Narrator: A rescue in progress! With Republic forces arriving in the Teth system, the operation to save Jabba's son will commence. But for the new Padawan, he may have bitten off more than he could chow.
Ahsoka: So, there we were, far behind enemy lines, sneaking our way to the shield generator, when suddenly, a bunch of these massive round droids came out of the ground, and I had to sprint through them to get to the shield generator.
Ahsoka said with a group of clones around her, many intently listening to the Padawan's story nearing the end of her and Anakin's little escapade. Leaning against the same LAAT a few meters away stood Commander Cooper, the Jedi in training inspecting his blaster pistol as he passively listened to her tale.
501st Trooper: Wait, hold on. How did you get the shield down?
Ahsoka: Well, there was a wall behind him with a hole in the middle, so I pulled the wall down on top of the droids, destroying them all and saving the general. You can tell them master.
Ahsoka said with a bright smile across her face as the man himself walked over to the group with the clones collectively chucking. Rolling his eyes, the Jedi general crossed his arms as he spoke.
Anakin: It is, but we have a job to do, so let's get to work, boys.
He called out as the group collectively stood at attention, with captain Rex looking among them all.
Rex: You heard the general. Move out!
Clones: Sir, yes sir!
They chanted before dispersing, a few of their number walking directly past the young commander toward a LAAT. A Purrgil adorned the nose of the craft with a battle cry written in Aurebesh. One among the clones, one stopped for a moment as Jerome holstered his blaster and gestured over to the gunship.
Jerome: I'll be seeing you all planetside soon.
Tess: Count on it, sir. Just a shame I'm stuck with Darl on the drop.
She scoffed before recollecting herself and gave her CO a respectful nod, joining her comrades as they mounted up. Raising his brow upon her comment, Jerome glanced around the hanger bay before spotting the sergeant in question walking beside Owl. The clone perpetrator having a reasonably clear handprint across his cheek. Sighing to himself, Jerome shook his head as he looked away.
Jerome: Certainly gaining a reputation, isn't he?
He muttered, soon joining his fellow Force users as they loaded up onto a LAAT with Rex and a few of his men. Engines all around slowly groaned to life, with air crews beginning the process of locking a duo of ATTEs to their transports. Picking up the pace just a bit, Jerome hopped into the troop bay, much to Anakin's surprise upon seeing the commander.
Anakin: I didn't expect you to be joining us so soon.
He said as Jerome smacked the side of the airframe, shooting the Jedi knight a teasing smirk.
Jerome: Yeah well, master did say to keep an eye on you.
Jerome received a frustrated groan from Anakin and got a soft giggle out of Ahsoka. The bay doors sealed before he could be asked to leave, and the gunship began to lift off. Grabbing ahold of a handle dangling from the roof, Jerome felt the air within thinning as the craft began its flight out of the hanger bay and into Teth's upper atmosphere towards their target. Inside the dimly lit bay, the center holo-caster blinked to life, and an image of master Kenobi appeared, clad in full Jedi robes.
Jerome: Master, what news do you have?
Obi-wan: Certainly not the best it could be. Jabba has given us only one planetary rotation to return his son to Tatooine safe and sound.
Anakin: Ah, don't worry, we'll have him back in no time.
The knight stated with confidence, though it did not seem to put the older Jedi at any ease, for he spoke with a more concerned look than previously.
Obi-wan: Well, take extreme care. We have yet to find out who's holding Jabba's son. When I've finished negotiations with him, I will join you. Jerome.
Jerome: Yes master?
He replied as Obi-wan gave him a faint smile through the holo-caster.
Obi-wan: Do try and keep out of trouble.
Jerome: I'll try, but it tends to find me wherever I go.
Obi-wan nodded with a soft chuckle before cutting the comms, the bay illuminated now by the gentle purple hues of the planet's sky. It was almost peaceful to the young man, but that soon changed with the air around them becoming filled with incoming fire, the gunship shaking violently as the pilot came over the comms seconds after the first explosion.
Pilot: Sir, we're taking heavy fire!
He yelled out, many clones gripping onto their supports more intensely as Anakin held up his wrist-mounted comm.
Anakin: Close the blast shields, Lieutenant! Get us under those guns!
