Field Experience

by Prophetic Fire

Kix, Jesse, and Hardcase are all eager to finally put their training to use and be a part of the team. But when things don't go according to plan, they quickly realize that sometimes the only experience you get is field experience.

Kix looked at Jesse. "You ready for this?" he asked, as the two of them clicked on their armor.

Jesse nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I think so. You?"

"I think so."

"All right boys!" came a gleeful shout from behind them. Hardcase ran up and threw his arms around the other clones' shoulders. "Our first real mission! No more rookie stuff. Today we get to go down there and show 'em what our squad is made of! You think there'll be a lot of droids? I can't wait to go and kick some clanker ass!"

"General Skywalker said we're here in case of a Separatist attack," Jesse said, lifting Hardcase's arm off of him so he could continue putting on his armor. "This planet is still part of the Republic; there have just been threats from the Seppies lately."

"Well I'm ready for 'em when they show their faces." Hardcase clapped Kix on the back. "Hurry up, would ya? Don't wanna be late to the party." He turned and jogged off, leaving Kix and Jesse to shake their heads in amusement. The two finished suiting up, and Kix slung his medkit over his shoulders as they headed toward the gunships.

The gunships touched down at a spaceport just inside the limits of a large city. The doors opened and Kix, Jesse, and Hardcase marched out, forming a group with the rest of the 501st. They stood patiently, waiting for orders. General Skywalker and Captain Rex walked to the front of the group.

"All right men," General Skywalker began, "you know why we're here. The Separatists have been slowly encroaching on this planet. We received intel that Separatist forces may be planning an attack on the city soon. We're here to hopefully prevent that attack if it happens, and to protect the civilians. Rex, have your men fan out through the city. We'll look for any signs of Separatist activity. And stay in radio contact."

"Yes General." Rex nodded. He turned to the group. "We'll go in teams. Sergeant Appo, take Oz and Ringo and head toward the north. Sergeant Coric, take Mixer and Redeye and check out the western sector. Charger and Boro, you're with me; we'll head for city center. Jesse, Kix, Hardcase, there's a train depot for their underground transit system nearby; why don't you start there?"

"Sir yes sir!" the three clones shouted in unison.

Rex smiled at their enthusiasm. "Remember," he said, "we're here for security and recon. Don't do anything…uncalled for." He glanced at Hardcase.

"Security and recon, sir!" Hardcase said.

"Okay rookies," Rex chuckled, "move out. We'll check in every thirty minutes."

Kix, Jesse, and Hardcase turned and began walking toward the main thoroughfare. Behind them, Rex continued breaking the 501st off into groups.

"Do we know where we're going?" Kix asked. He looked around as they walked. The streets were wide and clean, lined with shops and cafes. People milled about, mostly human, strolling down the avenue with bags of merchandise or congregating at tables outside the cafes. Some gave curious glances toward the clones as they walked by.

"I have a holomap of the city," Jesse said, pulling out a small projector. "The train depot is here, a few klicks east of our position. We should reach it before we have to radio in."

"We'll get there faster if we run," Hardcase said, practically bouncing on his feet.

Jesse shook his head. "Remember what the Captain said: security and recon. We don't want to scare the civilians by charging through their streets. Besides, we might miss something if we don't look around."

Hardcase's shoulders slumped and he gave a defeated sigh. They continued walking.

After passing more shops and eateries, offices, and some residential buildings, the three finally came upon a wide square. At the far side of the square stood a stone structure, sturdy yet graceful, with rows of columns adorning its entrance. A large antique-looking clock graced its facade.

"That's the train depot," Jesse said.

They crossed the square and entered the building. A long, wide staircase led down to a large lobby, supported by more graceful columns. More people gathered here, watching screens with departure and arrival times or sitting patiently in rows of chairs. Hallways branched off from the lobby, leading to platforms for the trains.

"These people sure do like layers," Kix remarked, observing a fresh crowd of civilians pouring into the lobby from one of the hallways. Men and women alike were dressed in long skirts and robes, their vibrant colors and patterns complimenting each other even as they mingled within the same outfit. The soft swoosh of fabric underscored the babble of voices and the dull roar of the trains.

"I don't understand how someone can move in that," Hardcase said. "There's no way I could wear that. Nope, give me my blacks and my armor any day."

"I wonder what they think of us, sometimes," Jesse mused.

