Star Wars: ARC Troopers in Equestera

Chapters

Chapter 1: Droid Attack
Chapter 2: Shooting Star
Chapter 4: Ka'rta tor
Chapter 3: Looking For the Cat

Chapter 1: Droid Attack

CHAPTER 1
DROID ATTACK

No matter where you go, war will always follows behind you.

Location: Outer Rim
Current Location: Rhen Var, Galidaarn system
Day:560 ABG(After Battle of Geonosis)
Galactic Military Time: 15:30

A Republic starcraft appeared out of hyperspace in the Rhen Var system. The Acclamator-class assault ship was on its way to Rhen Var to bring supplies and reinforcements for the defenses in the Outer Rim. Onboard the ship, the crew were feeling quite bored. Supply runs ranked as the most boring duty in the Grand Army of the Republic. Nothing exciting happened around regular supply shipments. Nothing. In the Republic ship, the only things there were to do were to inspect the supplies, perform the daily patrol, check the maps and repair the starfighters.

In the barracks were four ARC troopers. One was typing on his datapad while two more were arm wrestling, with the last one as their only spectator.

“Come on! Come on!” said Flare, one of the wrestlers and the group’s weapons specialist, using all the strength he had to try and beat his opponent.

“Have a nice trip,” the other one, a sniper named Ven’vul, said with a smile. With one quick motion, he sent Flare sprawling to the floor. “Make that a flip,” he chuckled.

”No fair, I demand a rematch!” shouted Flare.

“Oye, will you guys cut out,” said Razor, lifting his nose from his datapad. “I’m working here.”

”What are you doing anyway?” Flare asked as he got up from the cold hard floor.

”I’m checking on the security on the ship” Razor stated. “I’m the tech specialist, remember?”

"Oh come on. Lighten up here, hardly anything happened,” Flare said.

“I have to make sure the security systems are fully operational,” Razor said strictly.

“Razor is right," Jai, the group’s commanding officer, said. "This is war. We have to be alert.”

"Could you tell me why, of all the possible tasks, we have to babysit a bunch of crates?” Ven’vul grumbled.

"Because,” Jai sighed," we have to keep them safe and bring them to Rhen Var so they can be ship out along with reinforcements.”

"What happened?" Flare wondered. "From what I heard from one trooper, they seem desperate.”

"There have been raids on three of the outposts in the Raxus system,” Razor stated flatly. "Two destroyed, one badly damaged. There were only for six survivors, each grievously wounded and in need of recovery in their bacta tank for some months.”

"How come they didn’t send the reinforcements before?” Ven’vul demanded.

"If you were listening to the report, there were two republic cruisers that carry supplies for the outpost entering orbit. Before they realized what happened, they too had been attacked.” Razor said.

"And the kadales?" asked Jai in Mando’a.

"One was nearly destroyed, and the other they stole to who knows where. As for the crew, all died in the cruiser. The state of the final one is unknown. He paused and continued. Get this, a Jetii general was in the damaged one. He’s dead too.”

Surprise quickly mounted. "Dead? How?” the others asked.

"Gutted,” Razor answered grimly.

Jai felt sorry for the Jetii. "The raiders? Where are they?” he asked.

“No one knows. By the time reinforcements arrived, they seemed to vanish into thin air. Only a few droids remained, but they self-destructed.”

“Self-destructed?” Jai asked.

“Yeah, but they were identifiable as B1s, B2s, and B-Xs. The odd thing is that there are no more than twenty of them.”

"Only twenty? They would send at least fifty or a hundred clankers,” Flare mused.

“How would twenty do that much damage?” Ven’vul pondered.

"Don’t know, but once we get to the planet we will in-”

*BOOM*

A large explosion shook the ship and knocking clones to the floor. “Haar’chak!” shouted Ven’vul. Alarms wailed across the corridor: “HANGAR BAY 4 UNDER ATTACK ALL UNITS TO THE HANGAR BAY 4!"

“Come on Alpha squad! lock and load!” Jai ordered, quickly rising.

The others got up and rushed to their weapons. Jai garbed his WESTAR-M5 blaster rifle, his pistol, and attachments to his blaster. Razor got his blaster rifle and a probe droid. Flare grabbed his grenade launcher and his Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Ven’vul selected his sidearm, a vibro knife, and his favorite weapon: the verpine sniper rifle. This done, the squad rushed to the turbolift at the hangar level.

Running through the hallway, they heard blaster fire. When they reached the hangar bay, they witnessed hell. The wreckage lay strewn everywhere, crates crushed and jumbled, loose wires sparking. A Consular-class cruiser sat in the middle of the hanger, surrounded by clones taking cover by the crates and exchanging fire with the attackers.

“Clankers!” Jai shouted as he and his squad took cover by the wreckage of a starfighter.

"Where they come from!?” Razor shouted while taking down two advancing B1s with his blaster.

"Does that cruiser have something to do with this?” Fare wondered as he blasted three of droids into scrap metal.

Six more droids moved in, Ven’vul started to blow off their heads with his sniper rifle one by one. "Who cares where they came from,” he said happily as he shot down the fifth droid. "All I care is that I can finally have something to shoot at,” he finished blasting the last droid's head to pieces.

The headless droid loosed a barrage of red plasma from its blaster in every direction. A bolt flew and hit Jai in the chest. Fortunately, his armor was strong enough to block the bolt, thanks to Razor's specially prepared energy shield reinforcement. Razor, you have done it again, Jai thought to himself at that moment. Any delay on that shield and I’d have been a dead man.

A nearby clone trooper had not been so lucky; a bolt had penetrated his helmet and he had fallen dead. Jai fired his WESTAR-M5 at the headless droid to finish it off. He then looked at the dead clone and sighed.

It never gets any easier, watching my brothers die.

“Look out!” a trooper shouted. Jai turned toward the trooper that gave warning, only to watch the trooper’s head roll to his feet. He looked up to find a commando droid with a vibrosword standing on the headless body. Enraged, Jai took out his vibroblade from his gauntlet, charging at the droid. He ducked as the vibrosword swung toward his head. Jai shot the commando droid’s left arm off with his blaster rifle. With his vibroblade in his left arm, he blocked the sword and pushed it away. Swing his vibroblade, Jai cut the droid's neck, then blasted it in the head as it dropped down with a clunk.

“We got big baddies!” Flare shouted.

Jai turned around to see two super battle droids “Take them out!” he ordered. He threw an EMP grenade between the super battle droids to stun them. He followed up with a grenade attachment to his blaster, firing it at the droid, and blowing it to pieces. Flare shredded the other’s armor. Ven aimed at its chest head and fired. Sparks jumped out as it unleashed a metallic scream and fell with a thud.

"That’s half the points Ven,” Flare said as he reloaded his Z-6.

"But I got the kill,” Ven’vul protested.

"Will you two cut it out?” Razor grumbled. "Let’s just mop the rest of-”

From the corner of his eye, Razor saw a tremendous fireball. Turning, he found a swarm of droids in the hall.

"What the-!” Razor exclaimed before being cut off by a bolt.

