Chapter 137 - Poisonous Flower

The droids led the captured clones through tunnels and bridges, until they found themselves on a snow valley. The clanckers didn't hesitate to give some 'incentive' to the clones, so most of them arrived at the valley with a few more bruises than when they left their cell.

They were astonished by what they saw when they got to the valley. Half buried in the snow, a massive structure was being revealed. It was triangular, made of rocks and hundreds of meters tall. And by the looks of it, it wasn't totally in sight yet.

But Dageer's attention soon shifted to the people working on the building. Hundreds of clones were digging in the snow under the watchful eyes of heavily armed droids. Those clones were supposed missing in action, and most likely dead.

"Keep walking, clone."

A droid pushed Dageer, making him trip and fall in the snow. Without the thermal isolation properties of the Phase II armor, he soon started to feel cold where his body touched the snow. Metal and Cell almost reacted when their commander fell, but Dageer stopped them with a nod.

He got up, and continued walking. Soon, he and the other clones were given a bucket and a shovel each, and ordered to dig. Those who complained were brutally repressed.

"I am the sub-commander of the 303rd Attack Legion. Who is the highest-ranking officer here?"

When he had the chance, Dageer approached one of the clones who were already at the snow valley. It was obvious that the soldier was so tired that he could barely walk, but he still gave Dageer a standard military salute.

"Captain Narza from the 303rd legion, and Captain Hilix from the Galactic Marines, sir."

"Narza is here? We thought he had died."

"He is all right. At least as much as any of us can be here."

In a way that didn't alarm the droids, the clone brought Dageer to the other side of the building. There, Captain Narza and another clone who identified himself as Hilix, were digging in the snow.

"Sir! You were also captured?!"

"I certainly ain't here by choice. It is good to see you are alive, Narza. We were almost choosing a new captain for your company."

The captain from the Galactic Marines, Hilix, saluted Dageer quietly, and looked at him expectantly. After a few seconds, Dageer realized that the captured clones were hoping for news about the battle raging on the rest of the planet. There was no way the clanckers would let them receive any news from the outside.

"Everything is the same as before. We conquer a city, they take it back. We destroy an outpost, they build another."

"Ohhh..."

"You have been missing for almost a week, Narza, so you don't know about it, but things are looking dire now. The clanckers have been beating us back to our original bases, and we even lost some of them. I know what you are thinking, but don't expect rescue any time soon."

"I wasn't thinking about getting rescued. We have you, sir, and Hell Squad, with us."

It was curious. No matter how dark and desperate things seemed, as long as a person had somebody he or she could trust, it wouldn't be afraid. Clones were by no means unrealistic, but Captain Narza had seen Hell Squad do so many impossible things, and survive so many dire situations, that even though he was half-joking, there was still some hope on his eyes when he spoke.

Even Captain Hilix, who was from a totally different legion, had heard about Hell Squad. Dageer didn't know it, but since Hell Squad was one of the first special units to be created, they had been used as a model for many others, and so, many of their achievements and battle stories were circulating amongst the clone army.

"Ohhh... it looks like we have someone important here. Am I right, sweetie?"

Right beside Dageer's ear, awfully close to him, a woman's voice said those otherwise normal words. Dageer shivered when he heard the creepy voice, and turned around immediately, raising his elbow to where he thought the head of the person was. It was a movement all clones trained when they were cadets, and it had a lot of strength to it, usually enough to throw the attacker away, or at least to know it a few steps back, so the clone had more time to react.

But when his strike, which was supposed to knock the opponent away, hit the person, Dageer felt as if he had hit a wall. The person didn't move in the slightest, and Dageer felt cold fingers wrapping around his arm.

"Now, honey, that is not how a man should treat a lady."

Despite speaking calmly and with a sweet voice, the woman showed no mercy, and twisted Dageer's arm hard. Grimacing in pain, his whole body bent, and he had to use sheer willpower not to kneel.

Narza, Hilix and all the other clones tried to help Dageer, but were thrown away by an invisible force. Most of them had either passed out, or were too dizzy to get up. Dageer recognized the attack instantly. It was the Force, the same thing General Di and his padawan used. This meant...

"A jedi?!"

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say, because the hand gripping his arm exerted more strength, and twisted harder. With a sickening sound, his shoulder and elbow broke at the same time. No matter how strong his willpower was, Dageer was unable to endure such pain without making a sound, and screamed loudly.

The droids might be dumb, but seeing clones being thrown in the air, and hearing Dageer's scream, they quickly surround the prisoners and the woman.

"Wait! Who are y...!!! I am sorry, milady!"

A droid sergeant started yelling, but when he saw who the woman was, he stopped mid-sentence, as if his circuits were broken, and then became much more respectful. Ignoring the sergeant, the woman commanded them coldly.

"Bring this one to level A-3, and find the other members of a Hell Squad. Immediately, or you die."

"Yes, milady."

Two droids grabbed Dageer, without care for his broken arm. Amidst the increasing pain that was clouding his eyes, Dageer saw the attacker.

A slender body, wrapped in tight-fitting clothes, showing off her body. Her skin was white, but not as much as the snow. Depending on the angle, sometimes it got a little red. A sinister red. She was bald, and had bright red lips, with two dark blue stripes on each side of her mouth.

If Dageer had to describe the feeling she transmitted to him, it was that of a beautiful but poisonous flower. He had no doubt she could, and would, kill him at any time, without any remorse.