Hardcase looked at him. "Who, the civvies? You've never even met a civvie."

"I know," Jesse continued, "but I still think about it. Have they met clones either? You saw the way some of them looked at us. Who do they think we are? With these buckets on our heads we may as well be droids to them. Do you think they want to talk to us?"

"Well I don't know," Hardcase drawled, "why don't you go talk to one and find out?"

Just then the comlink on Jesse's wrist crackled to life. "Jesse, this is Captain Rex. Report."

"Ah, yes sir," Jesse said. "We are at the train depot." He glanced around. "Nothing out of the ordinary so far sir."

"Good," Rex's voice replied. "Kix and Hardcase still with you?"

"Yes sir."

"Right here, sir!"

"I'm here, sir!"

"Good. Keep checking the area. Notify me if you find anything suspicious."

"Will do sir."

"And rookie? Next check-in you call me. Don't make me call you."

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

Jesse ended the transmission and sighed. "Well there we go; we already messed up."

"Eh, we're fine," Hardcase said. "Long as we call in next ti––"

Suddenly the air around them ripped apart. A wave of heat and pressure and a deafening roaring BOOM engulfed them, throwing them to the ground. Everything went dark. There was screaming, and a rush of air, and a cracking sound, and then chunks of stone were raining down, growing larger and larger. Kix curled into a protective position. Bits of debris thudded against his armor. The ringing in his ears blocked out all but the loudest rumbles as more and more stone fell to the ground. He crouched there for what seemed like an eternity, until finally, finally, the debris began to settle and the din died away. An empty, eerie silence fell around him.

Slowly, Kix uncurled from his crouch. Bits of stone and dust cascaded off of his armor as he stood up. The air was thick with haze, and the only light came from a fire that burned away in a corner. Large chunks of stone littered the ground around him, and a pile of rubble cut the once long lobby in half. As he struggled to get his bearings, Kix heard a groan from beside him. He looked down to see Jesse shaking off more clouds of dust as he sat up.

"What…what happened?" Jesse asked.

"I don't know," Kix said. "An explosion, maybe, a cave-in. We've got to assess the situation." He helped Jesse to his feet. "Where's Hardcase?"

They looked around. In the dim lighting, it was hard to make out anything. Kix switched on the lights on his helmet. They bounced against the smoke and dust in the air, blinding him. Quickly, he shut them off. "Okay, no lights," he muttered. "Hardcase!"

"Hardcase, can you hear us?" Jesse called out as well. They slowly began searching through the debris.

"I'm here!" came the faint shout of Hardcase's voice.

"Where are you!"

"I'm…there's a wall of debris!"

"Yeah we see that!"

"I don't see you guys anywhere! I…think I'm on the other side."

Kix and Jesse looked at each other. "Are you okay?" Kix called.

"Yeah I think so," Hardcase replied. "I'm in one piece. But there's some sort of fire burning, and I think––" He stopped. "I think I see bodies."

Kix and Jesse looked at each other again. There was a long pause while they stood there, frozen. Finally, Hardcase's voice called out again. "Hey I think there's some space at the top of this rubble! Should I come over there and help?"

Kix shook his head to focus. "No!" he called back. "No, stay over there for now. Check…for survivors. Call to me if you find any."

"Copy that!" came Hardcase's response.

Kix took a deep breath. "We should do the same." He and Jesse began searching the debris once more.

"This is bad," Jesse said finally, as he covered the face of yet another dead civilian with a layer of her own cloak. "This is really bad. Do you think it was the Separatists?"

"I don't know," Kix replied. His voice was strained. "Just keep looking, okay?"

"Had to be," Jesse murmured. "Cowards. Attacking civilians. I'm sure our armor protected us, that's why we're still here. But look at them. They had nothing."

Kix sighed sharply. "Just…find me somebody."

They kept combing through the ruined lobby in the flickering light. Person after person, each had their head covered after Jesse and Kix had checked them. They shared a look as they neared the wall furthest from where they had started. Neither had to say anything. The outcome wasn't good.

"Kix!" Hardcase's voice called out suddenly. "Kix, can you hear me!"

"Yes brother!" Kix answered, his heart suddenly pounding.

"Come quick!"

"On my way!" Kix said. "Keep looking," he hissed to Jesse before running back to the wall of rubble. "What is it, Hardcase!"

