The Shaevalian Fleet
- 58 BBY - Expansion Invasion of the Ter'Lak'A Rift
- ""The spider's web is complete, time to eat the fly"
"
- ―General Brodo Nul
After a brief two month respite, Brodo unveiled his plan to the battalion generals, the Grand General and the royal council of the Shaevalians. The invasion of the Ter’Lak’A Rift would take place in three stages. The first would be a simple reconnaissance into the area, making sure that the Shaevalian maps were correct. This recon mission would be under the guise of a mapping and exploration team, intent on knowledge not invasion. Once the target area has been fully surveyed, which could take a month at most, the second phase of the plan could be initiated.
The second phase was to systematically envelop the region, capturing or conquering the planets and systems making up the ‘rim’ of the area. This ‘noose' would capture entire populations and economies in the area inside, allowing the Shaevalians to invade with most of the populous and infrastructure still standing. This would greatly increase immediate benefits of the invasion, where a normal occupation would require months, or maybe even years, of time to rebuild destroyed settlements or economies.
Once the second phase had been completed, the third and final phase could be accomplished. This phase would call for the Shaevalian forces to invade deep into the core of the area, striking at the large tibanna gas fields. This strike would be carried out from eight different directions, leaving occupying forces at targets of opportunity. Once the central region is secure, the eight fleets could 'turn around', and take the areas they'd missed. While these areas would have had more time to prepare for the invasion, and the Shaevalian fleets would be damaged and haggard from all the fighting it would have to endure over the months, though Brodo had hoped that their superior fire power and numbers would win through.
It took the council and generals only a day of deliberation before approving the proposal. Brodo wasted no time in calling up the troops, four Grand Battalions, and eight full battle fleets. While tiny compared to most fleets from the Clone Wars and on, it was still a strong force, especially in a region lacking in military presence.
The first phase, code named Red Shift for the red neon of their new sensor packs, commenced the very next day with ten heavily modified frigates were sent out, calling for free passage to survey the area and update maps held by the benevolent race of the Shaevalians. In just under a month, the entire area was mapped and cataloged, with the main targets of opportunity laid out, and the lanes of attack being determined.
Brodo in his Shaevalian Dress Uniform
The second phase, code named Spider's Web, began soon after the completion of Red Shift. This would take the better part of a year, as the region was sizable, but with such a valuable bounty of tibanna gas, it was also hotly contested. Very few of the planets or systems capitulated immediately, and more than a few had to be subdued by overwhelming force. Brodo had his forces split into two groups, one to head along the eastern edge of the region, led by one of his subordinates, Colonel Garm, while the other group would along the western edge, led by Brodo himself.
Dolberon Cluster
One particular system, known as the Dolberon Cluster, was a binary star system, with a pair of blue dwarf stars caught in each other's gravity. The system boasted three large gas giants, virtually brimming with tibanna gas and other minerals, as well as a inhabitable temperate planet. It had been selected as one of the 'hubs' Brodo's forces would use to turn inwards towards the core. However, the unusual system wreaked havoc with the fleet's sensors, making detection of incoming attacks or defensive postures almost impossible.
It was here that the first of Brodo’s main rivals in the region would make his stand. Izzkpat was an insectoid Pirate, leading a sizable fleet of mostly patched together freighters and escorts. Though his fleet was undermanned and in need of proper repair, his reputation was legendary in the region for his ruthlessness and his viciousness of tactics. Izzkpat had been a large figure in regional politics, often using his wealth and reputation to influence populations to elect rulers who he had chosen.
The Dolberon Cluster, because of its unusual topography and influence on shipboard sensors, was an ideal place for a pirate's hideout, especially one large enough to keep and maintain all of Izzkpat's ships. While Brodo hadn't expected the system's effect on his fleet, he had expected Izzkpat to show his face, and try and stop Brodo's advance. It was well know that the pirate thought of this area as his little playground and he didn't want any other bullies coming in and taking over.
Immediately upon dropping out of hyperspace within the gravitational shadow of the outer most gas giant, Brodo's fleet was set upon by thirteen corvette size ships, two frigate size ships and one cruiser, which had a transponder naming it Izzkpat's Pride. After quelling the sudden panic on his bridge with a single roar, Brodo rallied his fleet and set it into a pair of lines, a classic fleet to fleet tactic. It had one flaw, which was if the lead ship was disabled or destroyed, it would block the path of those that followed it.
Brodo knew that Izzkpat would know this, which is why he did it. With his ships following a line, he put his ship at the front of the fire line. The fire line unleashed a huge salvo into the pirate ranks, pumping a massive quantity of destructive laser into their shields. Izzkpat ordered his fleet to focus their attention on the front vessel, to foil the huge double broadside that Brodo had created.
