships then began to land around them.Troopers picked up the wounded and carried them.Bala strode over next to Am,Iron,Devis,and General Zey toward  an LAAT.

The general's braids hung low.His robes were soaked with water and covered with dirt.His face was etched with age and his mouth was covered in a beard.They boarded the gunship and flew towards the Warren  in the planet's atmosphere.The hatches slid closed and they all stood in silence as the rain and thunder sounded from outside.

Commander Am, General Zey began.  'I have seen you and your fellow officers in combat and I couldn't help but notice how good you all are as a team.'

Thank you,sir, Am replied.

As you know,I am head of the Special Operations Briagade.After watching you all in combat, I would like to make an offer to you.I would like you and your fellow officers to join the brigade as commandos?

Silence engulfed  the insde of the LAAT.Every other trooper turned thier heads around to hear the conversation.Everyone waited for Am's reply, holding thier breaths in the dramatic suspence.Sir,with all due respect, even if I and my fellow officers accept the offer, there will be no one to lead the battalion.My men need me.

Actually,commander, if you leave, a clone commander from Kamino would be dispatched to the Warren and other clone officers.You four would be sent to Kamino to train as Republic Commandos for five months.You would then be deployed with numerous other battalions and other commando units.Now, if you refuse, I understand, but I would then have  to look into other battalions for others I would choose.

Am stood there.Bala knew it was going to be a while for him to think about it.Devis and Iron walked away from them and came over to Bala. 'You really think he will turn down the general?'' Iron whispered. I mean, it's obvious Zey is fond of us.'''

Maybe, Devis said slowly. The comandos are hard, though.I heard a rumor that they get an averadge of three hours a sleep per month.

'Pffff,osik.Thats just the ammount  us regular GAR get during deployments.Other then different armour,weapons,operations, and training their no different from we are. We are all brothers, no matter what.' Devis and Bala both nodded. All clones were born from the same gene,making them all brothers.Even if they some how got adopted by some one, they all remained  related.

Am's voice finaly sounded in the tense LAAT. General, I accept your offer  go transfer to the Special Operations Brigade.My four officers and I will begin making preparations for leaving as soon as we get back to the cruiser.

THE FOLLOWING DAY

Bala slung her pack over her shoulders.Her belongings were all inside,including her Mandolorian armour.(not even the high Republic millitary officials could make her get rid of it.)She took one last look at the barracks before stepping out of it.This was where she slept with the men that she had watched both die and fight on the front lines and had fought with them.They were her brothers,even if she wasn't born in a glass tube and cloned from the same gene like they all were.It was based on the Mandolorian number one rule for families: family is more then blood line.

Bala walked away from the barracks and made her way towards the hangar where a Republic drop carrier was waiting.Once she made it to the hangar, she was surprised to find all  of Titan Company was assembled in parade formation.They all stood in ease position with thier hans behind thier backs, looking straight ahead.Once  Bala had made her way down, a trooper on the front row barked, Attention! Officer on deck!

They all immidiately snapped to attention. 'At ease,' she ordered.They all put thier hns back behind thier backs.Am,Devis,and Iron son came walking with thier helmets at thier ides like she had.'They wated to give us a good good bye,' Devis explained. 'They want us to do the Vode An with them one last time before we took off.'

Bala had  done the Vode An with Titan Company plenty of times before.It was a Mandolorian warrior tradition, and every clone that was bred on Kamino knew it,eve if thier training sergeants weren't Mandolorian.''Alright. Lets do this,''   Bala  said with a smile.They slid thier helmets back on and joined the others.As the others did the same,Bala went over to the second row of troopers and got ready for the Vode An.

Everyone placed a shoulder on the person to thier left.A trooper counted down before they all started.Once they did,everone marched in place and slammed thier fists  on the person to thier right.It went on continously, even if some one accidently hit the other person's face they kept doing it.The only time it did stop was when the chant was over.Untill then, they would nevre stop doing it.