"I found one!" Hardcase called out. "But…"

"But what!" Kix replied, scrambling for a handhold to pull himself over the rubble.

"I don't know! She must have some internal damage! There are no visible wounds, but she's breathing strangely and she won't let go of my hand."

Kix crested the rubble pile and looked down. Against the far wall of the lobby, Hardcase knelt next to a young human woman. His body blocked most of Kix's view, but the woman's face was contorted in pain, eyes screwed shut, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. She gasped in ragged, shallow pants.

Kix slid down the scree of the rubble pile and rushed over. As he neared the two, the woman's body came into view. Her skirts and shawl were torn and covered in dust, but there was no sign of blood or broken bones. She held Hardcase's hand in a death grip over her large stomach. Kix knelt down opposite Hardcase and pulled off his helmet, sliding his medkit off of his shoulders. "Some debris must have fallen on her abdomen or something," he said. "I've never seen this kind of swelling before."

"Well can you do something?" Hardcase asked. "My hand is going numb."

Suddenly, the woman let out a loud, deep, wailing cry. Her body shook and she dug her fingernails into Hardcase's skin. Kix instinctively reached out to her, cradling her head in one hand while he fished in his medkit with the other. He found a vial of painkiller and drew it out of his pack. As he leaned over the woman to reach her neck, her eyes suddenly opened. They locked on Kix's. Her gaze fearful and pleading, she murmured something. Kix leaned closer to hear her.

"Please…please, my baby…please help."

Kix froze. His hand with the painkiller hovered above her neck.

"Well come on, Kix, what are ya waiting for?" Hardcase asked.

"I…I, uh…"

Kix pulled back to look better at the woman. She panted shallowly, her eyes still fixed on him. She still had hold of Hardcase's hand, and she was trembling.

There was a scrabbling sound, and Kix looked over Hardcase to see Jesse sliding down the rubble toward them. "There's no one over there!" he called as he jogged over. "No one alive. That's it. It's just us." He came to a stop above them and his eyes darted over the scene. He opened his mouth to speak, but then the woman sucked in a sharp breath, throwing her head back into Kix's hand. Kix turned to look at her, his hand still poised with the painkiller.

"Kix, for goodness' sake, do something!" Hardcase said.

"I don't–– I don't know–– I can't––" Kix stammered.

"What do you mean you can't?" Jesse said. "You're the team medic."

"I know, but–– They never trained me for this, I don't know––"

"Never trained you for what?"

Kix looked at Jesse. "She's pregnant."

Jesse froze. "Pregnant?" he breathed. "Like with a child?"

"Yes like with a child!" Kix's voice had an edge of panic to it. "I was trained for combat medicine, for tending to war wounds, for patching up brothers; I know everything there is to know about the kinds of injuries a clone could sustain. But nobody ever told me what to do with a pregnant woman!"

"Please!" the woman keened suddenly. All three clones snapped their heads down to look at her. "Please help me…it's my first baby…I was on my way to the hospital…my husband…we got separated…please…I'm scared." Her eyes found Kix again, and she stared at him, searching.

After a moment, Kix nodded. "Yeah. Yeah okay. We're gonna help you. You just take it nice and easy, okay? Okay. Jesse!"

Jesse snapped to attention.

"Come over here, where I am," Kix instructed. "Take your helmet off. Put your hand behind her head. Yeah, give her something to lean against." Kix moved out of the way as Jesse slipped in beside the woman, unbuckling his armor so she could rest on his chest, putting himself between her and the wall.

"What about me?" Hardcase asked. He glanced at his hand in the woman's grip.

"You're doing just fine where you are," Kix replied. "But take your bucket off too."

Kix dug around in his medkit, pulling out sterile bandage strips, bacta patches, surgical tools, gloves, more medicine. "What's your name, ma'am?" he asked.

"Sh––Shahrey," the woman panted.

Kix couldn't help a smile coming to his lips. "There's a similar word in Mandalorian: cyare. It means 'beloved'."

Through her breaths, the woman smiled.

"Okay Shahrey," Kix continued, "can you tell me anything about what your doctors told you already? Do you know if you can have medicine? Painkillers?"

"Why wouldn't she be able to have painkillers?" Hardcase asked. "Give her one so I can get my hand back."

"I don't know how it'll affect the baby," Kix said. "I can't risk it."