As the pirate fleet zoned in on Brodo's flagship, the rest of his plan unfolded. With the attention of the pirates devoted to a single ship, the rest of the fire line slowed, and curled, creating a crossfire effect. This maneuver was completed by the entrance of the second fire line, firing ‘down’ on the pirate fleet now trapped in the pocket. Brodo's flagship turned to meet the barrage, all guns blazing. The Izzkpat's Pride and three corvettes survived the first onslaught, and managed to make an escape before Brodo could react to their movements.
With his first conclusive space victory over a well-known and feared enemy, Brodo took the rest of the assigned rim with ease, rumors and stories of his tactics and daring spreading quickly before his fleet. More and more of the systems that his fleet visited after the battle against Izzkpat capitulated to him or even welcomed him with open arms. The fleets met at the northern most point of the rim. He allowed his forces a weeks rest, to get them ready for the drive into the core. But due to problems along the eastern rim, he had to postpone the strike for an extra two weeks.
The Ter'Lak'A Rift and important features of region
The third phase, code named Fly, for the fly caught in a Spider's Web, took some time to begin, and even more time to be completed. With the delays with the eastern edge of the rift, Brodo became anxious and often annoyed with his subordinate Colonel Garm. When the eastern edge was finally secured, Brodo had the entire force begin the third phase immediately, not allowing the eastern forces any time to rest.
The western force made huge headway in the first week, reaching the two thirds mark easily. The eastern force did much worse and took that week to make an eighth of the way into the core. The phase itself had four targets in the core, the four main tibanna producing planets: Tiblo, Gaddi, Largosia and Gran-Fa. All of these planets were massive gas giants, easily the same size of the planet Yavin, and bursting with resources and swarming with ore-rich moons.
These four planets were controlled by three different groups, with Tiblo and Gaddi both controlled by one group. The first group, the one in control of Tiblo and Gaddi, was known as the Consortium, and was the main economic power of the three groups. It was financially strong, but inferior in terms of regional power and influence. While the leaders made huge profits selling the tibanna gas to the surrounding sectors, it was in constant danger of attack and capture.
The second group was far more technologically and militarily advanced, and was called the Gorn Conglomerate. This group originated in a sector in the galactic north of the Rift, from the Gorn civilization. While advanced technologically, the Gorn were barely above savage, and would be the main opposition for the invasion. This group controlled Largosia and most of the tibanna collected here would be sent straight back to the Gorn home system.
The last group was likened to a farmer's collective. A group of small corporations clambered together and set up claims for those who wished to collect tibanna gas. While the group did not have a name, their representative corporation was called the Lan-Tera Syndicate. Small and barely influential, the group would capitulate in the face of the Shaevalian fleet. This group controlled Gran-Fa.
The northern most and southern most planets were hit first by the Shaevalian fleet. The eastern force, tasked with the capture of these planets, Gran-Fa and Largosia, hit them both simultaneously. Gran-Fa capitulated and accepted the occupation force. The fleet there headed north towards Gaddi. It would be joined there within a week by the first elements of the western force, and would be taken by the following week.
At Largosia, the fleet commanded by Brodo, met a large force conducted by the Gorn Conglomerate's main military arm. The Gorn fleet set up a simple protective shield around the large space stations orbiting the planet. After repeated attempts at diplomacy, the Gorn fled, but only after destroying the stations. Their destruction and the debris that fell into the planet's orbit would disrupt the construction of a replacement station for almost six months.
Tiblo, attacked by a fleet commanded by Colonel Garm, would take more than two weeks to make any head way against the defenses. Brodo, frustrated with his subordinate and furious at how his failure was diminishing his victory, sent all of his remaining forces to Tiblo. The defenses of Tiblo would be crushed in days. After the victory over Tiblo, Brodo had Garm appear before him to answer for his failures. Garm's excuses seemed false and without remorse for the hundreds of Shaevalian warriors his failings had caused.
Upon his return home, Brodo was 'knighted' by the royal prince, and was inducted into the Hall of Heroes, a tribute wall listing the names of all of the great heroes of Shaevalian history. Garm went before a General's Court Marshal. Despite the victories he'd accomplished, he was found to be negligent and a failure as a commander, and would be stripped of his rank and position. It was here when the freshly-minted General Jarak Ari made his first appearence.
He made the suggestion that he could take the ex-colonel under his wing, and try and teach him where he went wrong, and perhaps salvage this excellent soldier. Brodo immediately knew something was up, and General La seemed to think so as well. Despite the obvious backhanded dealing going on, the Grand General allowed Ari to take Garm away, but reduced to the NCO rank of Sergeant for his actions.
- ""By order of the Grand Generals of the Shaevalian Military, you are under arrest"
"
- ―Royal Legionnaire
A year after his victory in the Ter’Lak’A Rift, Brodo made a journey to his father's home in the mountains surrounding the capital, Shaevalis City. He had not seen his father in nearly ten years, who had retreated into seclusion after his wife had died. He was greeted warmly by the now elderly man, and was asked to recant all of his stories of battle. Korvem, a former General of a Grand Battalion, had seen his fair share of battle, and enjoyed the tales his son wove for him.