“Duck!” Ven shouted as he pulled Razor down. Before them stood an array of B1s and B2s along with another new droid type.

“What are they, and where are they from?!” Flare shouted taking cover by the crates.

“I think those are the infiltrator droids from the reports,” Razor said joining him. The droids flooding in.

"We’re being outflanked!” Jai shouted taking cover while returning fire.

"You don’t say?” Ven replied sarcastically as he shot down one of the infiltrator droids.

“Razor! Get the defense systems going!" Jai ordered.

Razor quickly extracted the mini-computer on his gauntlet and started typing. “They're offline!” he shouted.

“What!?” Jai queried.

"The defense systems are offline!”

"Shut the doors then!" Jai ordered.

"I can’t shut the doors, all of the ship’s systems are down!” Razor responded.

We’re sitting ducks. Jai thought to himself. He heard a click of munition loading, and quickly turned around. A super battle droid launched a rocket at the pile of crates where the Alpha squad and others were taking cover. “Incoming!” Jai shouted. He and the others scrambled out of its way. Some weren't so lucky. The rocket hit its mark and exploded. Screams of agony mingled with the noise of the explosion.

Cadence awoke with a gasp, sweat running down her face. She looked around relieved to find herself still in her bedroom in the Castle of Canterlot. "It’s only a dream," Cadence thought to herself.

The door opened with a slam and Shining Armor rushed in. “Cadence, are you OK!” he asked, concern in his voice.

“I’m OK Shiny, just a bad dream” Cadence replied.

“Are you sure?” he asked, calmer this time.

“Yes, I am sure” Cadence answered. She expected for Shining Armor to be stressed, especially since they were engaged. It had been a few weeks since the proposal, and Shining Armor had been busy since then. Planning out the wedding, setting up position for the guards, trying to make sure everything was perfect for his mare.

The Captain of the Royal Guard walked over to Cadence. “Sorry if I was being stormy. I'm stressed out and tired.”

“It’s fine Shiny,” Cadence replied, nuzzling with Shining Armor. “How’re the wedding plans going?”

“It’s going good, all the guests are invited and arrangements in order, although…” He paused.

“What?” Cadence asked.

Shining Armor let out a sigh, “I've so many duties that I'm not able to meet with Twilight.”

Cadence furrowed her brow. “I think Twilight will understand,” she said.

“I doubt it,” Shining Armor replied, dropping his head. She put her hand under his chin and leveled it to her eyes.

“Nonsense, you're her brother, she will always love you no matter what, but let’s worry about that later,” said Cadence. “For now, you should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, I guess I should.” Shining Armor went toward the door. “Good night Cadence,” he called as he left.

“Good night,” she replied. Shining Armor closed the door and walked down the hall.

Cadence went to a nightstand to have a drink of water and clear her mind of the dream.

But the dream seems very real, with the strange and yet familiar beings. Oh, but the screams, the screams of pain still rang in her head. Who are they? Those...those poor creatures she thought. Seeking fresh air, she put on her night robe went onto the balcony and looked up at the stars, still wondering what the dream was about.

Alpha squad ran through the damaged halls of the ship. “This is insane! Where'd the haran those droids come from!?” Fare growled. The halls shook and a boarding craft came crashing through the wall.

"There's your answer.” Ven nodded toward the craft. A squad of B-1s led by an infiltrator emerged from the craft. In response, the ARC troopers flanked both sides of the hall- Jai and Razor to the right, Fare and Ven opposite them.

“We have to get the ship’s system online!” Jai shouted, taking down two droids with his blaster rifle. Razor claimed two another while Ven relived three droids of their heads. Fare concluded the encounter, firing his Z-6, and then moving past their molten scrap metal.

“We'll get to the computer center, and- uh-oh.” Razor hesitated.

Jai looked at him quizzically. “What?”

Razor motioned toward two infiltrator droids at the end of the hallway. They shaped shifted into a box, with a timer on it.

“They turn into bombs!?” Flare barked at the others.

“Apparently so,” Razor replied.

Flare rushed to the droids turned bomb, seeking to disable them.

"Where is the deactivation button when you need one!” Flare said shakily. Pulling out his Z-6, he took aim at the bomb.

“Wait!” Razor grabbed the Z-6, disarming Flare. “If you blast it, it’ll blow us up!”

“What else should I do?!”

Sighing, Razor gently approached the bomb. A couple of skillful wire clips and the bomb was undone.

“Oh,” Flare said weakly. “ You remembered your bomb squad training?” Razor asked.

“Is that what we did on Kamino?” Flare wondered. Razor facepalmed.

“What’s the plan, Jai?” Razor asked.

"We split up. Razor, you go to the computer center. Flare, you go with Razor to deactivate the bomb droids. Ven and I will advance to the bridge to see what we can do from there,”

"Affirmative"

"Copy that"

“OK boss,” Flare joked.

Jai sighed. He hated when they called him that.

“All right, set your comlinks on,” he ordered. He switched him on as the others did the same. “OK, let’s go,"

"Oh, you might need this fella,” Razor said, giving Jai his probe droid.

"Thanks,” Jai replied, and he meant it. He knew the value of the droid; Razor had increased the range of its scanners and had added both laser turrets and powerful hacking equipment to it. It might very well come in handy.

“Now you know what to do,” he said. “Good luck.” With that, they went their ways.

Jai paused to look at a dead commando droid with a vibrosword. He went over to retrieve it. “This could be handy,” he observed. He put the sword on his back and caught up with Ven.

They approached turbolift, only to find it blocked by a squad of battle droids headed by a pair of commando droids. The droids opened fire on the ARC troopers.

“Ven! Snipe the commandos!” Jai shouted. Ven nodded his head in acknowledgment and took position by a wall. He aimed his verpine rifle at the head of the first commando and fired.

The droid dropped with a clank. Jai took down four of the B-1s, while Ven dodged a bolt from the commando droid. Returning fire, his shot penetrated two battle droids at once, leaving a hole in their chests and hitting the commando straight to the head. Jai shot down the rest.

“Six points there,” Ven said as they arrived at the doors of the turbolift. Jai pressed the button. A clank was followed by a car dropping from above and crashing below the feet.

“So much for our ride” Ven said grimly.

“Looks like we have to do this the old fashion way,” Jai commented as he gazed up the shaft. “Get your grappling hooks ready.”

He aimed his hook and fired. His hook and Van's reach the top at the same time. “Let’s see what's up there,” Jai said. He took out the probe and let it fly up. Jai and Ven began their climb. “This could take some time” Jai added.

Flare and Razor rushed to the computer center, meeting a few droids that they quickly disposed of. At the computer center doors, they observed at least twenty battle droids. “I got this,” Flare smirked. He aimed his Z-6 cannon at the droids. It started to rotate and fire, shooting them down.

“There we go,” Flare said and went to the door. He tried to open the door by pressing the button but to no avail. Flare pulled the door and that didn’t work. “It’s locked!” He kicked at the door in frustration.

“That can be solved,” Razor said walking by him.

