T-S5 was a commando droid, and a new one on top of that. In his circuits, he only had one thought. Kill the clones, as per he was ordered. For that, he was holding his E-5, and had a vibroblade on his back.
After the clones had blown up a door, and escaped that way, he and the other commando droids had stayed behind, and let the ordinary B1 and B2 units take the lead. They would only attack when the enemy had been weakened. Fast, efficient, and merciless, for foes and friends, that was how commando droids operated.
T-S5 could hear the sounds of battle, and see the light of lasers ahead. As such, it came as a huge surprise for him when he felt someone grab his neck, and put a blaster against the back of his head. Before the commando droid could use it's superior flexibility and strength to escape, the blaster fired. At point-blank, his entire head exploded, becoming a mess of wires and sparks.
The clone that was responsible for his death held the T-S5's body in a well-practiced manner, using it's tough body as a mobile cover. The single horn on his helmet glinted as sparks flew up, and he smiled.
...
Three minutes earlier.
The droids were fast to follow the clones. Not knowing where the corridor led, the Republic forces had to be even more careful, and the clanckers were catching up pretty fast.
Suddenly, Dageer saw the troopers that were in front of him stop and curse.
"Damn it! It's a dead end! A storage room of some sort."
Stopping dead on his tracks, Dageer stretched his neck, and saw many boxes and crates. He could also see blasters hanging on one of the walls.
"Open one of the crates. What is in it?"
"E-5 magazines, sir. A lot of them."
Dageer nodded, and looked at Commander Bly. The yellow paint on his helmet was dirty, contrasting with the black visor.
"Are you thinking what I am, Bly?"
"Ammunition deposit, a bunch of angry clanckers, and two lightsaber-wielding enemies? I sure am."
"All right. Brain, you stay here, and follow Bly's orders. Hell Squad, you come with me."
Commander Bly had already been moving and ordering the clones to set up a defense when he heard Dageer, and stopped. Turning around, he looked a the clone.
"What the hell are you planning?"
Dageer grinned. The droids had used a pincer move on them before, but now he thought it was time to give the seppies a taste of their own tactics.
"You will see. Now, come on, we don't have time to waste."
Going back, Hell Squad hid behind the indents on the walls. Squeezing himself against the wall as best as he could, Dageer saw the clanckers running, their backs turned to him. Soon, he heard lasers being fired, and clones and droids screaming alike.
Looking at Tech, who was on the other side of the corridor, Dageer gestured for him to wait. When the last droid - a commando - went past them, Dageer got out of his hiding spot, grabbed the droid's neck, put his DC-17 against his head, and pulled the trigger.
Without letting the body fall to the floor, Dageer did the same thing he had done countless times before, and used it as cover. Cell, Tech, Three-four, and Dab had done the same, and Metal pulled his double-barrel repeating blaster out.
When the commando droids in the back of the clancker group turned around, hearing the blasters being fired, Hell Squad took them down in mere seconds.
Several shots hit the dead commando droids that the clones were holding, and only a few got through, doing nothing else them scratching Hell Squad's armor. Dageer fired his pistol wildly, each laser hitting the head of a commando droid accurately. They were the biggest threat, so they had to be taken care of first.
More feeling than seeing a laser come towards his head, Dageer lifted the droid corpse he was holding, and used it as a shield. The impact was enough to make his arm numb, and he unwillingly released his protection.
"Metal!"
"Uff!"
The moment his cover was gone, Dageer ducked to the side, and, at the same time, called the heavy machine gunner. The torrent of blue lasers sent the clanckers flying back, giving Dageer a precious two seconds that he used to get up and hide in a crevice on the wall.
Quickly reloading his DC-17, Dageer held it in his left hand, and fired at the droids while only showing half of his body.
Caught between two fires, the once two hundred strong droid force was reduced to nothing. Obviously, the clones had to pay a price for it. Of seventeen soldiers that entered the ammunition deposit, only twelve left.
Commander Bly was unharmed, and the worse injury the troopers had were some flesh wounds, nothing too serious. Seeing that, Dageer ordered them to go back the way they came, and towards the exit.
Commander Bly and Dageer had the same rank, but seeing the 303rd clone being so decisive and serious, he followed his orders without hesitation. Dageer had an aura of command around him, and instilled confidence in the others.
"Generals, we are nearing the exit! We also planted some explosives at their ammo depot. As soon as you get out, we can blow it up!"
"Do it, commander. Don't wait for us!"
Dageer looked at Commander Bly, surprised. He had done his fair share of crazy things with General Di, but never did he blow up a building while his superior was still inside.
"Sir?"
"Do it, Dageer! We have our ways of getting out."
Before Dageer could answer, Commander Bly grabbed the comlink from his hands.
"No can do, general. We are not leaving you behind."
Dageer nodded. He didn't have that big of a connection with neither of the Jedis, but he wouldn't blow up the ammunition deposit and risk their lives. Worse came to worse, they simply wouldn't explode the fortress. Their target was Commander Wolffe, and they were almost getting him out.
"Bly, you have to believe in me and Master Plo. If you don't blow up this building, Ventress and Grievous will receive reinforcements sooner or later, and then we will be really doomed."
For a few seconds, Commander Bly said nothing, conflicted. As someone who had been forced to leave his general behind once, Dageer knew what was going on through his brother's head. Finally, the clone sighed, and nodded to Dageer.
"I understand, general. Tell us when it is time."
Dageer still didn't like the idea, but General Secura was Commander Bly's superior officer, not his. Hell Squad was merely a support unit in this operation, so they had to follow the Jedis' lead.
After killing the clanckers that were after them, getting out of the fortress was quite easy. When they got to the ship with Commander Wolffe, they saw several dead droids scattered around it.
Approaching carefully, they found a dead trooper near the lower ramp. Gesturing with his head to Dageer, Commander Bly pulled out his DC-17s. They were better for close-quarters combat.
Fortunately, the blasted weren't needed. They soon found the six other clones that stayed on the ship, one of them bleeding profusely from a wound on the stomach. Dageer quickly told Three-four to work on him, and called the Jedis.