The pair enjoyed each others company, something which had not happened for many years. It seemed that the previous bond between them had been through Illysia, who held them together with the mutual love for the woman. After her death, this bond had fallen apart, and with Brodo joining the military, against his father's wishes, the rift that had formed seemed to widen.
As Brodo began to leave, his father stopped him, and shook his hand firmly, and their eyes met. The mutual respect had returned, but it seemed to have been too late. A solid knock on the door and a call for the occupants of the house to come out. He opened the door, and stepped out, with his father following. Before them stood a platoon of forty Royal Legionnaires, the personal guard of the royal council and the prince. They seemed to be armed to the teeth, having done away with their ornamental spears and taking up heavy blasters and halberds.
The commander of the guard, a huge man by the name of Harrod, stood beside a much smaller man, who was shrouded in a cloak. The cloaked man pointed at Brodo and muttered something to Harrod, who nodded. He stepped forward and began reciting a list of charges which had been leveled against the father and son. The list included conspiracy to treason, conspiracy to usurp and conspiracy to defraud the crown. While there was no basis for any of the charges, the presence of the Commander of the Guard was danger enough.
Brodo called out, asking who his accuser was, the cloaked man dropped his cowl. Colonel Garm grinned at Brodo and shouted to Harrod to attack. The Commander nodded to his troops, and his men advanced on the pair. Brodo, not wanting to kill his fellow Shaevalian, he drew his baton, essentially an ornamental rod presented to knights for their work by the Prince. The pair were immediately on the defensive, with forty opponents advancing in a widening semi-circle.
The first duo of guardsmen felt the bone crushing sting of Brodo's baton, and second the slap of Korvem's walking stick. The stick was made of a hardwood which grows all over Shaevalis Prime, stained a dark amber. Brodo had known the slap of that weapon during his childhood whenever his father had caught him misbehaving. He found it ironic that it was now being used to defend him.
Brodo professed his innocence, and the treachery of Garm, but it was to no avail. Once Harrod began to wade into the fight, Korvem turned to his son and smiled, telling him to run. Korvem turned back to his opponents, and charged, swinging wildly to distract the attackers. Brodo hesitated for only a moment. An order was an order, no matter if Korvem was retired or not. He charged into the nearby undergrowth being hotly pursued by three guardsmen and Garm. The rest of the guardsmen closed in on Korvem, and slaughtered him like a nerf.
Brodo, unaware of his father's death, weaved through the trees, trying his best to lose his pursuit. It was only when he realized that Garm had followed him that he stopped, turned and lashed out at the guardsmen. As the guardsmen charged at him, Brodo felt a part of his heart slow and become quiet, as if a part of him had died. He had no idea why, but he knew his father had been killed.
Rage filled his eyes and clouded his mind. His lashes became savage strikes, smashing bones and muscles. The guardsmen were disciplined, and stood against the onslaught, but were no match for the beast Brodo had become. Garm tried to turn and flee, but was caught by a wild tackle from Brodo. The rage flared even hotter inside Brodo as he stared at the man who caused his father's death. His fists rained blows on the poor man's face, over and over.
Just as Garm was on the brink of death, Brodo stopped, and lifted him up by the cloak. He asked who had told him to lie to the Royal Guard. Garm glared at him before grinning through bloodied lips. He said that Jarak Ari had proclaimed him a traitor, and produced piles of falsified recordings and reports. Brodo, realizing his fate had been sealed by the real traitor against the crown, took his anger and pain out on Garm, smashing the man's face into such a pulp that facial recognition could never be possible again. He gathered what equipment he could from the dead or dying guardsmen and escaped into the forests and jungles of Shaevalis Prime.
Brodo on a forest prowl
- ""The jungle is never quiet, never dry and never safe"
"
- ―Proverb
Known as the Wilds, the jungles and forests of Shaevalians cover much of the surface of the planet, populated with all manner of vicious creatures. It is also known as a haven for exiles, both from the law and for other reasons. Unfortunately for Brodo, his decision was made for him by the treachery of Garm and Jarak La. Armed only with his daggar and a spear he had stolen from the body of one of the guarsmen.
He spent days travelling, using his survival training from the Academy to gather food as he moved.
- ""When the sword of rebellion is drawn, the sheath should be thrown away. "
"
- ―Proverb
During one of his sojourns into the dark wilderness, he came across a small cottage. Not expecting to find such a structure in this area, he tentatively knocked on the door. The door swung open a moment later, revealing a much shorter Human, draped in an old, tattered cloak and dressed in a cream and yellow colored tunic. The Human invited Brodo in, speaking in Basic, but with an accent Brodo had never heard before. He offered Brodo some water, which he took gladly.
