Chapter 9 - The Battle

If one looked the battlefield from the air the first thing he would see was a mess of laser fire and explosions.

The battle on the skies was as intense as the one on the ground. Many of the Laats were shot down as soon as they left the cruisers. Geonosian Solar Sailors and separatist vulture droids were targeting the newly departed Laats. That way they would be able to take out dozens of clones each time they hit one.

Knowing that they couldn't let their fully boarded gunsh.i.p.s fall as the droids pleased, all of the empty Laat and Acclamator-class cruisers were focusing their laser fire and missiles on the nearest separatist fighters.

Now, if the person looked through the sky battle, to the ground, they would see the same amount of laser fire and explosions, but this time there were also many small black dots, with a few larger ones mixed.

Looking even closer one would notice that the black dots were divided. The two sides looked as if they were playing a game, one side running and the other chasing. The big dots were now all kinds of tanks, shooting, exploding and burning.

Now, after another look the person would notice that the running dots were thousands of robots. With a red-brown camouflage, the B1 droids would be almost inconspicuous on geonosian ground if it wasn't for all the fire their E-5 were letting off.

On the other hand, the chasing black dots were not black anymore. White armours marching forward, at least in this battlefield the clones were overpowering the droid army. Part of it was the surprise element the clones had. Droid leaders didn't know about them until they were attacked.

However, even though the droids were on full retreat, their mechanic minds knew no fear, so every inch they fell backwards was paid on clone blood.

Zooming in one last time one is able to see that in the back of the clones lines a new group, of about 300 fresh and well rested clones was forming up.

Those clones were separeted in 30 smaller groups, of eleven each, one leader and ten soldiers. Grabbing their blasters nervously, they put on their white helmets and under some soundless order started marching forward.

The march soon turned to running as they entered the outskirts of the battle. It didn't take long for the battle droids to notice them. Laser started coming, and the clones were quick to respond. Thanks to the longer range of the DC-15As droids started falling first.

Until one of the AAT turned in the clones direction.

The first shot missed.

The second shot landed a few meters to the right.

The third shot hit bullseye.

Sand and soil flew everywhere. One of the clone squads was lying on the ground. Many of them were groaning, but some were totally still.

The AAT fired a fourth time.