“How!? Only a droid can-” Flare stopped as Razor pointed his right arm gauntlet minicomputer and a plug shot out and connected to the computer key on the door, quickly reprogramming the door lock.

Flare stared at the plug and at Razor. “Where did you get all that tech?”

“Leftovers I put to good use on,” Razor replied as the door opened. At once, they were met by a storm of blaster fire. Taking cover by each side of the entrance, they returned fire. Razor threw an EMP grenade at the droid. It sent a disabling pulse to the group of droids. They collapsed in a heap. Flare and Razor rushed in to finish off the rest. Razor shot at two of droids by the data core, and Flare shredded another four. As if that weren't enough, a super battle droid marched in and initiated fire. Razor lifted his left arm gauntlet sending a taser toward the super droid. The taser hit the droid head on. Smoking and with one final groan it fell with a thud.

“I could use one of those,” Flare commented.

Razor turned around in time to see a pair infiltrator droid walking away. “They're heading to the engines!” Razor shouted. Flare turned around in their direction. “That’s the worse place they could go!” Flare shouted.

“Ok, you go and eliminate them. I will try to get the systems on.”

“Got it,” Flare replied, running to the hallway.

“Flare, be careful, and try not to blow something up” Razor joked.

“I won’t,” Flare replied, a sarcastic tone in his voice. He went to the ship’s engines, while Razor went to the computer. “I hope Flare takes care,” Razor said as he began typing.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Flare demanded, firing at the infiltrator droids as they entered the engine room. The first one went down as did the other. “Ha! You think you coul-” Flare stopped. He saw the room is full of infiltrator droids and bombs.

“Oh blast.”

Jai and Ven were halfway up when Jai’s helmet started blinking.

“It seems our little fella has something,” Jai said. He set down his periscope and turned on the camera on the droid. “Ok, there are eight battle droids at the turbolift entrance and two commandos with them, two droidekas and super battle droids, and-”

Suddenly, the screen went static.

“What the!?”

“Jai, what’s wrong?” Ven asked.

“I lost signal from the probe droid,” Jai said.

“Well, this is going to be interesting,” Ven replied. They reached the level of the bridge.

“You ready?” Jai asked as he get his blaster charged.

“Always ready sir,” Ven replied as he cocked his verpine rifle.

Jai place a detonator on the doors and with one press of a big red button, blew them open. Two droids by the doors were destroyed by the blast. Jai and Ven opened fire on the others in the room; some of them returned fire before they were shot.

Jai and Ven swung into the hall and engaged the commandos. One commando took a vibrosword. So did Jai, blocking the droid’s attack with his, before striking out at his opponent with a series of attacks that pushed it back towards the wall. With one final stroke he sliced the droid in half.

Meanwhile, Ven had just finished disposing of the other commando droid when he heard a sound. Turning, he saw two droidekas rolling in. “Rollies incoming!” he cried, whipping out his verpine rifle and aiming it at the first of the new enemies. As it began to unfold, Ven blew it apart. “That’s one down” he said. He turned to see that the other droideka had already unfolded and was encased in its shield. Before Ven could react, a shot punched through the droideka’s shield and blasted it to pieces. Ven turn to see Jai, the still smoking blaster in his hands.

“A verpine sniper attachment,” Ven observed. “Noticed it earlier. Clever.”

“Kal’s idea,” Jai replied.

“And the shield piercing ammo?”

“Same.”

They went down the hall when Jai found something.

“It's the probe,” Jai said, pointing at the shattered remnants of Razor’s droid. It seemed that someone or something had stabbed the probe and smashed the camera.

“Well, Razor is not going to be happy,” Ven observed. Jai nodded in an agreement as he packed away the broken pieces- just in case it could be repaired later.

They continued down the hall until, in the distance, they saw a small group of clones fighting a squad of B-1s. “I’m going to help them and cover you. You go to the bridge” Ven said.

“Be careful.”

“Since when am I not?”

Jai rolled his eyes and hurried to the bridge. He opened the doors, only to pause at the scene in front of him.

There are bodies everywhere troopers and officers alike, and some of them are gutted. Some of them were missing legs while others lacked arms. One clone looked as though he had been stabbed and left to bleed to death. There were scorch marks across the walls and consoles. Blood stains were everywhere.
What happened here?

Jai went to the controls and switched on the comlink, tuning in to Razor’s frequency. “I’m on the bridge; how’s the slicing going, Razor?” he asked.

“I was able to turn on the ship’s systems, but the communications are mostly down still, and there are infiltrator droids heading to the engine room. Flare’s gone there to-”

Suddenly the whole ship shook. “What was that!” Jai shouted.

“Uh…” Flare’s voice cut into the comm channel. “I got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the prime engines are destroyed. The good news is that I was able to save the secondary engines and the hyperdrive. But the controls are, uh…smashed.” Flare chuckled nervously.

“Could this get any worse?” Jai said aloud, mostly to himself.

A Luctehulk-class battleship appeared in front of the view port.

“Apparently so.”

“They just keep coming and I think they got a dispenser!” Ven shouted over the sound of blaster fire. This is not good, the troopers are getting overrun, they can’t get reinforcements, even the Alpha squad can’t fight against so many, and the engines-

The engines… A thought occurred to Jai.

“Razor, you think you can get us to hyperspace?”

There was silence.

“Well, I could turn the hyperdrive on, but the nav computer’s down,” Razor said.

“I don’t think it really matters”, Jai replied.

“I turned it on but you have to start it at your position,” Razor said.

“Ok, tell the others get ready for a-” Jai was cut off by an explosion. He turned around to see eight battle droids and a super one, all of them painted black and having unusual symbols. He pointed his blaster at the droids and fired, destroying them all.

He then pressed a button and the stars outside the window began to blur. He then leaned down and examined the shattered droid’s symbols. He recognized the rigid reptile-bird with a bite mark on its lower wing.

“What the-”

Suddenly, Jai’s right HUD began flashing red. He turned around, but it was too late; the mini rocket slammed into his body, blasting him across the bridge and slamming him into a console, where he lost consciousness at once.

Author's Note

This is my first fanfic story so I hope you like it.
I did not create the Alpha squad nor do I own them. I found them on a mod for Republic Commandos:ARC Trooper mod. If you want to give credit, then give it to the team who make it possible.

(the names of the team are at the ending part)
This is just the first time you should see how much it developed.
Give them a big hand and support for them. In fact, if there anyone out there with computer or mod skills go out and help them.
Here is the link:http://www.moddb.com/mods/arc-trooper-mod

I also want to thank crankyman7 helping me to edited and revised the story. He's also a great fan-fic writer, so check out his stories also.

This is Alpha-14: signing out

Chapter 2: Shooting Star

CHAPTER 2
SHOOTING STAR

A simple action can change the course of the galaxy

Location: Unknown
Date:560 ABG
Galactic Military Time: 00:00

As Cadence looked at the stars, her hair flowed in the breeze like the thoughts in her mind. Her train of thoughts traveled through her past. First, when Celestia adopted her as her niece, then, she thinks of her time at the Canterlot Academy. Next, the time when she was Foalsitting Twilight. She smiled at the memory, of Twilight called her once the very best foal sitter in Equestria. Then meeting Shining Armor and dating with him all those years and then the proposal that happened a month ago. Now, just in three months, they are going to be married.