Shahrey shook her head. "No––no painkillers. Too much risk they said. Won't…be able to…push righ––aaah!" Shahrey's body contracted, her face contorting in a silent scream. Kix looked on helplessly as Jesse tried to steady the woman. Jesse caught Kix's eyes and a look of concern crossed his face. Kix slid his eyes away and looked at Hardcase. The expression of panic on Hardcase's face grew as the woman squeezed his hand even tighter.

"Aaaah I don't think we can do this!" Hardcase said.

A whining sob came from Shahrey's throat as she finally relaxed. Her head fell back against Jesse's chest and she breathed in quick, shallow gasps. Kix reached out and took hold of her wrist, feeling for her pulse. It beat rapidly against his fingertips.

"Hardcase!" Kix said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"That thing they taught you back on Kamino, when you were having trouble calming down."

"You mean the meditation that General Shaak Ti showed me?"

"Yeah. Do it. Do it with Shahrey. I need to get her heart rate down."

"I dunno," Hardcase said. "The General said I would feel more grounded, whatever that means, but I'm not a Jedi, I don't think it ever worked."

"Just do it!"

"Okay, okay!"

Hardcase put his free hand on Shahrey's shoulder. "Hey, listen to me," he said. "I'm gonna teach you something. You do it with me, okay?" Shahrey nodded. Hardcase cleared his throat nervously. "First, you say, 'I am one with the Force.' Then you take a deep breath." He breathed in deeply, demonstrating. "Then you say, 'The Force is with me.' And you breathe out." He slowly let the rest of his breath out. "Then you repeat. Okay, your turn. 'I am one with the Force…' "

"I am…one…with the–– the––" Shahrey gasped.

"The Force," Hardcase said.

"The Force," Shahrey repeated.

"Now breathe."

Shahrey sucked in a deep, ragged breath.

"Okay now, 'The Force is with me.' "

"The Force is wi–– is wi––nnngh!" Shahrey's muscles tensed again and she whimpered.

"Hardcase, this isn't working!" Kix said.

"I told you it wouldn't!" Hardcase replied.

"Guys," Jesse said, "she really doesn't look so good."

Kix reassessed the situation. Shahrey's skin was pale and clammy. Strands of her hair were plastered to her forehead with sweat. Her pulse still beat rapidly against his fingers.

"I'm gonna…I'm gonna die…aren't I?" she asked between whimpers.

Kix breathed in sharply. He looked to Jesse and Hardcase, who were both staring back at him with a mixture of expectancy and dread. After a beat, he set his jaw. He grasped Shahrey's free hand between both of his. "No," he said. "You are not going to die. Not today. Not on my watch. And neither is your baby. Now, I'm going to get you ready for childbirth, so I need to lift up your skirts. I'll need to touch you to make the area safe and sterile. Just breathe with Hardcase, okay?"

Shahrey nodded in understanding. Hardcase shot Kix a panicked look.

"Hardcase," Kix said. "I need you to do this."

After a moment, Hardcase nodded. "Okay."

Hardcase stroked Shahrey's shoulder with his thumb. "Okay we're gonna do it again. You don't have to say the words if you can't, but breathe with me. You got it?"

"Yes," Shahrey answered.

Hardcase closed his eyes. "I am one with the Force," he murmured. He drew in a deep breath. Shahrey followed. "The Force is with me," he continued. He let out his breath slowly. Shahrey copied him. Her breath hitched a couple of times, but she managed. "I am one with the Force," Hardcase said again, and he and Shahrey breathed in together. "The Force is with me." They breathed out. "I am one with the Force." In. "The Force is with me." Out.

Jesse watched as Kix busied himself with arranging his medical supplies. He found his breath matching the same cadence as Hardcase and Shahrey. He patted her arm as Kix lifted the woman's skirts up.

"Okay," Kix was saying, his tone slipping into a more even, professional timbre. "Whoa, okay, I can see what's going on now. Shahrey you're doing really good, just keep breathing with Hardcase. I need to separate your legs so the baby has room to come out. Can you bring your knees up for me?"

Against Jesse's chest, Shahrey nodded. Her body trembled as she drew her knees up and opened her legs. Hardcase's soft "I am one with the Force, the Force is with me" kept its steady rhythm.

"Very good," Kix continued. "Now, you said something about pushing?"

