“L-Luna.” The alicorn captain looked to her wounded sister, the pink alicorn’s eyes were covered in a bandage, but Luna could never get their burnt images from her mind.

“I’m here, Cadence.”

“Did… did we win?” Luna smiled as she had some good news from all this mess.

“We did, sister. The droids retreated, we won.”

Cadence smiled weakly. “Good, we did. Not bad for my only battle.” She could see the look her older sister was giving her. “My eyes are scorched, Luna. I’m not combat capable anymore.”

“Cadence…”

“You know what they do to non-capable clones, Luna. Either maintenance or termination, and I’ve never heard of a blind janitor before.” The atmosphere inside the gunship grew heavy. No one wanted to look at the two alicorns as it dawned on them. A lot of their brothers lost limbs, had mental trauma, and were tired. What was going to happen to the ones who couldn’t heal? Not everyone was able to perform physical tasks, so where did that leave them?

“No one is getting terminated.” Luna said with determination. The troopers could see how confident and sure she was of herself. “No one is going to die in vain so long as I draw breath, and nothing is going to happen to you, Cadence. I promise.”

If her tear ducts weren’t ash, Cadence would be crying. “I’ll hold you to it.”

Cadence ducked as a tank round flew overhead. It slammed into the ground behind her, sending a pair of troopers into the air, leaving a small crater in their place. “Medic!” Stitch ran over and checked the two troopers. Only one was still breathing. He grabbed the trooper and carried him back to the aid station.

Said aid station was overflowing as more and more wounded troopers were brought in. Loop did what he could, prioritizing those who could be sent back to fill the gaps in the line. Every once in a while, he would check on General Kenobi, who was still unable to stand up on his own.

“I’m still holding you to that promise, sis.”

Cadence fired her blaster at anything that came close. Sometimes it was droids, others it was Geonosians. The alicorn swore, she was going to glass this whole planet one day. One of her shots made true and dropped a bug from his speeder. The other two swerved to avoid the incoming fire.

“Because I’m not sure how much longer we can hold.”

The AT-TE shook violently as something slammed into the front. The driver’s area was completely engulfed in flames.

“Everyone out!” The troopers and crew members inside ran out toward the back and opened the rear hatch. They climbed out and jumped down. Luna checked to make sure it was clear before she climbed out and jumped down to join the others in their attack.

The battlefield was wide open, with only small ditches and sharp cliff faces for cover. The alicorn ran forward to catch up with her charging brothers.

The Separatists could see the whole field from their elevated positions, and with the heavy guns on their side, it was basically target practice.

Luna could see one of the four guns taking aim at another AT-TE. Her eyes widened as the cannon fired and the large energy blast approached. In an instant, her horn lit up with aura and a large dark blue shield appeared in front of the walker. The round slapped the shield, creating a ripple along the surface. The alicorn grunted as she felt the impact of the blast. She fell to the ground as her shield disappeared.

Knave stopped and knelt down. Another trooper behind him did the same, keeping his weapon raised at the enemy.

“Ma’am, are you alright?!” Luna took several deep breaths and gulped.

“I’m fine, just… really tired.” Knave tapped the other trooper’s shoulder.

“Help me get her up.” The trooper nodded and grabbed Luna’s front right leg while Knave grabbed her left. They carefully dragged into a small pit, where other troopers were taking cover.

Medics carefully checked over the wounded and dehydrated troopers. The two placed their captain on the ground and the other trooper pulled out his medical kit. He carefully took off her helmet and checked her over.

“Simple dehydration, and making that shield definitely didn’t help.” He grabbed a water pellet and made her swallow it. “It’ll take a few minutes to take effect, but she’ll be fine in a few minutes.” Knave sighed in relief, he was not going to have a repeat of last time. \

“Goods, thanks Little Vod.” The medic rolled his eyes at the nickname.

“Sir, for the last time, my name is Junior.” Knave laughed and got up to rejoin the attack. Junior watched him go before getting back to work. Luna might be fine, but he wanted to be sure.

Knave rolled out of the way of a stray rocket flying past his position. He landed in another pit, where another squad of troopers were taking cover. It was a squad he recognized.

“Fierce, you make it?” A trooper with blue arrows along both sides of his head nodded.

“My squad is green to go, sir.”

“Good, then get everyone ready to move.” They had to take out those guns if they wanted to break through to the Landing Site, and time was not on their side.

“Sir, my squad managed to find a small hole in their bombardment zone. If we can time it right, we might be able to get through without scattering to the wind.”