The Princess smiled at this thought. Then she recalled that dream she had, the dream with strange creatures. The creatures that are screaming in agony. She just knew what they are, she knew, only she can’t place her finger on it.

Cadence continued watching the stars when out of the corner of her eye she sees a shooting star. It soared across the night sky, shine very bright among the stars. She looks at the shooting star, wounding of what she could wish for, “I wish…..I wish..”

But as she looks at it, it starts to grow bigger and brighter. Then it becomes a great ball of fire, hurling toward the earth. It gave out a fiery roar as it passed through the atmosphere. Her eyes went wide as plates, as she looks at the asteroid coming closer. As the asteroid flew, little pieces seem to break off from the bigger one. They hurled down as the asteroid past Cadence’s balcony, two kilometers above her. But as it got closer she got a glimpse of it, intend of a ball of fire it seems to be more...triangle?

“What in Equestria’s name?!” She exclaimed as she stares at the asteroid soaring across the night and head to the Foal Mountain.

Then it disappeared in the distance. There was a boom in the distance that rumbled the skies, making birds flying away. The pink alicorn look where the strange asteroid just went, deciding on what to do. Curiosity got the best of her and spreading her wings she took off. She could've teleported to the spot, but there are two reasons: One, she didn’t want to wake up anyone and start a panic. Two, she wants to get a better view of the asteroid.

It took an hour when she found a large trail from the object at the foot of Foal Mountain. It leaves quite a mess; the trail is dug very deep, trees in the path are uprooted or smashed to splinters. Rocks are bashed and grounded to gravel. For a couple of minutes of flying, she found the end of the trail of the asteroid, then abruptly stopped.

For this is not an asteroid, but a ship! A great ship, bigger than any airship Cadence has ever seen. It was a shape of a triangle and a narrow one in the back that seem to be like a rudder. There was what seems to be a tower on top of the ship that is tall in hight. Cadence hovered at the spot for a moment, she can’t believe what is in front of her! An alien ship that falls from the sky and landed here.

The princess didn’t know what to do, except for one thing. Gathering all her courage and wits, she flew forward to the ship. As she got closer, she noticed more detail on the alien ship. The halls of the ship seemed to be made of metal, a metal that she has never seen. She noticed that there are no sails on the ship, in fact, there are no propellers or balloons or anything of the sort, then again, it did fell out from the stars.

“How does this even ship fly? she thought to herself as she flies along the right side of the vessel.

Cadence started to grow exhausted from flying, so she decided to land on a small mound a few meters away. Her feet touches the cool earth, and she rested her wings while she looked for a way in. As she examined the ship she found a rectangular opening on the side. Still with her wings tried out she decided to teleport there. Cadence close her eyes and concentrated on the spot, using her magic. With a flash of light, she disappeared from the mound.

Then appeared in the opening inside the ship, when she opened her eyes to find herself in darkness. The alicorn use her magic and lit her horn to see better. When her horn is bright enough and her eyes adjust in the dark, she froze on the spot, her face went pale. The outside of the ship is rigged and have a few scratches from the crash, but the inside tells a different story. It is a ruin. There is wreckage and destroyed objects all over the place. Smokes from once flames are still rising among the debris. Sparks from strings of metal fly out like dying stars and lights eerily blink in the distance. There are burn marks cover across from walls to floors and ceilings. But that’s not what frightened Cadence, what frightened her are the bodies. Bodies scatter across the ship, crippled, lifeless as stones. She saw a body that loss its head.

“What happened here?” she asks herself, dread in her voice as she walked through the carnage.

The bodies, Cadence noticed, are bipeds with what seems to be white skin, but as she got closer, it turn out not to be skin but armor. Some of the armor have black scorches on them. They have what seem to be a helmet with a black visor that shape to a T with an upside down V at the lower part of the helmet. Some of the bodies have something in their hand what looks like a black metal stick, some of them are short and some of them are long.

Those are not the only aliens, there was also a different one. These are the same size but they are skinnier than the other ones. They look like they are completely made out of metal with skinny arms and legs with a very narrow head.

As the princess continued walking, she came upon a group of bodies among destroyed crates. Deciding to check if there are any survivors, she went to the crates.

However, as she approached the crates and the bodies, there is something in the back of her mind that kept nagging, like there something she should’ve noticed earlier, something she should know from the beginning.

When she got closer, she accidentally kicked over a corpse with her foot. It rolled over upside, Cadence looked down and forced all the will she have to try not to scream. For the body in front of her was nothing more than a brunt remain of a being. The armor at the chest is in pieces only to expose a very black, coal hard chest. The helmet is destroyed leaving the face revealed, at least what’s left of it, the face is nothing more than a coal skull. As if something burns the life out of it.

Suddenly there was a click in Cadence’s mind; those are the same creatures she seen in her dream. Then she looked down at the burned face, then quickly looked away from it, remembering of the screams in her dream. She tried to fight back the tears that are forming in her eyes, whatever these creatures are she felt so sorry for them. But there is nothing she can do; she turned around to leave.

When suddenly, she sensed a flicker of emotion in the ship, not much but enough to track it. She looked down the hallway, and without thinking she through the corridor to find the flicker.

The hallway is in the same condition as the chamber she once in, wreckage everywhere, burn marks on the walls, loose wires sparking, more bodies down the hall. As Cadence walked down the corridor she heard a cracking sound than a snap. Then a big thud behind her that made her jumped in fright, quickly turned around to find a large piece metal a foot closer to her. She stood there for a second catching her breath, very close to getting flat and Shining doesn't want that. When she recovered, she continues until she stops to a big drop.

The flicker she sensed is a couple of levels up, she looked around for stairs which there aren’t any. Then she looked down as far her light shows down the fall, kicking a piece of metal over the edge. Its fall into the shadow and a few minutes later the clank can be heard echoing. “That’s a long drop” Cadence shivered, then she looks up where the flicker is. Since there no way to get up she will simply fly up. Spreading her wings she jumped off the edge and with a mighty flap she pushed herself upward. With a few more flaps she reaches the top before she almost got tangle by a pair of metal ropes. She wondered why the ropes are there. She then flew through the opening she found.

Cadence landed gently on the cold metal floor litter with pieces of metal and bodies of metal. As she look around her surrounding, she noticed that the opening she went through seem to be broke open with the same burn marks as others and there seem to be mostly the metal bodies around here. At the end of the hall there large metal double door. The princess walked to the end of the hall and to the double door. With one more step, the doors creak and the slowly opened without any magic. This startled her a bit, then the door stopped a few inches apart. Decided to open the doors she concentrated on using her magic on the door. Her horn started to glow a very pale raspberry color, then the doors are cover in the same aura color. With a few creaks and cranks, the doors fully opened up to a chamber what looks like the quarterdeck.

