Chapter 320 - Cold Eyes

The two commando droids that acted as bodyguards for Passel Argente were quickly eliminated by Dageer and Hunter. Both clones used their cold weapons to pierce the droids' necks, and rip their heads off.

In the same movement, Dageer kicked Argente's knee, breaking it with a sickening sound. The Separatist screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

For a moment, the clone felt pleasure in causing pain to the Koorivar, but that feeling quickly went away. He wasn't like the Jedis, who controlled their emotions so they didn't feel anger, but he also wasn't a cruel person. He was just a soldier, and although he hated Argente, he knew that the seppie also was just following orders.

That didn't mean he forgave him for killing and torturing his brothers.

Pausing for a few seconds, Dageer used the tip of his vibroblade to make another mark in his armor. He was already in the middle of his forearm.

Argente didn't know what the line the clone made meant, neither why he was doing it, but as he stared at the black visors that surrounded him, he knew it was over for him. It was like looking at a deep abyss, the cold eyes under the helmets staring back at him.

Dageer stretched his hand to Crosshair, and Bad Batch's sniper gave him his DC-17. He pressed the muzzle against Argente's head, and pulled the trigger. Defenseless or not, the Koorivar was an enemy, and he deserved no mercy.

The ten clones behind him exchanged glances, surprised, and worried. Well, Bad Batch was worried. Hell Squad was just slightly surprised by Dageer's actions. They had done far worse before, so they got over it quickly.

"Commander Dageer... The Jedis wouldn't approve of that. They would have wanted to take Argente in for questioning."

"The Jedis aren't here, Hunter. And it's done now. I will take the blame, if needs be. Now, let's go."

Seeing that Dageer clearly wasn't in the mood to discuss it, Bad Batch let go of the matter. Also, it wasn't like they cared about the Separatist, they were just trying to follow what they learned as cadets: don't kill a surrendered enemy, bring leaders back for questioning.

Dageer lead them through the corridors and hallways, until they arrived at a section of the facility with several well-furnished rooms. It was easy to identify on which one the Jedis were, since six B2 units and one commando droid were guarding it.

Dageer quickly fired three lasers, hitting the commando droid two times in the chest, to destabilize it, and them once in the head. Three-four and Metal followed him by taking down two B2 super battle droids each, while Crosshair, Hunter, and Cell killed the remaining two.

Busting the door's control panel with his vibroblade, Dageer opened it to find the three Jedis.

"Dageer! And Hunter! So it were you who made all that ruckus!"

The clones nodded slightly, and Dageer urged the Jedis to move quickly. Every second they wasted talking could be the difference between life and death.

"Wait! We need our lightsabers!"

"General Windu thought about that, Commander Tano. Here."

From Bad Batch's Tech backpack appeared three lightsabers, which he gave to the Jedis. Theirs had obviously been confiscated, and they didn't have the time to look for them.

"Better than nothing. Anakin, Ahsoka, Dageer is right, we really need to get out of here. So, if you don't have anything else to do?"

General Kenobi's weirdly polite way of talking, considering their circ.u.mstances, brought a grin to Dageer's face. He might not agree with everything the Jedi thought, or how he behaved in this war, but he liked him. General Kenobi felt for every soldier under him. In a way, he reminded Dageer of General Di.

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A flash of green light cut through three droids before returning to the hands of Ragout. Throwing his lightsaber like some kind of boomerang was a trick he had picked up from Count Dooku after the Sith used it against him on Aleen. If the Separatist knew that he inadvertently taught another deadly move to a Jedi, he would surely be mad.

In the same move, Ragout used the Force to pull back a wounded trooper, and cut in half a Droideka. Without stopping, he ran forward, dodging a blast from an AAT, and jumped on top of it. The unexpected weight addition made the tank tilt to the left, crushing two unlucky B1 droids. Spinning his weapon, Ragout stabbed the AAT's hatch, breaking it open, and pulled out the two crew droids. He didn't pay attention to where they landed.

Almost at the same time, a giant blue laser flashed above his head, destroying a Hailfire. The vehicle, however, had time to fire a last salvo of missiles, blowing up two AT-RTs, and killing half a dozen 501st soldiers.

Ragout glanced at the bodies for a few seconds before turning away, expressionless. What once would have left him mortified now couldn't even move him. War transformed kind Jedis like him into stone-cold soldiers, and soldiers like the clones in merciless killers.

"General Ragout, Sergeant Hunter wants to talk to you."

"Patch him through."

The disappearance of General Skywalker, General Kenobi, Commander Cody, Captain Rex, and Hell Squad left the troops in Kiros without leadership. Even Commander Appo, a veteran from the First Battle Of Geonosis, couldn't control the battle around the entire planet. As such, Ragout had been sent to take control, partially because he had already proven that he had the capability to do so, and partially because he had worked with the 501st and the 212th many times before.

It certainly came as a relief when Dageer's tracker became active again. It had been horrible to think he had lost Hell Squad, his oldest friends, and last connection to his late master. He wanted to go rescue them himself, but he couldn't abandon his duties. As such, he followed General Windu's decision, and let Bad Batch and Commander Appo handle it.

"Master Ragout! We are almost reaching your position. Hell Squad went ahead, with a surprise."

Instead of Hunter, he heard Ahsoka Tano, General Skywalker's padawan. He barely paid attention to what she was saying, though. He had already noticed Hell Squad. It was difficult not to, considering they made their entrance by blowing up three Hailfires, one AAT, and a few tens of clanckers.

They were using three AATs, certainly stolen from the same base where they were kept captive. A barely recognizable Republic crest was painted on each tank, probably Cell's handiwork. That way, their brothers would understand they were friendlies, if the amount of havoc they were causing amidst the Separatist wasn't enough.

Ragout had a wide smile on his face when he saw Hell Squad. Only them would be crazy and determined enough to join a battle after having vanished for two months, and tortured for who knows how long.

Of course, Hell Squad's little surprise couldn't last for long, and they knew that. As soon as the other AATs started to aim at them, they jumped out of the stolen tanks. At this moment, Ragout was already advancing through the battlefield to meet them. Any clancker on his path was cut to pieces.

"General Ragout, Hell Squad is ready to battle."

"And to destroy some clanckers, sir!"

"I noticed, Brain. What happened?"

"A lot, general. We will explain it all later, with General Kenobi, General Skywalker, and Commander Tano."

"Roger that, Dageer. Now, let's see if you guys are still sharp, or if you got rusty after this vacation."