Chapter 10
Some time later.
Grit opened his eyes. He was reliving the nightmare once again. He couldn't believe they had turned on their commander so easily. Beads of sweat trickled down his temple, and the metal walls of the cell echoed with his rapid breathing.
He looked up. On the other side of the cell, Mime sat leaning against the wall, staring blankly at the floor. His hands trembled constantly, as if they still held the rifle.
"Mime? Is everything alright?"
Mime didn't answer. He looked as if he were still in the trenches, preparing for an assault. Grit noticed that during these few weeks of confinement, his brothers had become divided. Some still thought about carrying out Order 66. Some regretted their involvement... and others acted just like Mime.
Grit sighed heavily and sat down, trying to bring Mime back to the present.
"We can't go on like this, brother. We... weren't ourselves that day."
Exer's raspy voice came from the neighboring cell.
"Stop making excuses. An order is an order. There's no room for regret, Grit. We failed the Republic by not finishing the job."
Grit jumped to his feet.
"Corporal! That order should never have been given!"
They both emerged from their cells. Exer pointed an accusing finger at Grit.
"If you hadn't hesitated, we would have completed our mission!"
Grit clenched his fists.
"A mission?! That wasn't the enemy! That was our commander!"
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!"
"I KNOW!"
"WE GOT THE ORDER!"
Grit couldn't resist and struck Exer's jaw first.
Exer staggered back, but immediately lunged at Grit. They both tumbled to the cold floor, their fists pounding, the metal walls echoing with the echo of the fight.
Exer grabbed Grit by the throat.
"TRAITOR! You hesitated, because of you, the Commander should be dead!"
Grit barely pushed him away, elbowing him in the side.
"He was one of us! He was our brother!"
The remaining clones rose abruptly from their bunks. Some began cheering Exer on, others shouted at Grit, and still others stood silently, unable to tear their gazes away.
Mime shifted nervously, as if struggling with himself. His hands trembled more and more.
Finally, sirens blared, and their commander appeared in the doorway.
"ENOUGH!"
Exer immediately released Grit and stepped back, as if suddenly remembering years of training and his instinct to obey his captain. Grit also froze, breathing heavily, his face flushed, his fists still poised to strike.
Hellbound approached slowly, step by step, until he stood between them.
"Brothers. Look what this order has done to us... it pits us against each other, tears our unit apart from within. We no longer fight side by side, but against each other."
Captain Hellbound looked around slowly.
"It wasn't you who were weak. It wasn't you who betrayed. It was the order that betrayed us all. It convinced us to kill our own commander, a boy who should never have been put on the front lines. But despite that, you know what he was to us."
He slowly walked down the corridor, looking into the faces of each of his brothers in turn.
"He was one of us. He fought, bled, and suffered with us. He never treated us like tools."
He turned dramatically, spreading his arms.
"And we? We raised our weapons. Not because we wanted to… but because someone drilled an order into our heads. One damn order. Now we know why."
He pointed to the side of his head.
"There's a chip in each of us... a device that was meant to guarantee our obedience before we even began to understand who we were. Order 66 wasn't our decision. It was a trap we fell into before we had time to think."
He looked at Exer. He addressed his words to everyone, but the corporal felt as if he were speaking only to him.
"And now I ask you... will you allow this damned chip to continue to define who you are? Will you continue to fight among yourselves, pretending that an order defines who we are?"
The captain clasped his hands behind his back and straightened.
"No! We are not droids! We are men! I demand of each of you that you conduct yourself with dignity! Conduct yourself as soldiers of the Republic!"
He turned toward the exit... walked... and stopped a step before the door. Without looking back, he said.
"Each of you has a name. Each of you has a brother on your side. And each of you has something that no order can ever break. That thing is honor."
The door closed heavily behind Hellbound. His footsteps echoed in the corridor, and then silence fell.
A few other soldiers, previously silent, exchanged glances. Those who had been cheering on the brawl moments before were now speechless. Hellbound had challenged something deeper than anger. It had struck at the very foundations of their existence.
But... what were they to do now? What would they be if not soldiers of the Republic?
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.
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Doctor Osaka's office.