Cadence froze like a statue and same for her heart for a moment. Her face went white, her breathing stops as her wide eyes laid upon the horror.

For in the chamber is full of bodies not burned, but gutted. Gutted and chopped, there are some that lost their arms and some lost their legs, there are some that lost both. Cadence saw one that seems to be stabbed and left there to die. She also spots another one that lost a head. The black-red stain of dry blood covers the deck in pools. To make it worse, among the white bipeds there are some that might be the crewmen, no armor and unarmed.

“What kind of a monster would do this!?” She thought horrified as she walked in the chamber that is more like a tomb.

Cadence is a complete stranger in war, she doesn't know anything about battles or warfare. Expect for few stories of them though there are rarely in Equestria. Her (adoptive) aunt Luna might have some experience of it, although Cadence never asked about it.

She walked to the middle where her eye lay upon a biped creature that similar but different from the others. Laying face down next to a metal box with buttons, wearing the same armor as the others but seem to be blue. She moves closer and turns it over with her magic. Now she is able to see more details, it’s helmet have blue painted along the fin and around the T and the lower down. The armor chest has a pair of blue stripes down the middle and blue covering the shoulders and the arms and some down the legs. It also has what seem to be a shoulder pad with light blue, what’s not blue is a black garment with white stripes along the edge wear around the waist what look like a… skirt?

She puzzled this for a moment before she senses the flicker again, this time closer...very close. She looked at the alien again, and there is no doubt in her mind that it comes from it. It’s obviously alive but barely, how it survived she don’t know.

She noticed that its helmet is loose, revealing the neck. Curious to what is beneath the helmet, she lifted the helmet with her hands gently. She abruptly dropped the helmet, and couldn’t stop herself to let out a loud gasp, her heart thudding like a drum. For beneath the helmet laid a face, not the one that ’s burned nor like a green alien face but a tan face with a nose, ears, eyes and a scar on the left cheek. Its short hair is black and has a firm jaw.

At the time she didn’t know what they really are, so familiar but she couldn’t remember, but now, now she knows where she has seen and what they are. A creature she seen in books or heard from tales, a creature she never thought they could exist.

A human.

She could not believe it! A real live (barely) human here in Equestria! Before she thinks of what to do with him (from the looks of the face, she concluded that it’s a he) she heard something.

“You heard that?” a high pitch voice said and there are footsteps coming toward her.

She frantically turned her head around trying to find a place to hide, her eye laid on a pit. Deciding to use that she jumped into it with the unconscious human and his stuff including the helmet. She stays low, stopped using her magic for her horn and tries not to breathe loudly as the footsteps are getting closer.

“I didn’t hear anything. Are you sure your sensor isn't malfunctioning?”, another high pitch voice said. Cadence slowly lifted her head up to see what it was, when her eyes are above the edge and adjust in the dark, she can see two of the metal bipeds walking in the chamber.

“Something is fishy,” said one metal creature.

“How can you smell?” ask the other one. “No, you buckethead! I mean the doors!” shouted the first one.

The other look at the door, “it looks fine to me” it replied.

“No! The doors are open” the other said.

“So? That what are doors are for” the other one said.

The first one facepalmed itself “No, someone is here!” it shouted.

“You are here, I’m here, the other droids that remain are here.” the other said as it pointed to the other and itself and moved its arm around.

“No I mean- never mind just search the bridge! The commander wants to make sure there are no survivors,”

Cadence ducked down quickly, trying not to gasp,”are they responsible for this!?”.

The metal beings walked further in.“What a mess” one commented as it looks around at the scraps.

“Hey look,” the other said as it picked up the head of one of their own but black. “It’s B1-2351 in his new paint he just got. Why does he even wear it?” the other asked.

“Beats me, it's the Overlord’s idea, it supposes to bring fear into the enemy,” the one said.

“Well, it doesn’t seem to work enough and I think he should have his “warrior program” installed before going into combat, same for the others,” the other said as it looked around the scrap pile.

As they continue to search, Cadence is trying to think up a plan to get out. If she just ran then they will chase her and Celesta knows what they might do if they caught her. Maybe if she could wait for them to move further and at that right moment- “hey, where the body?” her heart froze,”oh no” she thought panicky.

“What body?” the first one asked.

“The clone body” the other replied.

“What clone?” the first one asked.

“The clone over there” the other pointed to console where it use to be with a few bodies.

“Which one?” the first said.

“The blue one!” the other shouted.

“What blue one? And how do even know?” the droid asked.

“Because I remember clearly in my memory bank that we went in here to the commander. Before he ordered us to prepare for impact, I have seen the entire bridge and I remember there is a blue clone there” the other one pointed to the spot where it used to be.

“Well, it’s not like it just walks away,” the other said as it searched around the left side of the room.

As the metal beings are searching for the body, Cadence sneaked quietly to the other side of the pit where it's closer to the exit and her escape. Getting ready, she lifted the human with her magic and put it on her back. She almost drops it by the weight, it seems the human is heavier than he looks. She climbs out of the pit while carrying the human and turn to the doorway. But as she about to move, her foot got caught around an arm which on it a metal head fell with a clank.

She turned around in time to see the two metal aliens, “What the!?” one shouted. Cadence made a mad dash out the doorway, running down the hall. The two metal beings chased after her in their jogging mode, so the alicorn is ahead of them. She turned around the corner to where she has entered this level but stopped.

For what in front of the exit are more metal aliens! Six of them two are the same color as the others she encountered but two are red-black with red eyes and scary looking marks, one of which look like a skull. The other two different from the other, they are little taller, look buffer, have white eyes, black body with blood red on their limbs. One of them looks like other two with a bird-like reptile mark on the chest.

They spotted her before she could do something. Angered or surprised she can’t tell from their faces and she can’t sense them, in fact, that what frightened her. Not because of they’re aliens nor they look scary, but of their face, the emotionless faces with no expression and no feelings at all and there’s noting sense like, they’re just empty shells.

She might not tell of the feelings but she can tell that she’s not welcome. She turned to go the other way but find it blocked by the two metal aliens. The aliens on both side advance on her their weapons pointing at her. Nowhere to go, her have one option. In a flash of light and a pop, she disappeared on the spot.

The droids stand there looking where the intruder was and the black commando droid marched to the two battle droids “what just happened” the commando demanded with a deep voice.

“Uuhh...we are searching around the bridge, then suddenly there was a noise and we turn around. Then there was a humanoid with a clone body, then it ran and we chased it down the hall. Then we trapped it, then-”

“A what?” the commando asked, ignoring his explaining.

“A clone body” the other replied. “And you sure it’s dead?” the droid asked.

“Uuuuuhhhhh” the battle droid voiced.

“Never mind” the commando dismissed it “even if it’s alive, it’s going to die anyway. The commander wants all of us to regroup at the hanger. The speeders are to pick us up and take us to headquarters. Take all supplies in this ship and bring it to the hanger.” the commando ordered. “Roger Roger” the others replied.

“Question,” the droid said. “uh, what hanger are we going to?”