"I have to push…" Shahrey said between breaths. "When the contractions come I have to push…oh it hurts!"

"I know it does," Kix said. "I know it does. But you have to do it. Grab Jesse's hand too if you need to. But next time it hurts, you push for me, okay?"

Shahrey nodded. She reached back with her free hand, searching. Jesse caught her hand in his grip and held it tightly against her. "We've got you," he murmured against her hair. "You're safe with us." He watched as Kix unfolded a few large gauze pads and spread them out in front of him. Kix removed the armor around his hands and donned a pair of sterile gloves. When Shahrey moaned again, tensing, Jesse squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Okay," Kix said, "okay you have to push now. Come on."

Shahrey let out a scream as she bore down. Hardcase's chanting faltered. Shahrey gripped his and Jesse's hands harder.

"Good," Kix said, "keep going, go until it's done."

Shahrey's scream turned into a moan as the contraction subsided. She lay back against Jesse's chest again, panting.

"Don't forget to breathe," Kix reminded. "Hardcase."

"Right."

Hardcase started his chanting back up. Shahrey and the clones all fell in line with his breaths.

After a moment, Shahrey tensed again. "Time to push," Kix said, and Shahrey groaned into it. Tears leaked out from beneath her squeezed-shut eyes. When the contraction was over, she rested once more against Jesse.

"Here," Kix said, catching Jesse's attention. He tossed a small towel up. Jesse caught it with his free hand and gently wiped the tears and sweat from Shahrey's face.

"How long is this supposed to last?" Hardcase asked, reaching up to wipe his own brow. "I'm getting tired just watching."

Shahrey gave a soft chuckle. "Could be thirty minutes, could be three hours," she murmured.

"Three hours?! How do we––"

Hardcase was cut off as Shahrey contracted again. When her wails subsided, the three clones looked at each other.

"We can do this," Kix said. "We can all do this."

When Shahrey contracted again, Hardcase and Jesse held her close, murmuring words of encouragement along with Kix's "Good job, you can do this, keep going."

Shahrey took a deep breath after the contraction ebbed, trying to keep steady. Kix looked up at her. "Shahrey, your contractions seem to be getting closer together. You're doing really good; keep staying focused for me. You're gonna be holding your baby soon, just keep breathing."

As if on cue, Shahrey threw herself into another contraction. As she cried out, a small cascade of debris dislodged from the ceiling, showering them with dust.

"This thing better not come down on our heads now," Kix muttered. "Not after all this."

Shahrey's contractions grew more intense, and soon she was screaming and gasping for breath with barely a moment's rest in between. Hardcase and Jesse continued to hold her hands, while Kix talked her through each one. They were just getting into a rhythm of support when the comlink on Jesse's wrist crackled to life. Rex's frustrated voice greeted their ears. "Jesse, Kix, Hardcase, report in. Where are you?"

Jesse lifted the comm to respond, as Shahrey's head fell against his chest once more. "Ah, sir I, uh, I'm kind of in the middle of something…"

"What's going on over there? I told you not to make me call you, rookie."

"Sir I'm sorry, I can't talk right now."

Shahrey screamed again, sweat pouring down her face. "Push!" Hardcase yelled out, at the same time Kix exclaimed, "I can see the head!"

"What the––" Rex's voice barked, but Jesse switched off the comm.

Shahrey's body shuddered with the force of her bearing down. When she finished, pained whimpers escaped with each breath.

"Wait, the head's gone again," Kix said. "We're so close, just keep going Shahrey, keep breathing, keep pushing. We're almost there."

"What do you mean the head's gone!" Shahrey cried. "It's not supposed to be gone, it's supposed to come out!" A loud sob shook her body. Jesse took the towel again and pressed it against Shahrey's forehead and cheeks.

"It will," Kix said. "Your baby will come out. We just have to keep going, okay?"

"Come on," said Hardcase, "keep breathing with me."

They found their rhythm again, Hardcase making sure Shahrey was breathing, Jesse keeping her face clean and murmuring words of encouragement, and Kix talking her through each contraction. At long last Kix said, "The head is here! It isn't going back in! Shahrey your baby is almost here!"

