There are many good things to be said about the Phase II Armor. It was strong, sturdy, and grated protection against many a threat.
But you know what it doesn't protect against? Sand. Damn stuff gets everywhere.
Marshal Commander Fox would know since he fought at the First Battle of Geonosis before he became the leader of the Coruscant Guard. And now here he is, walking up an unknown length of a beachhead, waves gently crashing against the shoreline, and having not a Kriffing clue as to where he is currently located.
He places his finger on his helmet communicator, "This is Commander Fox, calling any nearby units. If you can hear me, report in."
The only sound he receives is static.
He tries again. "This is Commander Fox, calling any nearby units. If you can hear me, report in."
Again, only static.
Fox grits his teeth in frustration, "All units, report!"
After being met with silence once again, Fox shakes his head with a sigh, the anger quickly leaving him. "I really didn't need this on top of all the other crap in my life right now." He says to himself tiredly.
He continues his course up the deserted beach, as well as his search for his brothers. His reasons that since he woke up on this beach, then just maybe they did too. Of course, that is if they are here at all.
'No, don't go thinking like that.' Fox tells himself. 'You can't afford to.'
Luckily for Commander Fox, he wouldn't have to, for he is shaken from his thoughts when he hears a growling sound from a nearby brush. The clone draws his dual DC-17 hand blasters with the quick reflexes only born from years of training.
But instead of an unknown, possibly dangerous alien creature, a familiar reptilian form stepped through the bushes, a small critter trapped between its jaws.
Fox lowers his weapons with a relieved sigh, "Oh it's just you, Grizzer. Found a snack, did you?"
The Massiff makes a soft growling noise in response, swallowing its food with a single gulp.
Fox kneels next to the large reptile, petting its rough scaly hide. "If you are here, that means the others are as well. Mind helping me find them, boy?"
Grizzer grunts, quickly putting his sensitive nose to work. Soon enough, he picks up a scent, and judging by the excitement he is showing, it is Sergeant Hound's scent.
"Lead the way then," Fox tells the Massiff, swiftly following behind the reptilian bloodhound as it follows the trail.
It didn't take them long before Fox spotted a figure lying face down in the wet sand ahead of them, the distinct armor pattern and ARF Trooper helmet identifying the figure as Sergeant Hound.
Grizzer stops next to his friend and nudges his shoulder, trying to rouse him awake.
Fox pulls the trooper's helmet off, then lightly shakes him. "Come on, soldier, wake up."
Sergeant Hound groans as he wakes up, coughing up salt water from his lungs as he does so.
Fox offers his hand to the ARF Trooper. "On your feet, Hound."
Hound grabs Fox's hand, letting the Commander help pull him to his feet. "Thanks, Commander."
Grizzer rubs his head against Hound, the Massiff making a soft cooing sound.
"Hey, Grizzer." Greets Hound, petting the Massiff's head affectionally. "Good to see you too, pal."
Fox hands Hound his helmet back.
"So, do you have any idea where we are exactly, Commander?" Asks Hound.
"One thing at a time, Sergeant. First things first, we need to find the rest of your squad as well as Thire and Thorn." Fox tells the ARF Trooper. "Have Grizzer find and then track their scents."
"You got it." Hound kneels in front of his Massiff. "You hear that boy? Let's get sniffing."
It only took Grizzer a minute before the three were on the trail of another scent, one which leads them to Thorn, who was already up and about.
"Where the Kriff are we, Fox?!" Thorn yells as he walks up to Fox and Hound. Grizzer meanwhile was watching a crab come skittering by.
"When I find out, you will be the first one I tell, Thorn," Fox replies. "Now come on, we need to find the rest."
After Grizzer decided to have some crab for brunch, the four of them were the next familiar scent that Grizzer could find. A process they would repeat through the next few hours, Commander Fox slowly gathering his men together.
Finally, with the sun beginning its descent in the west, all fourteen clones (along with five Massiffs) were present and accounted for.
"Now that you are all here," Fox addresses his brothers. "Allow me to tell you about our current situation."
"We are stranded on an unknown world with no means of contacting Coruscant or any other Republic world. There will no rescue party, I am sure you know why."
The assembled clones nod their heads grimly. The Republic isn't going to waste precious resources trying to look for barely more than two dozen clones, especially when they can be so easily replaced. Even Fox, who is a Marshal Commander, is not exempt from this stone-cold fact.
"So, what do we do now, Sir?" Asks Pointer, one of Hound's men, his Massiff, named Spot, was laying lazily in the sand next to him.
"Now? Now we find where the hell we are." States Commander Fox.
"Commander." The group turns to look at Buzz, another one of Hound's squad. In his hand a scanner. "I am picking up an energy signature. It's faint, but it's there."
"Where?" Questions Fox.
Buzz points beyond the beachhead and into the jungle. "About a mile in that direction, sir."
"Then that is our destination. Troopers, move out!"
-
The journey through the tropical forest was short but arduous. Due to many of the clones being used to the steel jungles of Coruscant, they were not prepared for the uneven ground beneath their boots. The jungle's never-ending selection of tangled roots and deep mud pools thus proved a tough challenge to navigate. But they were able to make it to the other side without major incident.
As they exited the jungle, the clones found themselves on a cliff face overlooking a large water-filled crater. Constructed around the rim of the crater seemed to be a large military base of some kind.
"I'm guessing that is where the energy signature is coming from?" Thire asks rhetorically.
"Yes, sir. This is it." Buzz replies, tapping away at the scanner's touch screen.
"It looks abandoned." Looker notes. "I wonder why."
"It doesn't matter," Fox says. "What does matter is that it will suit us while we gather our bearings. And maybe if we're lucky, the people who built this place are advanced enough that we can find a long-range communicator and contact the Republic."
"Now that's a plan I can get behind," Thorns says with a smile from under his helmet.
"Good, cause we're doing it either way." Quips Fox. "Come on boys, let's move out!
"Sir, yes sir!"
-
And done!
So, it would seem that Fox and his group of intrepid band of clones have found themselves at Azur Lane. But why is the base seemingly abandoned? The answer to that question will be answered, don't you worry about that.
While you're here, I want to quickly go over two things.
First, here is the ranking system for the clones.
Marshal Commander - Commands a Corps (36,864 Troopers)
Senior Commander – Commands a Legion (9, 216 Troopers)
Regimental Commander – Commands a Regiment (2,304 Troopers)
Battalion Commander – Commands a Battalion (576 Troopers)
Captain – Commands a Company (144 Troopers)
Lieutenant – Commands a Platoon (36 Troopers)
Sergeant – Commands a Squad (9 Troopers)
Trooper – Is your standard clone trooper
Second, there will be multiple pairings in this story. Everybody is going to be with somebody. Who is going to be with who is still a secret for now. (i.e. I have no idea just yet. Well except for Fox, but other than him, no clue.)
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the 2nd chapter of The Guard!
Remember, if you have any questions, suggestions, or anything of that sort, please leave a review.
See you all next time!