Doctor Medicine went through the halls of the Canterlot hospital. It has been a long boring day. There have been any emergency from the patients nor any news out. He is tired out by the boredness of the day, but soon it will be time for him to go home. He looked down at his watch then satisfied continued down the hall.

Then suddenly there’s a flash and a frantic princess appeared panting like a dog. With an almost dead creature in her arms.

“He..” she said, panting, “needs…..help.”

Author's Note

Hay, this is Alpha-14 here, so this chapter published with the other so that you viewers can read both of them. Anyway here are the images of the Alpha Squad. Although, I wouldn't say they're 100% accelerate, plus, there might be some updates on them. Also, the in the pics they don't have the pauldron and kama. Though they are a bit too big for this. So without any further a do here they are.

Ven'vul
Jai, Flare and Razor

This is Alpha-14: signing out.

Chapter 4: Ka'rta tor

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3: Looking For the Cat

CHAPTER 3
LOOKING FOR THE CAT

Fate comes in unexpected ways

The doctors have been working on the creature for days. Unrest hours past by as they try to keep him alive. The creature is not severely damage but bad enough, whatever that hit him cause damage to his cells. The armor has taken most of the hit but unknown energy seems to seep through the armor and to his skin. His lung was poison with some type of chemical that whatever that hit him. He also has damage from impact, the left shoulder blade has cracked and the half limbs are snapped and the others are dislocated. His musical have been ripped in the legs and the back, and a few bruised in some spots.

Some of the doctors use all their magic they could mastered to keep him stable, while some of them are trying to pump out the toxic chemical. After a few more hours, they put him into a tube. The tube is made out of clear crystals, of which Cadence supplied, it has great healing properties and keeps the body sustain. Although the process will be slow and he will be in a coma, but it will help him to fully heal. They kept him in a room at the left wing of the hospital, where nopony goes there.

They will have somepony to watch over him until he is awake. As for his equipment, armor, and weapons, they are in a chest in a research lab a few streets across. The doctors did all they could, now all they and Cadence have to do now is to wait for him to wake up.

6 months later

“I can’t believe of what I been doing,” the white unicorn guard said as walked down the streets. Today is the day of the wedding, everypony is rushing around to get ready, the guards are everywhere in their post to face what threat it is, and here he was going to the hospital to watch over an alien!

To make matters worse is his cousin, Captain Shining Armor doesn’t even know nor the other guards except him and Hoofstrong.

He had to find an excuse to go and not make the others suspicious for the past six months. He wondered why he even agreed with Cadence to do this.

Previously

It was a peaceful night in Canterlot, Sharp was sleeping in his bed. *Knock knock* the sound came from the door. He groaned as Sharp pull his blanket over his head. *knock knock knock knock* someone bang on the door at a high pace.

“I’m coming I’m coming”groaned Shiny Blade as he got up from his bed and went to the front door. A blue sky auna cover the door as he used his magic. To his surprise as he reached to the door there stood Princess Cadence.

“Your Highness? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”Cadence waved off the ‘highness’ with her hand, they have been friends since ever since Canterlot High Academy.

“Please, just call me Cadence. I need you to do me a favor,” she said. “How may I be of service?”He asked.

“There a human in the hospital unconscious” she started before cut off. “A WHAT!?” he nearly screamed. Cadence put her hand his mouth, ”Shh, not so loud, you’re going to wake up the whole city”

”Sorry” Blade said weakly, blushing of embarrassment.

“Anyway, I need you to watch over him and make sure that nothing happened to him,” she finished.“I guess Shining Armor assign me to do this?” he asked. She hesitated, “Umm...”Cadence paused scratching the back of her head.

Sharp’s eyes went wide in realization.”Oh no!Oohhh no no no, I’m not going on Shining Armor’s back!” “Please Sharp Blade, nopony is supposed to know it until a right time,” she said.

“Why me, of all of the guards, of all of the ponies for that matter, why choose me! Do you know what Shining Armor is going to do with me when he finds out!?” Sharp Blade panicked. Cadence calmed him down, “Relax Sharp Blade, I assure you he will not find out. At least until we are married. As for your answer, because you’re are Shining Armor’s cousin and a friend I trust. You don’t have to do this alone, you are going to do with Hoofstrong,” she explained.

Sharp Blade was thinking hard, “well…” “Pleaseeee” Cadence pleaded with puppy eyes. He sighed, “fine, but-” he said before cut off.

“Great! I will see you tomorrow,” with that and a poof she left. Sharp stand there thinking of what he just has done.

Present

Sharp Blade continue walking down the streets where some ponies are decorating while others are doing their own business. Ponies selling fruits at a fruit stand, talking with friends at their tables in a restaurant, guards patrolling the streets and nobles going shopping.

After a couple of blocks later, he saw an earth pony guard coming up to him, He is about medium sized, muscular, and have broad shoulders. He has blue ocean eyes and a dirty brown coat with a dirty blond mane. His cutie mark is an arm holding a stone while flexing its muscles.

Sharp recognized him as his friend, Stone Hoofstrong, he wondered why he out here. Sharp Blade went to him.

“What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at your post.” Stone shrugged.“I just got broad there's nothing to do. Besides, I need to stretch my legs,” he replied.

“But what about the alien?”Sharp demand. Stone just wave his hand, “Ah, the alien will be fine, it's not like it’s going to walk away.”

They are now strolling down the street, back to the hospital. While they walked, they talked about the alien.“Did you get to see the alien?”Sharp Blade asked.

“Not really, I was outside of the room and it's hard to see through the crystal. It’s not so crystal clear,” Stone jokes. Sharp gave him a deadpan look, “really? You have to do that pun?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” he chuckled.

“Well, I like to know where did Cadence found it,” said Sharp.“Duh, a ship from outer space. Where else?” Stone said who read comic books in his spare time. Sharp Blade rolled his eyes at his friend's statement.

“I remember that Cadence said that the alien is called a ‘human’,” said Sharp. Stone looked at Sharp Blade, “That’s ridiculous, an alien is one thing, but a creature out of a myth is just nuts” Stone Hoofstrong stated.

They made to the hospital and enter in. They went to a nurse behind the desk. “How can I help you?” the nurse asked. “We just came back to visit my uncle,” Hoofstrong replied. The nurse nodded in understanding.

“Just go down to the left hall of the wing and I’m sure you know the way.”

“Thank you,” he said.

They went through the hall, “Is your uncle really here?” Sharp asked.

“Nah, when it comes to hospitals, Uncle Heartstone is stubborn as a stump. Besides, it will take more than a broken leg to stop him” Stone replied. Sharp Blade agreed, for his entire family the Hoofstrong, is well known for their strength and toughness. They may not be the richest or a noble family, but they have a great history of being part of the Royal Guard from the coldest winter to the darkest night. They feared nothing that ever walks on Equestria. Their will is hard as iron and their strength could match a minotaur. There was the time where Stone has lifted a 20 pound stone when he’s just a filly! That’s where he got his cutie mark and earned the name Stone from his parents. They went to the end of the hall to the double door. With Sharp Blade’s magic, the doors opened to a room with just a bed, and the tube the keep the alien.