The Hermit
Then the man began to talk. Brodo had never heard these stories before, but found himself enthralled in their intricacy. These tales were tales of the feats of warriors little known to him, called the Jedi. These warriors bore swords of light which could cut through just about anything, and had powers only they could use. They could influence minds and matter at will. They were peace keepers in a galaxy of chaos, as the old hermit called them.
Brodo begged for more stories when they heard a noise outside. The hermit smiled to himself and stood, the cloak falling away from his shoulders. On his belt hung a beautifully decorated lightsaber. At the emitter was a sculpted silver tiger's head, maw open around the emitter and the butt was shaped like the talon of an eagle. He pulled the hilt from his belt and flashed a toothy smile at Brodo, and said "They have come to kill me, young one. And they will probably succeed. My only request is that once I have fallen, that they not leave with either my body or my lightsaber. I entrust this lightsaber to you."
The hermit lit the lightsaber, its pale green glow filling the room. With a battle cry worthy of any Shaevalian war hero, he charged out of the cottage to confront those who had come to kill him. Brodo followed him, but stopped at the door way, his jaw dropping at the sight before him. The old hermit had transformed, in moments, into a mighty Jedi soldier, his lightsaber flashing brightly as he cleaved through his assailants. These assailants were clothed only in black, with red tinted goggles where their eyes would be. They carried with them lightsabers of their own, but in a red hue.
But the odds were against the Jedi; eight on one is never fair, no matter who you are. When the Jedi finally did fall, he had already been wounded multiple times, and had cut all but one of his enemies down. Brodo had stared in awe at the display of raw power and finesse up until that moment, when he realized that having witnesses was not something these assailants would've wanted. The last remaining opponent looked to Brodo and advanced.
The only weapon that Brodo had on him as his long bladed knife, used to cut his way through the foliage. It would not stand up to a lightsaber. Brodo looked to the Jedi's body for a moment before deciding what he would do. He cocked his arm back before launching the knife as fast as he could towards the man. As soon as he could he followed in the knife's wake, his course taking him past the Jedi's body, and the lightsaber which had fallen beside him. Brodo grabbed the lightsaber and lit it in one fluid motion before bringing it up towards his opponent. Distracted by the flying knife, the man was caught on his side by the green blade of the lightsaber Brodo was wielding, cleaving him clean in half.
Brodo breathed deeply and looked around him, extinguishing the lightsaber. He turned to the Jedi's body, and picked it up. As he did, however, the body began to fade and disappear. Brodo knew what this was from the stories he had been told just earlier. The old Jedi had rejoined the Force.
This experience had many deep impacts on Brodo. He kept the lightsaber of the Jedi, but made sure that it was always hidden, lest it be found and he would have to answer questions. He ran the battle over and over in his mind, and tried to copy and reproduce the moves that both the Jedi and the men trying to kill him had accomplished. He had limited success. One thing that came from this episode in Brodo's life, was that he believed now more than ever that he would need to be armed at all times, and he set about acquiring a weapon for his personal protection.
- 45 BBY - Weapon's Beginning
- ""Few may stand before the power of a cavalry charge, or the might of a single singing spear"
"
- ―Shaevalian Warrior saying
While such an act is forbidden before adulthood, Brodo had promised himself that he would create a weapon to protect himself and his family. This promise he made in secret, so no complaints or objections were raised. He didn't even mention it to his father, though Korvem did suspect something had changed around his son.
But as the saying goes, the doing is often far harder than the saying. While Brodo had been searching the forests and jungles of Shaevalis Prime, he had barely scratched the surface of the vastness of the planet. He had not gone near the Hermit's cottage since the incident, which prevented him from searching a rather large region of forest. As he looked down the mountain, Her'Luk Peak, he felt his heart steel over with grief and remorse, knowing that to accomplish his promise, he would need to pass that cottage again.
The Ferrum Cartilumnar
He approached the cottage at a reluctant pace, his hand squeezing the hilt of the old Hermit's lightsaber. It had been over 7 years since he'd been here, and barely anything had changed. The bodies of the enemy had disappeared, either due to their back up arriving or the various large carnivores which lived in the forests. The cottage was slightly overgrown with weeds and vines but still habitable. On a moment's thought, Brodo decided to have a look inside.
The cottage was small by Brodo's standards, as his head was barely an inch from the roof, and he had to stoop each time he came near an illumination fitting. There was a small simple bed, a fire pit and various items of furniture. The one piece of interest, to Brodo anyway, was a floor to ceiling bookcase made of a strangely grey wood, and was full of data cards and info chits. As Brodo approached it, the hairs on the back of his head rose, and an air of apprehension set in. He took the nearest data card and began to read.
Most of it was planetary and cultural information about thousands of planets and star systems, which seemed to be controlled by a governing body called the Republic. This 'Republic' interested Brodo, which spurred on his reading. He spent most of the day reading, and after setting a fire and cooking a small mammal for dinner, he resumed. He found stories of great battles in the past, and the duels between dark and light Jedi.