The holographic displays flickered quietly, showing cross-sections of the clones' skulls, in which the alien element was finally clearly visible. The chip. Hellbound stood nearby, his hands clasped behind his back, staring at the images. His face was tense, his gaze cold.
"Now that we know about the chips, how can we get rid of them, Doctor Osaka?"
Doctor Osaka looked up from the console. Her face was calm, but concern lingered in her eyes.
"Removal isn't easy. Such an operation would be like defusing a bomb in the middle of a minefield with missiles raining down all around. With the right tools and knowledge, I can attempt extraction."
Hellbound nodded slowly.
"I understand. I volunteer."
"Captain, this isn't a decision you make in a flash..."
"Dr. Osaka. I'm responsible for my soldiers. If there's a chance to restore their freedom, I'll pay any price."
Dr. Osaka fell silent for a moment, as if weighing every word. She looked at the holograms, then back at Hellbound.
"We're not ready yet."
"I understand. What about my chip? Why isn't it working?"
"It was most likely damaged during... the fight in the forest. According to the report, the Captain was hit in the head by a pro hero. This could have damaged the chip."
Dr. Osaka clicked something on the display and zoomed in on the holographic image, pointing out the pulsing fragments of the implant.
"See? The chip's structure is compromised. After the impact, you lost consciousness and suffered a concussion. That's why you woke up free from the chip's influence."
"I understand. The only question is whether the chip will start working again."
"Unfortunately, we don't know. This technology is too advanced... but we're making tremendous progress. We've already managed to construct the gas that powers your weapons. It's a simple chemical mixture. We're now developing the ability to replicate your weapons. I admit, stunning enemies from a distance with a blaster will be very useful to police forces worldwide."
"Careful, Doctor Osaka. This weapon must not fall into the wrong hands."
"Of course. Your equipment is hidden in several vaults. Some of the equipment has been sent to I Island."
"I Island?"
"It's a floating island. The most advanced place on Earth. Home to many outstanding scientists. They're looking for a way to remove the chips from your heads. At the same time, they're working on your advanced technology. They're particularly fond of your medical supplies."
"I understand. If they don't understand anything, please let me know. I'll provide them with technical support in using the equipment."
"Actually, a transport to I Island is leaving tomorrow. Several scientists would like to examine you there. They are very interested in your chip. They may be able to find a way to remove it without significant risk."
"How long will I have to stay there?"
"You are guaranteed to return after three days. We don't want to force you to abandon your people. It will, of course, be your choice whether you wish to leave."
Hellbound nodded at her.
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A few days later.
Every night, the prison was enveloped in silence, occasionally broken by the rhythmic clatter of patrol boots. Designated soldiers roamed the corridors, maintaining order and vigilance. It was a semblance of old military routine. Simple, yet essential. Without it, morale would quickly collapse.
Discipline gave them the illusion of normality. It gave them purpose. Even though they knew they were prisoners, adhering to this apparent structure allowed them to believe they were still soldiers.
Grit awoke suddenly, drenched in sweat. Another nightmare. He lifted his head, listening. Something was wrong. The silence that usually reigned at night was broken by a strange, low hum. It sounded as if the air itself began to tremble.
"Do you hear that?"
Mime whispered in the cell. They heard absolutely nothing... and then footsteps... several... a dozen... the number of people outside the cell was growing. Grit peered through the grate.
A swirling black mist tore through the center of the corridor, like an open wound in space. Around it stood Clone Troopers in black armor. A silhouette of a black-armored officer emerged from the portal, his night vision optics glowing ominously. Grit recognized who it was. Only one officer in the entire legion wore black armor.
Lieutenant Harkan.
The light flickered on and began to flicker red. An alarm, but no sirens. Harkan began to speak.
"Soldiers of the Three Hundred and Thirty-Sixth."
He began to pace in front of the cells, looking at the sealed clones.
"You were created for a single purpose. Not to doubt. Not to wonder. But to fight. To obey orders."
He paused, scanning them through the glowing lenses of his night vision scope.
"The Republic entrusted us with its safety. We are its wall. Its shield. Its sword. Without us, it would descend into chaos. And now? Now the traitor, Eron Kai, still lives. An order is not a suggestion. An order is law. An order is life. And whoever disobeys an order disobeys the Republic."