After a few more minutes, Shahrey's keening whimpers gave way to a gasp. At the same time, Kix exclaimed, "OH!" in a voice filled with astonishment. He stared at his hands. In them lay a squirming, pink, wrinkled, messy newborn. Acting almost on instinct, he reached for more clean towels. Quickly, he wiped away the fluids from the baby's face. A piercing cry filled the air, loud and strong. Kix used more towels to clean the fluids from the rest of the baby's body. When he was finished, he held it gently, staring at it in wonder.

"Please," came Shahrey's breathy voice. Kix looked up. She had finally let go of Hardcase's hand and was reaching toward Kix with both arms. "My baby, please…"

Kix staggered to his feet. "Of–of course, yes, sorry." He brought the baby up to Shahrey's waiting arms. "It's a girl," he said shyly.

Shahrey wrapped her arms around the baby, cradling it against her chest. "A girl," she whispered. "My little girl, oh my little girl!" She began sobbing, smiling through her tears. "My little girl!" she said again and again.

Kix looked at Hardcase and Jesse, who both stared at the baby in amazement. "Did we really do this?" Jesse murmured.

"It's a tiny human," Hardcase said with awe.

"We really did this," Jesse murmured again.

The three clones waited there in humbled silence, not really sure what to do next. Finally, Hardcase said, "What about that cord thingie? Is that still attached?"

Kix followed the baby's umbilical cord with his eyes. "I…guess so? I'm not really sure."

A deep, contented sigh turned their attentions back toward Shahrey. She looked exhausted, but peaceful. She stroked the thin wisps of her new daughter's hair with loving care. "It's not attached to me," she said quietly. "I remember reading…the placenta has to come out."

"The what?" Hardcase said. Shahrey opened her mouth to answer, but she winced instead.

"Oh no," Hardcase said. "Not again."

"No, it's fine––" Shahrey grunted. "Just…small contractions. To get the placenta out."

"What is a placenta?" Hardcase asked again. But then the baby gave a screeching cry. She squirmed in her mother's arms, nuzzling against her chest.

"I should…I should feed her," Shahrey said. Weakly, she pulled at the collar of her dress.
"Here," Jesse said, "here let me." He tried to pull Shahrey's collar down, but it wouldn't shift far enough.

"There's too many layers," Kix said. "Here." He unfolded a small knife from his belt. "Sorry about this," he said, carefully inserting the knife under the collar of Shahrey's dress and tearing at the fabric. When he had exposed her chest, he stepped back. Shahrey guided her daughter to her breast, cradling her gently as she latched on.

"That's how babies eat?" Hardcase asked incredulously.

"Hardcase!" Jesse scolded. "Now is not the time."

Shahrey laughed softly. "Thank you," she said. "All of you. Thank you for helping me deliver my baby."

"Well, we're not done yet," Kix said. He returned to his place at Shahrey's feet. "We still have to get the placenta out. You're sure it comes out?"

Shahrey nodded.

"Okay then, don't be alarmed, I'm gonna touch you again to try and help it along."

After a few more minutes, and a couple of pained moans from Shahrey, Kix sat back and wiped his gloves on a towel. "There you go," he said. "All done. Now I suppose I just cut the cord thingie. When you're finished."

"Yeah," said Hardcase, looking around the ruins of the lobby. "Doesn't look like we're going anywhere soon."

"Hardcase," Jesse said. "Go take a look around. See if you can find us a way out of here."

"Yes sir," Hardcase replied. He squeezed Shahrey's shoulder as he stood up. "I'll be back, don't worry." Shahrey smiled.

Kix busied himself with cleaning up. As he shoved supplies back in his pack, his comm crackled loudly. "KIX! Kix can y––ear me? Are you––ere? Please r––pond!"

Kix brought the comm up to his face. "Yes Captain, I'm here sir! I'm having trouble with your signal; you're breaking up."

"––heard there was––explosion at––ain depot––been trying to contact y––omlinks down––are you okay?"

"Yes sir," Kix replied, "Hardcase and Jesse and I are okay. Bit of a situation though; we're trapped."

"––sending men righ––ow. Hang on troopers."

"Glad to hear that sir, thank you."

Kix ended the transmission. He tapped on the controls, frowning. "Must've been damaged in the cave-in. Jesse, why didn't he contact you?"

"He did," Jesse replied. "I shut my comm off."

"You shut your comm off on the Captain?"

Jesse grimaced. "It was…an inconvenient time." He looked down at Shahrey, still resting against his chest. A peaceful smile lay on her mouth as she watched her daughter nurse.