One info card, however, caught Brodo's attention. It described a plant called the Ferrum Cartilumnar, the Broken Iron Tree. It stood tens of meters tall, and it's wood had a very special property. It was basically a nearly indestructible metal which, when melted and forged, would crack like the grain and bark of a tree. Upon reading this, something clicked in Brodo's mind. The bookcase was built with this Ironwood! Brodo searched for more references to this wood and locations. But it was to no avail.
The following morning, Brodo got ready to go home. He had decided to make this cottage his lodge away from home, to allow him to search further into the forests. He searched the forests for a year, and then another. He found no material suitable for his needs. Upon returning to the cottage, Brodo looked to the sunset, the star of his planet dipping away. Then in the distance, a man strode towards him. He was bent over slightly, and walking with a cane.
Ironwood Spear
"Hello young one" the man said. Brodo's eyes widened, as the man in front of him was dead. The Hermit! The Hermit smiled, and explained how he was there, as the Force allowed him to return to those who he trusted and had a connection with. After the initial shock wore off, Brodo asked the Hermit about the Ferrum Cartilumnar. The Hermit seemed surprised but just smiled, and pointed to the tree which grew behind the cottage, "There it is, young one. Have you not looked there? Use my lightsaber, and cut away the bark, then cut a piece of the wood away. This will be your weapon. A spear of great power and size. Use it wisely". The Hermit then faded slowly, leaving Brodo with more questions than answers.
He did, however, follow the Hermit's instructions. The wood was pliable and strong at the same time, allowing Brodo to carve it into a straight and streamline haft for a spear. Upon returning home, he crafted a spear head from a small amount of very tough metal that the Shaevalians use to build their largest battleships.
At least he had a weapon of strength and worth. He called his Ironwood Spear by the name he had found in the info cards: Ferrum Peregrinus, the Iron Crusader.
Commandeered freighter, escaped to space, killed three Legionnaires to escape.
Republic
Vos Clan insignia
- 35 BBY - Homecoming of sorts
- ""Keep the hearth warm. You can never anticipate the next knock on the door "
"
- ―Kiffar saying
Brodo had picked the very first planet on the list of possible destinations during his frantic escape from his home world. He was surprised to find that this destination was the planet Kiffu, the home world of his mother, Illysia. He didn't know if it was his father's doing, or if the Force had had something to do with it. Now that he was an exile from his home planet, he would have to find another on which to live, and due to his heritage and blood, the best place to start would probably be Kiffu.
He took the long voyage to look up information about his mother, from the notes and data gathered from various sources by his father. He learned about the clan she was a part of, which coincidentally was the same as his friend from so long ago. Upon arrival in the Kiffu System, he immediately contacted Clan Vos. He was given landing coordinates, and asked to set down on the aft platform of the facility.
Upon landing, he was quickly surrounded by Kiffar Guardians, an elite unit of Kiffar soldiers, dedicated to the protection of the Kiffu/Kiffex system. They ordered him to exit his craft unarmed and with his hands up. He complied with their wishes, calmly leaving his vessel and standing before them. His Vos insignia on his shoulder plate, and his Kiffar tattoos stood as examples of his heritage. A Vos representative arrived and brought him before the matriarch of the Vos Clan, Tinté Vos. She presented herself as the sheyf of the dual planets and the Clan Vos.
She questioned his parentage and his bloodline, and why he bore the emblem and markings of her Clan. He explained his lineage, leaving out as much as possible about his Shaevalian side. The matriarch seemed dubious but accepted him as a blood member of her clan.
Over the next while, he tried to integrate himself into Vos life, training in the mornings with the clan Guardians, spending much of the afternoon studying the galaxy he had known nothing about until leaving his home planet. The shadow of his 'transgressions' on his home world kept his mind unfocused and worried, emotions which bled into the Force. This was until he found the data file detailing his mother's life and her career in the Kiffar Guardians. He was incredibly interested in this, and in the Kiffar Guardians, who he had considered as a career choice.
His decision was made for him when a general called Zac'ryah Vos saw him training alone in a courtyard in the Vos complex. The man was so impressed with how Brodo handled his weapon and his exemplary discipline, he had Brodo 'picked up' by Guardians and inducted into the Guardians. He didn't resist much, relishing the chance to be in battle again. He trained almost constantly, even training many of the older Guardians in his methods and tactics of war.
The Bounty Hunter sent to hire Brodo
- 32 BBY - A Secret Project
- ""Im being paid HOW MUCH? "
"
- ―Brodo
After a trio of short-lived years, Brodo's past, and the rest of the galaxy, caught up with him. Having heard of the legend of a formidable warrior and tactical genius from an unknown region in Wildspace, a bounty hunter came looking for Brodo on Kiffu. The bounty hunter said he had a proposal for him, and was admitted into the Vos facility if he were to leave his armor and weaponry on his vessel. Brodo agreed to meet with the bounty hunter, who only gave his name as Fett, as if it were a name Brodo should have known.
