(AUTHOR'S NOTE: First and foremost, I do not own anything pertaining to the Star Wars universe, nor do I pretend to. To be completely and frankly honest with you, dear readers, I am no fan of Star Wars. Not to say I hate it, but quite honestly, I'm just not a fan, in stark comparison to the majority of other writers in this specific forum. Don't take it as a personal offense - it's just not my shtick.
The question may begin to persist in the back of your minds: If the writer himself is not a fan of the universe itself, why should he bother writing in it at all?
My answer is simple: Just 'cause.
I have experimented in my considerably dried out roleplaying skills on this site, and had originally written this story as the basis for a roleplay. Due to lack of participants and general patience, the roleplay fell through and was never created. However, as you can clearly see, the idea lives on.
Duty, honor, and courage are virtues that adhere to the hearts of all men, whether they are artificial or not. This is a story about a band of men, brothers in their own terms, which stand united in a cause. Just like the Jedi, there were heroes in the faceless ranks of the Grand Clone Army of the Republic, men who were simply grown to answer their call of duty, thrown into the heat of battle without any other thought. This story is about the 407th Airborne Company of the famous 501st Legion, in the waning days of the retreat from Elrood during the Clone Wars. In a way, it's a tribute to to the voice of men drowned out by the songs of the victors built over them, the minority of the losses cut from the history of the Fall of the Republic and Rise of the Empire. Enjoy.
Heroes & Martyrs
by
Point Counterpoint
"Keep up the suppressing fire! Defend the-"
Those were the last words of Jedi Knight Svendu Voron. A second later, half of his face disappeared in a cloud of crimson blood and tissue. A man who had fought and bled for the Republic since the beginning of the war - from the first stages of the Battle of Geonosis to the defense of the Elrooden city limits nearly a year afterward - a man who, by normal standards, should have died on a hundred and three separate occasions; this same man became, at long last, another tragic statistic of the war.
Somewhere outside, a thermal detonator exploded into a storm of shrapnel, shaking the whole building by its foundations.
At first, 2nd Lieutenant Rho-42/38-2220 (known by the troopers under his command as 'Rand') did not react to the Jedi's collapse. With his back pressed against the edge of a window, he had his entire attention focused on his DC-15S blaster carbine, spattering bursts of bright blue tibanna gas fire at the enemies outside. The violent recoil of the weapon sent vibrations deep into his bones. Even as the chamber clicked empty, his massive frame continued to tremble.
Rand reached shakily for another clip, casting a wary eye over his men.
It was then that he saw Svendu, sprawled out on the floor. The Jedi's face was no longer recognizable, but his stylized electrum lightsaber still glimmered proudly encroached in his stiff fingers. Twenty four battles had done nothing to tarnish the symbolic weapon of the Jedi Order laying upon his blood encrusted palm.
Rand felt all the fiery energy drain from his body, leaving him nothing but flabby muscles to keep him standing. The clip of ammunition in his hands fell to the floor with a dull clatter.
"Commander . . ." His words were slow and confused, drowned out in the thunderstorm of battle. With a sense of disbelief, he stepped away from the window and knelt beside his old friend. Even in death, spread with arms wide on the dusty floor, Svendu retained his commanding honor and glory. Rand found himself strengthened simply by gazing at his leader.
"You have earned your peace," he whispered. Very gingerly - oblivious to cries of pain and the angry rattling of guns all around him - Rand removed the lightsaber from Svendu's rigor ridden hand and placed it securely in his own utility belt. Somehow, it would get back to those who held him as their kin.
That much, he promised himself.
Thank you for reading, and please, review. There will be far more to come, but how soon that will be is all up to you, dear readers.