His Last Dawn- Rexsoka

Chapter. 5

Day 2:

Life Count: 98

Plo-Koon:

"Wolfe, keep up."

Plo forced his way through the thick undergrowth as the small squad of five clones and a jedi made their way through the jungle they landed in.

"How are your men holding up, Commander?" Plo asked his second in command as the grey armored clone turned to him.

"We're fine, sir." Wolfe gave a quick salute as the clones behind him nodded. "Let's just find Commander Tano and Master Skywalker and get out of this bug infested jungle."

Plo nodded and the squad kept trekking through the forest, swatting at bugs and the hum of Plo's lightsaber as he hacked through vines and tree limbs.

"Wait," Wolfe held up a hand and they all stopped as he held out his wristcom. "I think someone just died."

He pressed the comm and a blue hologram sprang to life, taking the shape of a Quarren bounty hunter. The name underneath said: Iko Ishto and next to it Life Count: 97.

"Who do you think killed him?" Asked Cub, the medic patch on his shoulder gleaming in the faint sun.

"I don't know," Alpha hefted his rotating gun and gave the surrounding forest a quick sweep. "But I don't want to be around when they come hunting."

"But it would be five on one," Beta's voice was soft, like always as the lean clone pulled the sniper rife off his back and replaced the E-11 blaster held in his hand. "No enemy would attack a larger group, especially with a jedi."

"Unless they teamed up," Omega hissed, the scar that added a lisp to his crisp voice hidden by his helmet. "Like us. Then they could attack a group as big as ours."

"Can you see who is left, Wolfe?" Plo asked, and Wolfe nodded.

"It... looks like, from the people that I recognize..." Wolfe consulted his wristcom. "Skywalker, Tano, Kenobi, Rex, Cody, Cad Bane, a bounty hunter named Aura Sing that Rex told me about, a Trandoshan called Bossk that Tano had met, an underground crime lord Maul, another Dathomirain named Savage, Ventress and Senator Amidala."

"There are a few I've only heard in descriptions," Cub flicked through the screen on his wristcom. "A famous Twi'lek bounty hunter who never brings back live quarries, a Mandalorian named Bo-Katan who was sisters with the late Duchess Satine, and a Theelin bounty hunter named Latts."

"I know that Twi'lek." Beta almost whispered. "Waxer told me about a blue Twi'lek, by the name of... Numa?"

"How do you know my name?" A heavily accented voice echoed around the forest as a tall blue Twi'lek emerged from the shadows. "Who are you?"

"Easy," Beta dropped his weapon to the ground and took off his helmet, and the Twi'lek gave a little start. "Are you... Numa?"

"Yes," Numa looked over Beta's face and frowned. "You look like someone I used to know, but your eyes are different."

"Waxer and Boil mentioned they met a 'Numa' on Ryloth as they liberated it from the Separatists." Beta took a step towards Numa and raised his hands in surrender. "Are you her?"

"Yes," Numa peered behind him, undoubtably looking for the two 212th legion clones. "Are they here?"

"No," Beta's face fell. "Waxer died at the battle for Umbara and Boil died at the assault on Floorum."

"Oh," Numa touched the little tooka doll that was pinned to her chest. "I'm- I'm sorry."

Beta walker forwards and rested his hand on the Twi'lek's shoulder and she sighed.

"I won't kill you." Numa conceded and Beta gave a small breath out in relief. "But I'll warn you. Kanjaklub is headed your way. Good luck."

They watched as she turned and sprinted off the way she had come, her blue lekki bouncing behind her. Beta bent down and picked up his helmet and blasters from the ground and faced his brothers.

"Kanjaklub.... I've heard of them somewhere," Wolfe muttered.

"If you know some of the top Underworld bounty hunters than yes, you should know them," Plo interjected, unclasping his lightsaber. "Their ruthless terrorists from Nar Kanji, most of whom are mercenaries or bounty hunters."

"That doesn't sound pleasant." Alpha grumbled.

"That must be the team that killed Iko Ishto, and my bet is their coming after us next." Omega growled.

"So..." Beta looked at Plo and Wolfe. "What's the plan?"

"Why are you looking at me?" Wolfe spun and looked at his general. "Look at him."

"I suggest we keep on moving forwards, not wait for them to attack us," Plo nodded as Cub stepped forwards.

"Good plan, Cub." Plo conceded and Cub nodded. "And we might find them first."

"And take 'em out!" Alpha hefted his blaster. "Yeah!"

"Wait," Beta turned to the forest, his hand held up and his blaster ready. "I heard something."

"Beta, it might have just been a wild animal," Wolfe consoled his brother, who shook his head adamantly. "We're all at our nerves end right now. Let's just find Skywalker and Tano and get out of here."

"No," Plo scanned the surrounding trees and nodded at Beta. "There are life forms out there."

"Everyone circle up!" Wolfe called and the clones and jedi formed a defensive circle, blasters and lightsabers at the ready.

They waited, tense and jumping every time a branch was cracked, flinching when their shoulders brushed. All Plo could see was dark shadows and the flashes of light on guns and dark clothing. Then they all stopped, and Plo Koon knew what was coming next.

"Look out-"

But Plo Koon was cut short as warriors descended from everywhere, from the treetops, from the forest, from the earth as they clawed their way out of tunnel systems. The attack was over before it began, blaster fire spewing all across the forest, blue and red mixing into a violet that lit up the surrounding trees.

"They're everywhere-"

"Can't hold them-"

"Someone help us-"

Plo Koon watched as one by one, his fellow warriors were cut down, first Cub, then Alpha, Omega then Beta.

"We'll fight to the end," Wolfe grunted in pain as he was hit in the back with a shot. "I'm not done yet General."

The Kanjaklubers pulled back and formed a circle around them, blasters drawn and loaded, each pointing at the clone and the jedi. Plo Koon raised his lightsaber and Wolfe raised one of his blasters, his right hand swinging limp at his side.

"Until the end," Plo gripped his lightsaber and Wolfe clicked a charge into place. "It was an honor serving beside you Wolfe."

"It was an honor as well, General." Wolfe faced the Kanjaklubers and took a breath.

All at once, all the Kanjaklubers started firing, red blaster fire lighting the forest and giving it an eerie glow. They stopped firing and left, running the way they had come, leaving only bodies behind them.

The true massacre had begun.