The meeting went smoothly, the small talk gave way into the point of the meeting, the proposal. For giving over years of his time and life to the bounty hunter's employers, he would be handsomely rewarded. Brodo laughed, and suggested that the man's parentage had a major flaw in it's intelligence genes. Fett did not take this jab lightly. He rose to his feet and immediately set upon Brodo with his hands.
Brodo's much larger size was a factor... to his disadvantage. Fett quickly subdued him and kept him in near constant pain. The one solid hit Brodo got in was a heavy right that connected with Fett's jaw, sending him reeling across the room into a pillar. Fett rose and smiled, nodding. He said that Brodo had passed his test, having been one of the few who could land a strike on him. Brodo accepted the man's offer, more for the respect he felt for the man than the money he'd been offered.
The trip from Kiffu to the unknown planet was long, and the pair dodged past more than a few pirates and patrols. They arrived on the ocean planet to very little celebration. This was not, Brodo had thought, a very nice place. He was assigned quarters, and was then ushered into an antechamber. Moments later, four boys, no more than three years old, were brought in by a very tall alien with a thin neck. The alien welcomed him to this place, Kamino, and introduced him to the boys. They were Aleph, a clone commando squad. Brodo could barely believe that these boys would grow up to be commandos, but after he watched them field strip a blaster in just a few seconds, he felt they might be up to the challenge.
In his first weeks, he met most of the other training sergeants. A few of them, the Mandalorians, were a tough bunch, and Brodo felt a strong respect for their kind. One in particular, Kal Skirata, took care of his boys as a fighter and a father would, similar to Brodo's own upbringing. He started to incorporate some of Kal's teachings into his own.
Soon, he would have four teams under him: Aleph, Harta, Zeta and Kamda.
Harta Squad just before accident
- ""It's okay, Sarge. We're ready for live fire/live explosive training. Please, we want to do our best "
"
- ―RC-1888 "Cho"
The training company assigned to Brodo was full of intelligent, creative, and altogether, deadly boys. He'd not seen such devotion to the art of war in all of his life. He set out to train all of his men to the utmost of his abilities. Aside from the teams assigned to him, he instructed the entire brigade in hand-to-hand combat, as well as melee weaponry. More than once the quick-witted youngsters caught him out, and got a touch on him (they used blunted weapons to prevent injuries).
But with all this talent, there was one team which excelled. Harta, one of his training squads, was ahead in every single field, and were, as one, the match of any of the training sergeants. Brodo could not have been prouder of his boys, and made sure they knew it, even at the neglect of the other squads. His pride would be his folly.
When the squads had had only a year of full time training, some of the older clone troopers were having demolition and live munitions testing. Harta, who was not slated to start their live sessions for another half year went on a hunger strike, after being told they would not be allowed to take their tests now. Brodo pleaded with them to take nutrients, or to come back to training, but they would not relent.
Brodo, however, did. He forced the Kamino administrators to allow them onto the live munitions ranges. In the beginning, they did what they had always done: excelled. They broke every record they came up against, and had an incredible 81% accuracy rate. Brodo used these statistics to taunt the other training sergeants, who had dissented when informed about this unusual occurrence.
This period of success did not last very long. Harta's Sergeant, Cho, had his men set up a door breach action. Disaster struck as the fuse was improperly placed, and the plastic explosives took out the entire structure they were using, crushing the clones almost instantly. The only clone to survive was Ro, the team's medic, who had to severe his own leg at the knee to escape the wreckage.
Brodo was devastated, and barely left his rooms. The person he had contact with was Ro, who he apologized to over and over, swearing to any deity his poor mind could think of that he would make amends for his prideful acts. Ro, barely more than a teen, reached out to another training sergeant for assistance, Rayne.
File:BrentErianna.jpgBrodo and Erianna kiss
- 29 BBY - A Snow Angel's Caress
- ""In thy face I see honor, truth and loyalty."
"
- ―Unknown
Brodo was destroyed by the loss of his men, spending hours in his quarters away from any contact. All he did was train his men, and leave. He barely ate, and lost so much weight that his troopers went on hunger strikes to get him to eat. With the Harta deaths so fresh in his mind, he immediately began eating again. The other training sergeants were worried, not for the man, because losing men was a part of a military man's life, but for the hit to the morale of the men. Brodo had been a well liked and respected instructor, and his demeanor was detrimental to the troopers.
Lots were drawn amongst the sergeants, and the 'winner' was sent to try and snap him out of his downward spiral. And that winner was Erianna Rielle, also known as Snow Angel. Her training specialty had been Cold weather, and her snow white hair along with her angelic features had been the basis of this nickname, but the troopers tended to call her "Ice". She tended to be cold during training, showing little emotion. But, she was probably the most helpful of the sergeants, her demeanor not cold, but calculating, looking for faults and where troopers could improve.
