Intuition - Book 1 - Captain Rex

[Chapter 9 - Carnage of Krell]

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"Stay alert. The enemy has our weapons and our armor. They may try to trick us with an ambush." Rex took up the front of the platoon, while the rest of the troopers scanned the area around them.

Dogma nearly tripped on what he assumed was a vine, but Tup stopped him in his tracks- "Watch out Dogma! I saw that thing attack Hardcase. It'll chew you up and spit you out."

Tup picked up a rock- "Here, watch." he lobbed the rock at the creature, which flailed around- screeching madly and gnashing its teeth. 

"Ew!" Dogma exclaimed. 

"We're under attack!" a voice sounded from behind them. 

Blaster fire rang through the air, men were being shot down in numbers that they had never seen before. 

"Where's the enemy?" 

"I don't know! I can't see anything!" 

An explosion shook the battlefield, sending troopers flying into the air, and then crashing down. Still they pressed forward, just hoping to get a clear view of the enemy. They loaded their mortar cannons, sending them flying over to the enemy. 

"Anyone have a visual?" Rex called out.

"Ah, negative. It's too dark." Tup huffed- "Oh wait! I see them! They're disguised as clones all right." 

They advanced on them, blaster bolts flying through the air on both sides. Men were being shot down at an alarming rate. Kix swept up a few of the injured, taking them to shelter. Tup commed Rex, asking for his position.

Rex was unable to respond though. He came across two bodies, one his man, the other the enemy's. he rolled his man off- but noticed the helmet falling off the other body.

He peeled the helmet off.

"What?" He jumped back.

A clone.

He was staring into the lifeless eyes- of one of his own brothers.

Rex's heart stopped. His head pounded. He could hear water rushing in his ears. 

"EVERYONE! STOP FIRING!" He ran desperately out onto the battle field- "WE'RE SHOOTING AT OUR OWN MEN! They're not Umbarans. They're clones! TAKE OFF YOUR HELMETS! Show them you're not the enemy!" He continued running, taking his own helmet off as he went- "THEY'RE CLONES!" he bellowed desperately- "Everyone! Stop firing! CEASE FIRE!" 

He kept running and running- eventually colliding with one of the other men, grabbing him and forcing his helmet off.

"LOOK! We're clones! We're all clones!"

The firing ceased, as all of the clones took their helmets off. All looking shaken, they faced their brothers. 

Rex fell to his knees. Raising is hands to his head- what had they done?

---

Kix made about gathering the injured to treat them. He approached Rex.

"Captain, I've found the platoon leader. It's Waxer. He's still alive.

Rex and Kix made their way over, with Dogma tagging along. They found Waxer slumped against a fallen tree- looking within an inch of his life.

"Waxer." Rex knelt down to face him, taking off his helmet- "Tell me- who gave you the orders to attack us?"

Waxer gasped and spluttered, struggling for air- "It... it was General Krell. He sent us to these coordinates to stop the enemy. We thought they were wearing our armor." He coughed again as tears began to well in his eyes- "But... it was... you." A single tear rolled down his cheek.