The Charge of the Attach Battalion

"We'll show those clankas who's boss!"

"No one messes with us!"

Obi-Wan smiled as the men continued to shout and cheer around him. Its was nice to see high morale during this force forsaken war.

"Alright men, listen up-!"

-----

"That'll show'em!"

"They're falling back!"

"They are in full retreat!"

"Gather the wounded and prepare for the possibility of a second wave!" Cody ordered; his voice carrying around the cheering men.

They quickly set to work gathering the men for Wrap to look after and creating a border. Laughter filled the air, even in the field of war.

-----

"The Chancellor has ordered that you press your attack, Obi-Wan, forwards," Mace frowned, his blue holo flickering, "he says with the full force of your battalion you'll be able to destroy them."

"The full force? But we have wounded," Obi-Wan frowned.

"He's ordered a charge, there was nothing I could do, I'm sorry," Mace sighed, before switching off the holo.

"Time to notify the men, sir," Cody sighed, placing back on his bucket.

-----

So they charged forwards, blasters and sabres drawn in their march. Not a single voice was heard over the stomping of their feet. No tree moved in any wind.

They were ordered to charge, ordered to battle, ordered to fight for their lives.

There were no sounds of metal joints, no sounds of an approaching army.

Maybe they'd indeed won the time before?

But continued to march on burning legs—no rest in an ordered march.

Worry pooled in their stomachs, large land flattened by heavy machinery. And soon, voices began to pipe up, hushed over their boots thumps.

"What's happening?"

"This doesn't feel good."

"This feels like a trap."

But onwards they marched, for who are they to deny an order to charge?

Silence fell on the group again as the path began to close in, thinning them down.

But the silence vanished, even if they preferred it to stay.

-----

"Tree, look out-!"

But it was too late, as the tank strode forwards, down came each tree. Men scattered, but many were caught in its fall. Many wounded men, unable to move at their fastest pace, laid waste to the fallen forest as the opposing army made themselves known.

But the droids didn't come to fell the trees; they came with blasters and rounds. The ground exploded around the men, screams and explosions ringing in the ears.

Officers, marching at front found themselves thrown skywards, debris knocking them away.

Weapons were fired, weapons were lost.

Sprung the trap, entered the jaws of death.

Each man picked off; skyward bore their attackers. Out of range, out of sight. Hundreds fell as missiles rained down.

-----

"General, catch!" Cody shouted, throwing the Jedi his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan caught the hilt mid-air, turning to glance at Cody.

-----

The assault wasn't over, the droids attacked from behind—blasters smoking.

They watched as the man with the antenna fell with a shout, collapsing to the floor, armour once white, burned black.

-----

Obi-Wan barely had a moment to breathe before the killers descended at him. Screams echoing in his ears, ringing in The Force, as his men were shot down and slaughtered.

His attackers came from all sides. Deflect one, ten more to follow. One bolt broke through, then another, then another.

Shoulder. Arm. Leg.

The once solid hilt shattered into a thousand shards, tearing apart his hand.

Shoulder. Arm. Chest.

Screaming, then silence.

-----

And the droids cheered as the last of their opposition fell.

-----

Two clones, hidden by the trees staggered back, back to their camp. They hit the beacon before they too fell.

-----

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Attack Battalion!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Attack Battalion!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flashed all their blasters bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Droids and Separatists
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Attack Battalion,
Noble six hundred!

-----

Someone with such a standing in the world of Jedi, their death was felt through battles to the order. Knees and stick were hitting the floor as the once-great Negotiator had finally fallen.

And the beacon flicked before them.

-----

Three were mobilised. 501st, 187th, and 104th. Three to save any left behind, three to charge forward.

But no droids met them, just the scene of a slaughter.

A camp, entirely made, fully defended. Few vode scattered in the med bay, to injured to move. Two bloodied bodies where the beacon was orientating from.

So forward, the three marched. March at strength, until muscles burned.

-----

Bodies were burned beyond recognition, blackened by bolts and flame.

Moving through the field, they found the two Commanding officers. One flat forward back blasted through the armour, the other sustaining multiple. Between them, a cracked in two kyber.

-----

The room was silent as the body was slowly lowered.

-----

"Jedi Master, Council Member, Negotiator and High General Obi-Wan Kenobi led his men from the front, bravely striding forwards for the end of the war," Chancellor Palpatine spoke, "while his passing saddens us all, we must not give up hope! We must not let his sacrifice go to waste!"

And the Republic stood in silence for their fallen hero.

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