She took to the challenge with what could only be described as gusto, trying her best to cheer him up. At first he was cold, occasionally striking out at her to 'shut her up'. He never connected though, and had he been fully cognitive at the time, he would have realized that he'd been pulling his punches. He felt himself drawn to the woman, though he tried his best to remain in his stoicism.
Over time, he began to react to her, his walls of defiance and pain subsiding under her constant pressure. Slowly their relationship turned into something more than a Sergeant helping a colleague, through the realm of friends, and onto something a lot more close. Over the years, they spent more and more time together, and their relationship flourished. But with their schedules as packed as they were, and the ever present spectre of war over their heads, they never made any plans, and figured it couldn't hurt to have some fun now while the calm before the storm lasted.
Clone War
- 22 BBY - "Begun the Clone War has"
The men who fought
The Clone Wars were, in Brodo's eyes, inevitable, but nowhere near a desire. He saw the build of up these Clone troopers, and saw how many passed through his care. He still saw them as mere boys, children in years and experience, but with the knowledge and skills of seasoned veterans. To Brodo, no amount of skill with a blaster pistol or tactical imagination could help a soldier who is as green as the grass he's hiding in during a battle.
With the eve of battle practically at hand, Brodo had been training his men in guerrilla tactics. While this was not on the normal curriculum, he, along with some of the other Training Sergeants, believed it to be necessary. And since he grew up in the jungles and forests of Shaevalis Prime, he was the natural instructor. For almost a month, every night he commandeered the jungle scenario landscape for his own purposes, and took the men through the training.
The lessons were often hard, and slow to take hold. These men had been brought up learning standard tactical warfare, and using gunfire to overwhelm and numbers to subdue. But in the jungles of this landscape, and future ones, such tactics meant nothing. To add a touch of realism, he had his three remaining Commando teams, Aleph, Zeta, Kamda, as the 'insurgents'. Their training had included quite an astonishing array of traps, tripwires and pitfalls, along with other standard guerrilla weapons of war.
Along the way, there were questions asked, and a few unexplained injuries led the Kamino authorities to Brodo, who brushed off their threats. While the threats continued, he pushed more and more men into training. But by the time the first shots were being fired, only one clone for every company out there actually had the skills necessary for anti-guerrilla warfare. Unfortunately, the first shots in Brodo's war were fired on Kamino.
Kamino Under Attack
- 22 BBY - Defense of Kamino
Two months before the arrival of the Confederacy in the Kamino system, Brodo had watched most of his Clone trainees and all three of his Commando teams charge off to the defense of some Jedi on a dust ball called Geonosis. Being so far out from the mainstream holonet, very little news got back. The only thing to return were the helmets from the fallen troopers which could be used over again. Countless helmets were returned, many of them commando Katarn visors.
He could feel his heart sink every time a Katarn visor was unpacked from the transports. When three Zeta visors appeared, he felt crushed, but stood tall. They had followed their orders, and did their duty. There was no sense in mourning those who fall in combat, their deeds will live on forever, and they will be remembered. He redoubled his training efforts. Two months after the Battle of Geonosis, he'd managed to get two of his Commando teams back under his protective wing: Aleph and Zeta.
Aleph, always the half-and-half attitude of a team built from two previous teams, had melded into a supremely skilled fighting unit. Apparently, their time under fire had helped them settle their differences and would now call each other Brother. Brodo knew this was a step in the right direction, and often spoke on leaving the past behind you. In private, Erianna would chide him, as he still held onto the loss of Harta as a leaden anchor in the back of his mind.
Zeta, on the other hand, was just like Aleph at the beginning, but there were four different factions in the four-man team. Nuro, the sergeant of the original Kamda, had fallen into command again, even though he'd tried to refuse it. He blamed himself for the deaths of his pod brothers. The other three Brodo knew, but not in the way he knew Nuro. They were from other trainers, and had their own quirks. For instance, Sec, the medic of the team, would often line his gauntlets with fur, a remnant of his training with Erianna. He would often remark at the relationship between her and Brodo, and had in turn received a large number of painful elbows to the ribs.
Brodo did his best to help the teams mend their bodies and their morale, but didn't have much time in which to do so. He'd had help from Erianna, and from Ro, the only Harta trooper left. Ro became an almost surrogate father to the teams as well as adopted mascot, due to his ungainly prosthetic limb replacements. Then all hell broke loose.
On a particularly stormy day on Kamino, the droid fleet arrived to conqueror. Though they had had warning, they didn't know at what time it would arrive. There had been new Jedi arriving every day by that time, even the prestigious Skywalker and Kenobi pairing. Brodo did his best to keep his Force presence in check, but would often get glances from the Jedi when passing them in the halls.