“I’m glad we have at least something interesting to do instead of waiting for Twil-” he stopped short, his eyes went wide.

“Umm...Stone? Where’s the alien?” Sharp asked edgily.

”What do you mean ‘where’s the alien’ it's right-” his eyes went wide also while he had his finger pointing. It pointed to the case the human was in only to find it open...and empty.

They stood there for a long time, then Sharp started to walked around frantically. “Oh no oh no oh no! This is bad, this is really bad, bad bad bad!”

Stone Hoofstrong grabbed on Sharp Blade, “Blade, calm down, we just have to report to Cap-” Sharp pulled from Hoofstrong’s grasp, “Are you crazy! Do you have any idea of how my cousin will react! If he finds out-” he stopped at the thought of Shining angry and what he would do.

“Relax, we then just tell Princess Cadence, maybe she might know what to do,” Hoofstrong encouraged. Sharp Blade take a deep breath, ”OK” he sighed. They went out of the room quickly back where they came from.

30 minutes earlier

Fancy Pants and Fleur dis lee were doing shopping for some clothes, very expensive clothes, for the Royal Wedding. They have quite a high taste when it comes to shopping, eating, and everything else. Everpony in Canterlot is invited to the wedding. Since this is a royal wedding they must have the best clothes.

Fleur is excited about the wedding for her personal reason. She knows Cadence from the Canterlot Magical Academy, in fact, their classmates and very good friends. As for Shining Armor…well, that’s her secret. They went to the next block they passed the Canterlot Hospital. Then suddenly her horn started to glow a light heliotropeish gray. This made Fleur stopped in surprise, for she didn’t use her magic yet. Fancy Pants turned around to her,

“Fleur, darling? Do you drop something?” He asked politely.“But I didn’t drop anything, in fact, I didn’t use my magic, it just happened.” she replied, quite confused about it.

Fancy raised his eyebrow, “Really? How very odd. I believe we have to figure that out later.” Fleur agreed and they continue of what they’re doing. Although in the back of her mind, she has an unpleasant feeling.

Meanwhile in the hospital

The white room was quiet save for the beeping sound of the motor. There nothing but a bed and a crystal tank at end of the right wall. Then suddenly the crystal that shapes like a heart in the center, started to glow. Then there a hissing sound of air releasing as the case open. In it there is a familiar being, is starting to wake up.

Now

Sharp Blade and Stone Hoofstrong went through the halls of the Castle to Cadence’s room. While they walked there they discuss how did the alien get out.

“The doors and the windows are shut, and same for the case,” stated Sharp.“You think it got unlocked?”Asked Stone, since he couldn’t find any explanation.“No way, it’s locked and secured, plus Cadence put on a spell that only she knows.”

“Well, I guess we will have to know how it got out later. Where did the alien go anyway?” asked Stone.“Probably terrorizing ponies on the streets,” replied Sharp.

“Come on, what harm could it do. It’s not like it eats ponies,” commented Stone. They both stopped and looked at each, “could it?” since it's an alien, there's no idea what it can do. They quicken their pace to find Cadence.

They found her room and enter in, Cadence is in there doing her hair.“Princess Cadence th- Oh hey Shining Armor! How are you doing?” Sharp greeted quickly, forcing a smile. For Shining Armor, Captian of the Royal Guard is standing at the table by Cadence. He turned to them with an inquisitive look.

“What are you doing here, aren’t you be at your post?” he asked. Sharp Blade’s mind is racing of what to say.

“Uhh…” he hesitated. “There something we need to tell Princess Cadence,” replied Stone Hoofstrong. Cadence turned to them with a strangely suspicious look.”What is it?” she asked, Sharp’s heart is pounding like a drum, he has to find something to do and quick.“The-”

“Cat! The cat is missing!” Sharp Blade blurted, all he could think of. Cadence raised her eyebrow,

“What?” asked Cadence.

“Your poor cat Fluffy has gone missing! Lost and alone out there!”He said dramatically. She looked at him quite surprised,“Uhh...I-,”but Sharp cut her off.

“But don’t worry we will find her! Guard’s honor!” He turned to Hoofstrong,“Come Stone, we have a cat to find!”Sharp drag the bewildered Stone out of the room and shut the door.

Cadence and Shining Armor stood there,“I didn’t know you have a cat,” Shining said at last. She smiled sheepishly, not knowing herself of what is that about.

Meanwhile, the two are walking down the halls,“Now what?”Asked Stone.“We are going to find the alien. What else?” answered Sharp with determination.

“How? He could be anywhere from houses to streets,” stated Stone.“We will ask ponies, search everywhere we can and- Oof!” Sharp was cut off by bumping into something...more like someone. He looked who he bumped into to find a purple unicorn mare in a school uniform.

“Twilight?”Sharp asked, surprised to see his cousin.“Sharp Blade? What are you doing here?”Asked Twilight.

“We are looking for Cadence’s cat, ”Sharp lied. Stone looked at Sharp“What? I thought we-Ow!” Sharp step on Stone’s hoof to cut him off.

“I mean, yeah! That’s what we are doing,” Stone agreed, forcing a smile. Twilight lift an eyebrow up, “Really? I didn’t know she has a cat.”

“She has it for a year, ”Sharp lied. Twilight put a hoof on her chin, “Strange. I pretty sure that sh-”

“Well, it’s great to see you Twilight!”Sharp interrupted,“But we need to get going! Bye!”He drags Stone with him through the hall.

Twilight stand there and watch as they go,”Ok then? That was weird,” she shrugged it off and went down the hall to Cadence’s room. For she is going have a talk with Shining Armor.

“We are going after the alien, are we?”Stone whispered.“Of course, we are!”Sharp hissed, as they go outside, and off they went to find the alien.

Jai’s POV

Darkness. That all Jai could see...a black void, blacker than a black hole. ‘Am I really dead? Is this the afterlife? If this Manda, this not what I expected to be.’ There absolutely nothing here, he heard no sounds, see nothing. He can’t feel anything, not even his own hands! In fact, he can’t feel any of my own body nor can move. All Jai can do is just stand and wait.

With each minute felt like an eternity, like as if time stretch out like a string. It feels like hours when suddenly there was a flicker of light in the distinct, a pinkish white light. It’s not very much, but stand out like a star in empty space, then it started to grow. It’s growing bigger and brighter by the minute. Then it turned into pure white that blind him. Then It started to clear up and he was able to see.

It was a blur but the clone was able to identify that he’s in some room. Then it started to clear up and Jai’s able to see more details. The room was white with some dark cyan in parts of the room. There’s a bed across the room where he's at, and a monitor at the left side of the bed. At first, Jai thought he’s in a clone medical station, but then noticing the actual color of the room and the technology in here.