He pointed with his hand, as if piercing the air.
"Commander Eron is a threat. Every breath he takes is a stain on the legion's honor. Every day he lives is a mockery of our loyalty. He who defends a traitor is a traitor himself."
He paused for a moment, then added in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Therefore, I call upon you, brothers: return to duty. Return to the command that is our legacy. Join me, and we will cleanse our legion of shame. Together, we will finish what was begun. Commander Eron Kai must be eliminated. For the Republic."
Exer immediately approached the bars, his back straight as if at a roll call.
"For the glory of the Republic, Lieutenant!"
Many other clones echoed his gesture. The metal bars slid open with a hiss, and Harkan's men immediately unlocked the cell locks, allowing the loyal soldiers into formation.
Guards rushed into the corridor, ready to intervene. Searchlights flashed, and someone shouted.
"Everyone on the ground! You're under arrest, villains!"
But before the first shot was fired, the black clones raised their blasters and opened fire in a flash. Blue plasma flashes cut through the red light. The guards didn't even have a chance to pull the trigger. They fell one by one, their screams fading with each fallen member.
Grit gripped the bars, his hands trembling with anger and terror.
"What are you doing!? Our commander is Captain Hellbound!"
Exer, released from his cell, turned to Grit. His eyes gleamed with fanaticism.
"Hellbound is a traitor! He disobeyed the Order!"
"He fights for us every day!"
"SO WHERE IS HE NOW?"
Grit clenched his fists, his voice trembling with anger.
"He didn't abandon us! He's seeking a way for us, fighting to free us!"
Several clones who had just been released from their cells hesitated. They looked at Exer, then at Grit. A shadow of doubt flickered in their eyes.
Lieutenant Harkan stopped and slowly turned to Grit. The red lenses of his night vision optics glinted ominously in the flickering alarm light.
"I'm sorry you see it that way, Private. I truly am."
He glanced around at the still-locked cells.
"I will not force you to join me. I will not kill you today if you refuse. But remember, brothers… refusal is treason. Treason against the Republic."
He walked slowly down the corridor, the glowing lenses of his night vision scope sweeping across each face.
"Order 66 is no ordinary order. It is fundamental. It is a sentence issued against the traitors who pretended to lead us to victory, but in reality, were plotting their own plans. The Jedi have always treated us like cannon fodder, like tools. Hellbound has undermined our very existence. He has driven a knife into the heart of every loyalist. Instead of being a captain, he has become a disease that poisons you. And anyone who believes his words will sooner or later share his fate."
He stopped opposite Grit.
"I choose the Republic! I choose the Order! And anyone who follows me will become a soldier again. Not a prisoner. Not a traitor. A soldier! You too can become a loyal soldier of the Republic again, Grit!"
Grit felt his heart pound in his chest. Beads of sweat trickled down his temple, and his breathing grew heavier. Harkan's lenses stared at him.
"No! What you're doing is wrong! I was, I am, and I will be a soldier alongside my brothers. And Hellbound is one of them! He fights for us, and you want to turn us into mere weapons! We are men, not droids! That's what the Captain said!"
The Lieutenant shook his head sadly.
"I understand you, Private. I know you're confused. I know Hellbound has poisoned your mind with his words about freedom, honor, and duty. But that's not true. He's lying to you all."
Suddenly, one of the black troopers approached Harkan.
"Lieutenant. Kurogiri says it's time to retreat."
Harkan's red optics turned once more to Grit. For a moment, silence reigned, only flashing lights and the smell of burnt gas from blaster fire filling the corridor.
"It's a shame, Grit. It truly is a shame. One day, the test will come. When you see how the Hellbound leads you to your doom… you will remember me. And then you will know your place. You will always have a place among us, brother."
Harkan gestured with his hand. The clones began to enter the portal's pulsating fog. Exer looked at Grit again, triumph in his eyes.
"Not droids… you say. But what is a soldier who refuses an order? What if not scrap to be discarded?"
He entered the portal. The last to enter was the Lieutenant.
The portal closed with a dull thud, leaving behind silence, a pulsing red alarm light, and several bodies of guards.
End of Chapter 10