When the droid spacecraft began to drop troops, Brodo had already had his men in full battle gear for an hour. He could see that the men were anxious, though he wasn't sure what of: the upcoming danger or their first chance to kill droids. Each training sergeant had been paired and then given a group of troopers to take after, and make sure as many of them made it through the assault as possible. With all luck, Brodo had been assigned to the Commando brigade stationed on Kamino along with Erianna.
The brigade had been assigned to defend one of the advanced learning centers, which was near the epicentre of the invasion. When the first B2 Super Droids made their way up towards the center, they were met with a hail of blaster fire. This wall of energy held them back long enough for a pair of ARC troopers to arrive and start clearing them away. With Brodo charging at the front, the troopers advanced quickly towards the landing areas. The droids were pushed back to their landing craft, and several were captured before they could lift off.
Brodo sent small groups of commandos out to clean up the outlying landing pads, and sent a larger group along with Erianna to assist at the other main landing zone. The day was won, for Brodo at least. The troopers celebrated that evening, and remembered their fallen brothers, their lost and the living.
Muunilinst just before attack
Two months after the attack on Kamino, Brodo left the ocean planet for the first time in many years. He and his men had spent the previous two months either assisting in the rebuilding of the Kamino ocean city, or on covert missions deep into Confederate space. Brodo could feel his skin shiver every time he saw the backs of his three Commando teams disappearing into a waiting LAAT/i. Every time he felt it would be the last time he'd see them. Over time, he realized they were like sons to him.
But there was something in the back of his mind that kept bugging him. He couldn't really understand it, but every time one of the surface to space transports lifted off, his skin and muscles felt like they wanted to be rising with them. Finally, he realized what it was: battle lust. Not the kind one would see in the seething eyes of a Sith on a rampage. This was the lust for combat, the feeling of adrenaline pumping through one's veins, and charging the enemy. He'd been sitting still for far too long, and now was time to do his part for the cause.
His opportunity arrived when his company was activated and collected together in preparation for a new assault, this time on the CIS held world of Muunilinst. As the training sergeant, he was allowed to follow, and was assigned to command a lance of 4 AT-TEs. He was not used to mechanized combat, which admittedly was one of the areas of warfare he was not well versed in, but he took what he could get. He trusted the vehicle commanders knew what they were doing, and hoped he could do the same.
Though he had trained with his men time and time again, he'd never been allowed to participate in what the troopers called The Drop. Essentially, The Drop was the transportation of a land-based vehicle to the surface by way of the modified LAATs, which could drop an AT-TE at a time. The maneuver was a common enough one that it didn't unsettle the men at all as the vehicle bounced and dropped through space as the LAAT fought the turbulence and winds. Brodo had difficulty keeping his lunch down, much to the enjoyment of the clone commander of the vehicle.
It was funny until Brodo gave up and painted the commander's bright white and yellow armor a not-so-pleasant olive color.
All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer
When the AT-TE had finally landed on the surface, Brodo recovered quickly; a few sips of water and a breath of the Muunilinst air had him feeling as right as rain. The AT-TE was already trudging towards the city of Harnaidan. The city was archaic in architecture, and massive in size. And it had swarms of Droids and a heavy power grid which could keep all of the powerful defenses running smoothly. A Recon ARC team had already been inserted, and the ground army prayed they could get their mission done in time.
Within a few minutes, the big guns of the Army began to open up on the leading edge of the Droid army. The sound inside the AT-TE was deafening, as the cannon on top of the six-legged beast pumped shell after shell into the ranks of Droids. Evidently, the designers had expected the users of this walker to be wearing the acoustic-dampening helmets that all Clone troopers wore.
The droid army was massive, but the Republic forces were exacting a heavy toll. The Clone Commander in the vehicle with Brodo commented at the ease, which made Brodo wonder. This seemed too easy to him, and after commenting on this sentiment, the Commander agreed. Brodo kept the AT-TE lance back, feigning mechanical trouble to the questioning voices over the comm system. He wanted to be ready in case the droids used some sort of Ace to win the battle.
Durge and his Lancer Droids
That Ace was, in fact, Durge, and his Lancer droids. Riding hover bikes and moving at breakneck speeds, they ripped through the Clone ranks, and destroyed almost all of the SPHA Heavy artillery. Brodo screamed at his lance to fire on the bikes, but they were too fast. Instead, Brodo had the lance retreat slowly, keeping the lancers in front of them. It was only the sudden appearance of Master Kenobi which saved the lance from total destruction.
After praising the efforts of the Jedi over the comm, the lance headed into the city to take the headquarters. The mop up was easy once the lancers had been removed and Durge had been chased away by the Jedi. Many Clone lives had been lost that day, including a Jedi, whose cremation was something that Brodo made a point of attending. Under his breath, he muttered his families Ode to the Fallen Warrior, a piece he'd made sure to memorize, knowing the day would come when he'd need to use it.