Anakin radioed back as the bay was swiftly cast into darkness, only to be lit by a dark red hue of the emergency lights, the rattling only ceasing for second-long intervals before again shaking the whole craft. However, that didn't bother the Togruta among them as she looked over at Jerome.
Ahsoka: You ready for this?
She asked, gently bumping her fellow Padawan in the shoulder. Jerome gave her a bump back as he pulled the hood of his jacket over his head, hiding his expression in the thinly veiled darkness.
Jerome: Yeah, walk in the park. Ready, one hundred percent.
He muttered, looking over to Anakin as he got a similar question from Ahsoka, though, unlike the young man, he just smirked and looked down at his Padawan.
Anakin: If all goes to plan, stay close to me, you two.
Jerome: I'll try.
Ahsoka: And I will, and I'll even try not to get you killed this time.
She snipped back in a playful tone while the clones readied their blasters. Jerome gave one last look over his own, the sound of blaster bolts detonating mere meters away from them not assisting with the jitters that began to crawl up his spine.
Jerome: Just a walk in the park, up a massive cliff, with no cover. What could go wrong?
He thought as the pilot's voice called out over the bay once more over the not-so-distant explosions.
Pilot: Welcome to paradise Rockjumpers, given them hell!
The pilot yelled as the bay's lighting turned green. With a whoosh, bay doors opened onto the battlefield as blaster bolts impacted into the dirt and the low rumbling of the Republic armor becoming free from their holdings permeated all around them.
Rex: Move it, people! Go, go, go!
The captain yelled as they disembarked and began making their way towards the base of the massive rock spire where the temple lay, and their target was being held. Though, it would all be for nothing if everyone was gunned down before they even attempted to scale the cliff face. Thus, in a frantic sprint, Jedi and clones alike mad dashed through the forest, dodging incoming fire it came down around them. Jerome, with a blaster in one hand and his father's saber in the other, was joined by the members of his unit, forming up around their leader as they moved beneath the large purple canopy. Jerome glanced to his right as Dale fell in beside him.
Jerome: Glad to see you made it! What a lovely welcoming party! How's the face?
Dale: Stings like a bitch! But less talking till we're not in threat of death!
The scout sergeant yelled as the two, and the other squads of clones broke into a dead sprint upon coming to the edge of the forest and the base of the pillar, covered by what few pop shots they could make and ordinance of their heavy armor. Taking cover under an alcove, Jerome peaked his head from under the overhang.
Jerome: So! I know it's a bad time to ask now, but how are we getting up there?!
He yelled before jumping back as a B-1 battle droid came crashing down, becoming a metallic pancake that did wonders for the young man's confidence.
Jerome: Um, without ending up like that!
Jerome asked, glancing over toward the Jedi Knight, who only flashed the young man a smile before looking to Ahsoka.
Anakin: Follow after me, and you'll be fine! Now, race you to the top!
He yelled as troopers began attaching grapple shots to the undersides of their blasters and firing them up the cliff. In contrast, the Jedi knight and his Padawan started to use a vine to ascend, leaving Jerome to stare up at the several hundred-foot freak of nature and was beginning to be left behind.
Jerome: Oh lord, I'm not ready for this. There's no way I'm climbing that on my own.
Owl: Which is why we have these, sir.
The clone captain said, appearing beside the boy as he affixed one of the grapplehook units to his blaster rifle. Giving him a look, Jerome watched the ATTEs climb vertically up the slope, following the clones repelling their way up. Gulping, Jerome looked to his captain once more as he was aiming his rifle up the spire.
Jerome: So, how do you plan on me getting up there? I don't have one of those grappling hooks, and I'm sure I'm not strong enough to climb up all that on my own, let alone under fire. Maybe I should just-
He was saying before Owl fired off the grapple, the hook rocketing into the air and planting itself far beyond where the young man could see. Tugging onto the line, Owl then pulled the attachment off and latched it onto Jerome's belt, tapping over the three buttons on the 'bottom' of the cylindrical device.
Owl: Ascend, descend, and release. Let it do most of the work and keep climbing. I'll watch your back, got it?
Jerome: G-got it.
He muttered as the captain grabbed another and shot up his hook, sparing the Padawan a nod of confirmation before beginning the ascent himself. And with that, Jerome forced down the growing lump in his throat and began to climb up the sheer rockface, the grapple on his belt tugging him upwards and into the onslaught of enemy fire.