Knave looked at the sergeant. Could that work? Possibly, but it had to be timed right. “Alright, once we’re ready, we’ll head for that next pit, over there.” Fierce nodded and signaled his men.

“Ready?” They nodded. Knave turned to watch the enemy guns fire another volley. The rounds soared across the sky. “Go!”

The troopers charged forward, heading toward the next pit several yards away. The rounds were gliding toward them. They ran as fast they could, never faltering. The rounds grew closer and closer. Knave almost didn’t see the pit as he dove in. The rest of the squad followed closely and dove in. The rounds landed behind them and exploded, taking another group of clones with them.

Other troopers managed to make it to Knave’s position, and took cover where they could in the pit. He gave them a quick briefing of the plan and they prepared themselves. Fierce watched the enemy guns fire once more, hitting another AT-TE dead on. They only had a few left, and there were not going to be anymore until they secured Point Rain. Everything had to count.

The guns ceased fire and their chance had come. “Okay, let’s go!” The large group of clones charged forward.

Quick slipped as he tried to get up. He quickly recovered, but was now falling behind the others. “Oh kriff!” He ran to catch up, but it was too late. The guns had reloaded and were preparing their next volley.

The droid commander spotted the clones approaching. “Eliminate those clones!” One of the guns aimed at the group and fired. Most of them managed to jump behind the cliff face. But Quick and a few others were not. The round slammed into the ground, sending the troopers flying into the air.

Quick felt a burning pain in his front and was forced to shut his eyes as his helmet visor shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces. He felt his body leave the ground and soar through the sky. The wind blew in his face until he once again made landfall, and knew no more.

Fierce looked back at the place where Quick and the others once stood. It was a blackened crater. He miscalculated. He had to have. It was his fault.

“Fierce!” Knave shook the sergeant’s shoulder, gaining his attention. “You’re doing great.” Doing great?! How?! “That wasn’t your fault, it was just bad luck. Most of us are still here, and you can lead us out, understand?!” Fierce nodded, but didn’t agree with the lieutenant. But he had a job to do and a squad to lead to safety.

“Alright, wait for it…” The guns fired once more. “Okay, go!” The troopers charged. They could see the droids clearly know, and the droids could see them approaching. One of them turned a heavy MG on them and aimed. They didn’t stop their charge. It was do… or die.

“Fire!” The MG opened up and a large blue shield appeared in front of the troopers. Knave and Fierce turn behind them to see Luna leading a larger clone force forward. Her horn was alight with magic and the air filled with the roar of charging clone troopers.

The troopers followed the shield all the way into the enemy position. Once it passed over the droids, it dissipated, and the clones charged in. Fierce knocked the command droid to the ground and unleashed a torrent of rounds into its chest and head.

Launch jumped over the barrier and smacked a droid away before firing at its comrade. He aimed at another droid and blasted it away. The rifleman ducked as a B2 fired its twin blasters at his position. A trooper next to him goes down. Launch takes aim and fires. The shot hits the B2’s firing arm, shattering it all over the place. The droid stumbled as its equilibrium was knocked out. A second shot shut it down permanently. Launch cheered and ran forward to join the others.

Spark tossed a thermal at one of the guns. It stuck to one of the legs and exploded, toppling the gun and destroying any nearby droids. He cheered and turned to continue forward, but was smacked by a B2. The Super aimed and fired at the downed trooper, ripping him to shreds.

Magnet saw the B2 and fired, blasting it in the chest/head several times before it went down. The engineer ran over to his comrade and checked him over. There was no need to see if he was breathing, his torched lungs were evidence of his demise. He knelt down and closed his brother’s eyes. “See you on the other side, brother.”

Luna swung wide with her vibroblade, cutting another B2 in half. The rest of the troopers surged forward, knocking down and blasting any remaining droids. She stood tall as her brothers charged across the hill, running down the other side. In the distance, she could see a circle of Republic vehicles and explosions.

It was the Landing Site. They were close. Her eyes shifted to the long of droid tanks awaiting them. Typical. It would take just a little while longer to reach Cadence. If she was still alive.

Buck jumped over another small crater as he ran for cover. Cadence caught him before he could trip and pulled him into the gunship. The transport turned bunker was taking a beating; tank rounds, sonic blasts, and energy bolts slammed into the side.

A turret set up in the doorway was the only form of defense they had, and the gunner just got his head blown off. Micro dropped his rifle and immediately took up the position. He fired at a small group of advancing Geonosian speeders. Two exploded while the third turned back.

“They just keep coming!” The trooper shouted, never taking his eyes off of the hordes of bugs approaching them.