He was confused, couldn’t remember anything. His mind was blank, and his body is paralyzed, he couldn’t think clearly or do anything. At that moment, gravity comes down on him, literary, as his body dropped on to the floor.‘Ow!’he tried not to scream out if there’s somebody in here. ‘Well that answer the question on whether I’m dead or this is a dream(which is not possible.)’ The fall seems to make my body to wake up and now he’s able to move. He groaned a little as he rubbed his head. As Jai get back up, his mind reel back to his past. From the day Jai was born to the first action he and my brothers went on Geonosis. Then he remembers of the convoy, when Jai, Flare, Razor, and Ven’vul are guarding the supplies, then….

“We were under attack. Where're the troopers, my squad, my brothers, Flare, Razor and Ven?”Jai looked around himself in the room. That’s what usually a thing about me...no matter how many times I’m with my troopers, or times I’m with my brothers, I always end up finding myself alone. ARC troopers tend to go solo but it's just...... Shaking his head he tells himself in his head,‘hold together soldier, my brothers don’t want me to break like that.’

While looking around, there was something off, then Jai noticed that he wasn’t wearing my armor, in fact, he’s not wearing anything at all. Fortunately, the ARC turned around to find his bodysuit on a table, “Well, at least he won’t have to go commando”Jai said to himself as he went to the table to suit up.

After getting his suit on, the trooper noticed a map on the wall, not the kind of holographic map, but one of those old style maps on paper. Looking at the map, it appears to be a map of a city. It shows buildings and streets with some names on them. There’s a building on the map give a good estimate about a klick away from here, it has writing on it saying ‘Alien’s stuff here.’That made his eyebrow raised,'would that be where my equipment is? And who even place this map here?’He just put those thoughts aside, there’s work to be done.

Looking around there a double-door on the right side of the room, but that could alert whoever is in the building. Then find another way out his eyes lay upon the windows. Then walked to it to get a better closer look. The windows are that found of a primitive house, just simply two small glass doors with dark cyan currents. Removing the currents, it appeared that the whole glass has been painted white. Jai doesn’t understand why they painted it, but a good guess they don’t want him to see or be seen.

Jai pulled on the handles and it's what he expected. Locked. From the looks of it, the lock is an old fashion type that uses a key. Since he doesn't have a key, Jai just has to make one. Looking around, there a table with needles and small medical tools. “Just what I need,” taking a needle and some tweezers then stitched them into the lock. Their drill sergeant taught them how to pick a lock in the old fashioned way, some may say that it’s useless but you never know when you’re in this kind of situation. To unlock a lock is you have to line the pins inside. After a few attempts there a click and the lock drop.

“Still got the hang of it.”Then opening the windows, he was meet with a blast of fresh air. What a view that lays before him. It was a city, not the kind of a city like Coruscant, but a classic beautiful kind like of Theed, except more colorful. There houses that are painted with purple,white and yellow. Some buildings the same colors except more golden. It is quite a view, but he has no time for sightseeing.

For at that moment, Jai faintly heard some footsteps closing in. Instinct kicked in and not taking the risk if it’s friend or foe, he jumped out of the window into the bushes. Then quickly but quietly closed the current and windows behind him.

Now he would've followed the protocols of negotiating but since he didn’t know if they’re with the Republic or the Separatist, chances are that could kill him. Beside, it’s better to trust your instincts than your protocols.

Peeking out of the bushes, the clone see nobody around, the coast is clear. After a few seconds of waiting, moving like a Mastiff he made across the street and into an alley. Proceeding with the same process, the ARC Trooper began to notice something of the sky. There’s seem to be a pink shield over the city, why there is a shield Jai don’t know. The sky is not the only thing strange, it’s the city itself. It’s quiet, save for birds chirping and the streets are empty.

“Where did they all gone?”He asked himself while wandering in the street to the alley. After a few minutes, he reached his location.

It’s a one-story building, similar to that of a modern building but instead of metal, it’s made of red bricks with some white paint. There are two windows at each side of the front of the building with a double-door. Jai went to the right side of the of the building to check the window on the far right.

Looking through, it appears to be a research lab, with a white table, equipment, and some spotlights. There also some kind of chest at the left wall near the window. Jai tested the window by pushing it up, locked. Then he tried the doors, it open with ease. When entering the building, there are no cameras, no any security and nobody in here. That made him thinking to himself,“Somebody should’ve put up better security. A cadet could have sneak in here.”It didn’t take long to find the room, there nothing in the room. At least, nothing in interest, there are the usual things he saw by the window. There is an old microscope, a clipboard(which he doesn't believe they still use those), and an around glass object with a handle.

What really have his interest is that chest where he saw from the window. It’s a big wooden old chest with some gold along the corners. There seem to be no locks on it, only two handles on the side of the chest for carrying. Jai opened the chest, not surprise what's in it. It has his equipment, his weapons and his armor, all here and undamaged.
While gathering his equipment there was a distance bang. Not a bang of a slugthrower, but a hollow bang like something hitting. Looking around to the window it was nothing at first. Then there was it again only louder and more clear this time, looking the sky Jai found the cause. There’s a large light-black cloud of strange creatures outside of the shield. ‘That explains the shield, but from the looks of it, it isn’t gonna hold much longer, if that brake-’ There’s blinking on the shield before it went normal, that means it’s going to be soon. He turned to his armor.

There a Republic protocol not to interfere with non-republic conflict or businesses, but Jango taught him how to make your own protocol, and his is to protect the innocents. Then he went to my equipment and start to gear up.

Starting with the boots and leg armor, clicking each of them on. Then Jai buckled my belt along with my black kama, it’s not quite fashionable but a reminder of the Mandalorian culture. After he put on the chest armor and pauldron, Jai placed on arm armor and his gauntlets. Now to inspect the weapons: The WESTAR-M5, the verpine attachment, the under-barrel-grenade attachment, DC-17 hand blaster with a reloving system, 6 frag grenades, 2 RPP grenades, 3 EMP grenades, 3 ion grenades, four thermal detonators, and a HX2 antipersonnel mine. Of course, there’s the vibrosword too, though it ’s a little heavy and slow but good enough until he can find a better one.

Picking up his helmet Jai paused for that moment. When he looked at it, flashbacks went back to the time when for the first time Jai got this helmet...and when he met his brothers. The memories flooded in his mind, the things he and his brothers been through, the battles they fought. It’s not only them, but there are also ones that Jai trained and fought with, Rex, Coby, the Delta squad, Kal, Jango…

A shattering sound brought him back to reality, looking around to find the sky is pink no more. He looks back to his helmet and sighed. Then putting his helmet on, checking the systems and the shield, putting his sword on his back, his other weapons at his waist, the veteran grabbed his blaster rifle and get ready for the storm.“Par ner vods” he said to himself. For my brothers.

Author's Note

I want to explain to you about the shields that the Alpha Squad have: The shields are similar to the ones the clone commandos have but a little weaker and slower to recharge. When it starts, it takes about a few minutes to charge. It can hold against small arms but for very limited shots, not so much when it comes to heavy blasters and cannons. It's designed to protect from stray blaster blots instead of heavy fire. With that being said let's get back where we were. (If you have some questions let me know in the comments.)

Before I forget, this here is what Ven sound like.

This is Alpha-14, signing out.