Jerome: Just one hand after the other. You got this, move with the flow, and it'll be fine.
Jerome told himself as he began spider crawling, ducking down and shifting his angle of attack based upon the rain of red plasma. With each handhold and lunge, he got a tad bit faster. Nerves were fading, adrenaline pumping, the fire in his muscles burning, yet there was no giving out. The young man gazed at his clones, slowly progressing up, counter-firing as best they could as the mass driver rounds chipped away at those on the high ground. Though, as he planted his foot into a crevice and began open fire up towards the faint outlines of droids, an explosion rocked the mountainside as the voice of Jerome's recon captain barked over the comms.
Owl: ATTE hit! She's going down! I repeat, ATTE hit! She's going down! Get out of the way!
His words echoed in Jerome's ear as he watched the six-legged tank reared back, smoke billowing out the cockpit and its feet losing their grip on the rock. It sat there for moments, poised in its death throw, before the second set of legs lost grip, and she began tumbling backward. Metal screeched as it scrapped against the rock, throwing debris to all that were close as it fell back the two hundred feet the Republic forces had made, dooming all the crew aboard and three unlucky 501st Troopers caught in its path.
Gritted his teeth at the sight of such carnage, Jerome jabbed his free hand into the grappling unit, once again allowing it to pull him up and, with a hand helping to feed the line into its housing, began to walk up the mountain, feet firmly planted against the stone and firing with his off-hand. Incoming fire only intensified the higher the Republic climbed, dwarf spider droids scaling down the rock pillar and taking down clones with heavy plasma bolts, but for the other Jedi, they were doing their best to defend against them, deflecting back the enemy's fire whenever possible, still in the process of some crazy game to reach the peak first.
However, over the explosions and whizzing of plasma, a high-pitched whine cut through everything else. Turning his attention towards the noise, Jerome watched as from around the far side of the pillar, four B-1's on strange-looking speeders sliced through the air, the dual blaster cannons mounted to the segway-looking crafts firing out hails of bolts into the clone ranks. The scene was like watching fish being shot in a barrel with Republic troopers having nowhere to go and being cut down by a strafing run. Many clones met their end swiftly to these droids; members of the 717th and 501st alike were not spared as Jerome could only watch his comrades' bodies fall or be left hanging limply from their cables. The strafing only ended as they made a run against the last ATTE.
Jerome: Son of a bitch! Owl! Come in! Status!
Owl: Green, sir! Blanch and Hind are gone. You alright!
Jerome: Green! I'm-
The young commander was going to yell into his comm before a sound like a whip cracking, and the panicked cry snapped his gaze upward, watching one of his clones begin to plummet, her grapple line flailing wildly in the air. Eyes growing wide, the young commander looked towards where she was falling, spotting the vine Anakin had used at the beginning of the climb, cursed himself, holstered his blaster, and jammed his thumb into the release button. Instantly, he felt the wind begin to whirl around him as he began to fall, but with blood pumping in his ears, the thumping of his heart overshadowing the chaos before him, Jerome slammed his foot into the cliff. Propelling himself towards the vine, firmly wrapping his fingers around the thick cord, a burning feeling permeated through the palm of his glove while he shot his other hand out, barely snatching onto the clone's flailing leg as she fell past him.
Jerome: I got you!
He cried over the howling wind, Jerome gritting his teeth and tensing as he, in a rapid motion, coiled the vine around his fist, stopping their fall, sending forth an unbearable pain through the Terrain's shoulder and a heavy thud from the clone below him as she smacked against the rockface, hanging upside down by the grip of her commanding officer. Groaning as she hanged limply, Jerome dug his feet into what little holds were available, using his strength from his near-suicidal stunt to keep his Trooper from falling again.
Jerome: Trooper! I can't keep holding you like this forever!
Tess: I-I, sir! Just hold on a little more!
She shouted, her voice strained and hoarse as she fumbled for a moment, awkwardly grabbing ahold of the rockface and vine, the blaster long since lost to gravity. Her gaze shifted back up to Jerome, opening gritting his teeth with his fingers slowly losing their hold upon Tess's boot.
Tess: Sir! Drop me!
Jerome: Are you sure?
Tess: Yes! Now do it before you fall, and I have to save your ass, sir!