“Just keep firing!” Loud screeching drew their eyes upward. In the orange skies above were scores of Geonosian Warriors. They flew over the battlefield and made a dive for the Landing Site.

“Incoming!” Troopers turned their guns up and opened fire. Most bolts struck and killed the incoming bugs, but many still made it through the wall of fire. One grabbed a trooper and lifted him into the air. The trooper screamed as he was dragged high into the air and dropped from high altitude.

Another trooper was hit by the sonic blaster and sent flying across the site. Cadence ducked as another bug attempted to grab her. Once it flew over, she used her magic and grabbed the Geonosian. She flung it onto the ground and pulled out her vibroblade. The Geonosian screeched for mercy as Cadence sliced open its chest. It lived through the first cut, but didn’t survive the thrust through the open wound.

Cadence pulled the blade out and swiped at another Geonosian approaching. She cut its wing clean off and fired several rounds to finish it off. The wave of flyers took off and flew away from the Landing Site. The clones watched them go, their numbers far lesser than before.

“Ma’am!” Cadence looked at Micro, who was running from the burning gunship. He fell to his knees in front of the captain. “They’re coming!” Cadence turned her gaze toward the enemy and the large wave of speeders approaching. She looked around and saw almost all of their gunships and tanks were burning. Their defense had fallen and now the bugs were rushing in to finish them off.

With a look of acceptance and determination, she reloaded her blaster and readied her blade.

“Troopers! Prepare to defend yourselves!” The troopers looked to their captain and nodded. They reloaded their blasters, formed a circle around the medical area, and stood tall as the enemy approached.

Cadence looked around at her men. The troopers she had led through hell and back. Now, it looked like the end. But she was not going down quietly. She intended to die as her Father had taught her to die.

“Remember Cadence.” Jango Fett said to the young cadet. “Mandalorians are a Warrior Culture. We do not fear death, we embrace it so long as it is glorious. If it is worth the sacrifice, then it is a sacrifice worth making.”

Cadence nodded. “Will… yours be worth it, Papa?”

Jango chuckled. “I’ll do my best, but you’re the Soldier, Cadence. Not me.” He then scratched behind the filly’s ears, which made her giggle.

“Now, remember the prayer…”

"Give ni te kot at rohakar ner aru'ese, te kar'tayl at me'dinuir ti ner kin, bal te wisdom at guide ner actions. " She muttered, remembering the prayer her Father, Jango Fett, had taught her. She was going to die, and it was going to be glorious and worthy of her ancestors.

The speeders circled the perimeter, firing into whatever hole they can find in the line. Troopers began to fall once more, but it was not in vain. The troopers fired back, hitting plenty of targets.

Obi-Wan stood tall, using a crate as a crutch and activated his lightsaber. The Jedi General intended to die fighting with his men.

“The reinforcements!” A trooper shouted in excitement. “The reinforcements have arrived!” Y-Wing bombers flew over the Landing Site, their payloads dropped all over the place. Some landed within the horde of speeders, the rest hit the line of tanks in the rear.

The 212th cheered as their fellows from the Wolf Pack and the 501st charged into the Landing Site. Cadence smiled as her sister flew overhead and landed on the top of an AT-TE. The pink alicorn walked up and removed her helmet.

“Glad to see you made it, a bit last minute though.” Luna rolled her eyes at her sister’s cheeky grin and jumped down before removing her helmet.

Both alicorns were soaking wet with sweat and their armor was covered in dirt and blood, some Geonosian, the rest their brothers’.

“Eh, we got tied up. These bugs aren’t the most welcoming bunch.” The two laughed for the first time all day.

“I’m just glad you made it.” Cadence said softly.

“Hey, I made a promise, didn’t I?” The two hugged it out, ignoring the coos and awes of their fellow troopers. Once it broke, Luna put her helmet back on.

“Have the 212th rest, you guys earned it. We’ll take it from here.” Her wings spread and the captain took off into the air. The troopers of the 501st and the Wolf Pack followed closely behind. Cadence watched Luna go and lead the attack on the shield generator.

The pink alicorn smiled as she remembered the other lesson her Father taught her.

“You’re sisters. You will always be there for each other, no matter what. You may argue, you may be separated through fate or farse. But, no matter what, you will always find one another again and that, is the most powerful force in the galaxy.”

Author's Note

And there it is, the Geonosis Arc continues.

And now for Trivia:

How did the Geonosians take back Geonosis in the first place?
How could the bugs know about their plan?
Who is excited for the rest of this Arc?

I'll give Bonus Mustaches to anyone who can translate that Mandalorian Battle Prayer.