The insurrection was unfolding exactly as expected. Through the use of guerrilla tactics, the partisans were managing to destabilize the regime. Of course, this type of warfare did not mean that there were no "visible" settlements—those were deliberately intended to draw the attention of the ruling class, resulting in battles such as the one currently taking place.
Men crowded into the trenches, firing at the wave of metal advancing toward them. These partisans, most of them armed with bolt-action rifles, could not match the volume of fire of military-grade droids. Many were experiencing this type of combat for the first time, which led to mental shutdowns or shock, forcing their comrades to take over vacant positions and snap them out of their stupor. Fortunately, this defensive line was equipped with several Maxim machine guns and multiple 50 mm RM-38 mortars.
The outskirts of the base looked like hell itself: black craters from explosive impacts, shattered droid remains scattered in every direction, while many more continued to advance. Among the droid ranks, DSD1 spider droids could be seen, as well as AATs at the rear of the formation, remaining stationary as they observed how their numbers were slowly beginning to overwhelm the rebels in the trenches. As the rebels realized they were being overrun, they began to withdraw, throwing absolutely everything they had at the droids—grenades, mortar shells—finally deploying smoke to block enemy vision. This smoke, unlike standard types, was capable of interfering with electronic systems, preventing both visual and thermal detection. This grenade had been developed by order of High Command after witnessing the high number of conflicts in which conventional grenades had proven ineffective against mechanical enemies.
After covering the distance from the trench to the forest, the partisans vanished into the undergrowth, leaving behind both fallen comrades and destroyed droids alike. The droids, after scanning the area and determining the absence of hostiles, took up orderly positions while awaiting further instructions. Inside one of the AATs, an OOM-series commander droid, OOM-3369, reported the situation to the planetary governor, awaiting new directives, which were summarized as:
"Advance to the enemy base and eliminate all resistance completely. No survivors, as an example."
The response was a simple, "Roger, roger."
"Unit 4666, advance to the position indicated on your sensors and eliminate all resistance in your path. Unit 5573 will serve as support force."
"Roger, roger."
Once again, the droid units began their advance toward the rebel base like an unstoppable machine—until, at 500 meters from the objective, a buzzing filled their receivers, confusing the droids as they continued marching.
Boom. Boooom. Boooom. Boom.
Several explosions tore through the droid ranks. The class of the droids didn't matter—either from the force of the blasts or from shrapnel, many were disabled, leaving behind wreckage. Upon receiving data about the progress of the advance, Commander OOM-3369 took appropriate measures. Observing that the volume of incoming fire was low, indicating the small number of newly discovered artillery pieces, it ordered the simultaneous deployment of its forces into more open formations, seeking to minimize unit losses before direct engagement with the main rebel force.
Once the formation spread out, both attack groups advanced in a pincer maneuver, forcing the enemy artillery to concentrate its efforts on only one of the two assault groups. However, after a few more salvos, the artillery fire ceased completely. According to the data received by OOM-3369's matrix, this exchange resulted in the complete destruction of 2.220 B-1s, 180 B-2s, 2 Droidekas, and 16 DSD1 Spider Droids, in addition to numerous units rendered inoperable due to damage—among them varying numbers of the aforementioned models and even several AATs, which, while not destroyed outright, had been disabled.
After performing calculations and selecting the next course of action, the commander droid issued orders to its troops, resuming their advance toward the enemy stronghold.
Meanwhile, on one of the cliffs near the base, the leader of the rebellion—Dax, a miner turned liberator—watched as the final preparations for the base's defense were carried out.
"Even knowing this isn't our real base, many will die defending it to give us the opportunity we need."
Beside him, a humanoid—an Echani with white skin, hair, and eyes, dressed in a gray combat uniform—replied:
"I'm afraid ideals without the strength to support them are worth nothing. The Supreme Commander has sent us here along with all these supplies to reduce the Techno Union's influence in this region. Once the pressure increases, the Republic will be forced to intervene—something that will not happen due to its internal instability and the growing discontent toward the separatist movement. What is happening on this planet, and many others, is being broadcast across the galaxy, further increasing general unrest. When the time comes, our forces will be able to intervene openly under the pretext of defending our commercial interests, and since this is direct interference by a corporation, it gives us justification to do exactly the same. This planet has a government, one that abandoned you long ago to your fate in exchange for wealth—yet it remains legitimate in the eyes of the Republic."
"Even so, it's hard to watch your countrymen sacrifice themselves from a distance instead of fighting alongside them in every trench and corridor—especially knowing what's coming. More than 50,000 droids in two separate armies, including tank units, against a fortress housing 6,000 soldiers of freedom—militiamen—100 men from the Vornskr Special Combat Group (GCEV), and 24 artillery pieces. The odds are clearly not in our favor."
"I don't know how your soldiers of freedom will perform with their new weapons, but the GCEV will not disappoint you. The months we spent training them were not in vain. These soldiers specialize in CQC and combat in enclosed environments, as well as tracking and other forms of warfare. They are equipped with blast shields capable of withstanding light blaster impacts and explosions."
"One hundred against fifty thousand doesn't sound very fair to me."
"It definitely won't be—for them."
Without another word, the Echani left the observation post, leaving the leader of the resistance alone with his thoughts.