She yelled back, and much like Jerome, Tess quickly wrapped the vine around her fist upon falling, the action righting the Trooper back to the 'upright' position at the cost of another grunt and smack against the cliff face. Though the two were alive despite it all, even as Jerome changed his grip on the vine, hissing as he shook out his hand, the smell of burnt leather filling his nostrils with its putrid scent, no doubt mixed with what human skin would also smell like from the constant pain flaring from his palm, yet nowhere near the burning of his shoulder as he hugged the rock face and vine.
Jerome: You know! I don't know if that was the bravest thing I've ever done or the stupidest!
He yelled, receiving a light smack on his lower back from the clone making her way back up, hanging just below the man's footholds.
Tess: And I'm wondering if I want to thank you or berate you, so we're even till we make it topside! Can you climb?
Jerome: Not after that! Never felt it before, but I'm pretty sure- oh, Karablast!
He cried as the deadly whine sounded again from their left, the young Jedi in training the first to spot another droid upon the segway speeder barreling towards them from above, dodging what little fire the Republic forces could provide.
Tess: Those things want me dead, don't they? Hold on; I'm grabbing that blaster of yours!
Jerome: Negative; keep me supported. I got an idea. Space magic, you better work.
He said, feeling his clone companion firmly press him against the rocky spire. Unholstering his blaster despite the pain in his arm, Jerome aimed it toward the droid piloting the speeder. With grinding teeth and burning nerves, the Force user's eyes stayed trained upon his target, and slowly, with adrenaline pumping and the chaos of the battle raging around him, he found a moment of purpose, a feeling not to allow his efforts to be for not. Upon his exhale, when the droid was about to turn him and Tess into ash, he squeezed the trigger, the bolt firing off and hitting the B-1 directly in the dome, the body limply plummeting below them. And as if by fate, the speeder began to slow from how the droid fell, leaving it to hang in midair just a few feet above where Jerome hung upon the vine.
Tess: Holy...was that...did you just?
Jerome: Space magic, either that or sheer stupid luck. Can you climb the rest of the way up?
He asked, weakly holstering his blaster while shimmying up the vine just high enough to grab onto the speeder and drag it down to a better mounting position. Tess, giving the man a decent bump on the leg, told him all he needed before hauling himself aboard.
Jerome: Catch you at the top, Tess.
Tess: You better be waiting, sir.
She said, shaking her head before climbing hand over hand up the vine. Jerome watching her go for a processionary measure, gripped tightly onto the handles of the speeder, wrapped a leg around the frame of it for added comfort, kicked off the gas, and flew up the mountainside, shooting past Ahsoka and the ATTE, past all the other clones and just in time to see Anakin dispatch the last droids. Glancing up, Jerome gave a weak salute before spotting a trio of droideka's roll in and deploy up, the Jedi knight instantly falling back into a defensive stance.
Jerome: Well, I might as well stay on brand today. Incoming!
He yelled, turning the speeder towards the CIS droids, the whine near deafening when Jerome jumped off, watching as the speeder exploded against the shields, overloading them and sending them up in smoke. Though it came as a cost to himself once again, the boy strumbled on the landing and ended up with an intimate meeting with the ground, faceplanting after failing to keep his feet under himself. He groaned in pain, unmoving from his spot as the taste of iron filled the back of the young man's mouth.
Anakin: Jerome! Oh god, Obi-wan's going to kill me! You alive!
He yelled, rushing to the teen's side as Jerome rolled himself over with a wheezy cough. Clones moved around them, clearing the area as the new daredevil stared up at the man.
Jerome: Yes, but I wish I wasn't. God, I wish Niner were here to tell me everything in the last five minutes was a mistake.
Jerome coughed out, giving Anakin a weak thumbs up. The Jedi let out a heavy sigh, patted the young man's chest, and looked back towards the ATTE as it crested the edge with Ahsoka hanging from the turret's mount.
Anakin: Ahsoka! Get the medic out here! Greenhorn's not looking so green right now!
Ahsoka: On it, master!
She yelled out, leaving Anakin to help Jerome back to his feet and assist his stumbling ass toward the unloading clones inside the walker. The first challenge had been overcome, but even as Jerome was handed off to his men for care, there was a feeling that the danger was far from over.