"Hey, Kix!" Hardcase called out.

Kix turned. Hardcase was standing at the corner of the rubble pile, looking up. Kix jogged over to him.

"There's another opening, up there." Hardcase pointed. "I think it might lead to the main staircase. Too small to fit through, though."
"Can you check?" Kix asked.

Hardcase nodded and scrambled up the rubble. He cleared away some scree, which fell down the pile in billowing clouds of dust. "Yup, definitely the main staircase over there. I can see daylight. I just––" He tried to wiggle his shoulders in. "––can't quite make it." He shook his head and climbed back down. "It's no use. I could try to blow it open, but that might bring the whole thing down on us. If it were just us, I'd probably try. But…" He looked across the room at Shahrey and the baby. "Listen, uh…" he said quietly. "I've been thinking. She said she and her husband got separated, but I didn't find anyone else alive over here. And if you didn't find anyone over there––"

"Don't think about that right now," Kix said, a little too quickly. "Best not to think about that now." He paused. "The Captain contacted me. He knows we're here; he's sending reinforcements."

"I suppose we'll just have to sit tight then," Hardcase said.

They made their way back across the lobby. Shahrey's baby had finished nursing, and Shahrey was holding her against her chest, trying to cover the baby with the torn folds of her dress.

Kix knelt down beside her. "I think I have a few more towels," he said. "But first I should probably finish the job." He indicated the umbilical cord still trailing from the baby.

"Of course," Shahrey said. Gently, she turned her daughter over so the baby's stomach was exposed. Kix picked up some surgical tools, and with a few quick clamps and a snip, the cord was cut. Kix grabbed the remaining clean towels out of his medkit and handed them to Shahrey, who wrapped up her baby snugly.

Hardcase sat down at Shahrey's side once more, staring at her baby in wonderment. "So what happens with little cyar'ika now?"

"Shahreeka?" Shahrey looked at him, questioning.

"Cyar'ika," Jesse offered from behind her. "It's another Mandalorian word. Literally, I suppose it translates to 'little cyare' or 'little beloved', but it's kind of a term of endearment, really. Something like 'sweetheart'."

Shahrey looked down at her daughter, brushing her hand through the baby's wispy hair again. "Well," she said softly, "she does need a name." She smiled. "Shahreeka. I like it."

An astonished look crossed Hardcase's face. "Did I just…name the baby?"

Kix looked from Hardcase to Shahrey, whose eyes twinkled in amusement at Hardcase's words. "Yeah, brother, I think you did."

Shahrey sighed then, settling more comfortably into Jesse's chest. "Thank you all again," she said. "What you did for me, staying with me, everything. It means so much."

"Just doing our job, ma'am," Kix said.

"When we get out of here, I want you all to meet my husband. He'll want to get to know you; he'll be so grateful."

Hardcase shot Kix a glance. Kix shook his head, almost imperceptibly. "We'd like that very much, ma'am."

They lapsed into silence. The quiet clung to them, empty, flat, punctuated only by the crackling of the fire on the other side of the lobby as it continued to burn low, sending flickering shadows across the room. Dust from the cave-in floated in and out of the light. Jesse let his head rest back against the wall, staring into the middle distance. Hardcase pulled his knees to his chest. Kix rechecked his medkit. They waited.

After a while, Jesse perked his head up. A quick glance told him Kix and Hardcase had lifted their heads as well. They all heard it: a low rumble echoing into the lobby. The rumble drew closer, sharpening into muffled shouting and the sound of footfalls and heavy machinery. Kix and Hardcase got to their feet. Soon a voice came calling into the room. "Kix! Jesse! Hardcase! Can you hear me?"

Kix and Hardcase took off for the opening. "Yes Captain!" Kix called back. "We're here!" Hardcase scrambled back up the rubble pile and peered through. Captain Rex peered back, silhouetted against the daylight behind him. "You boys all right?" Rex asked.

"Yes sir, we're all fine," Hardcase answered. "Be good to get out of here, though." He nodded to the rubble. "I didn't want to blow it, bring everything down on our heads."

"Smart idea, trooper," Rex said. "Back up; we'll get you out of there. General Skywalker's here; he can use the Force to help."

Hardcase shimmied back down the rubble pile. He and Kix watched as the hole grew steadily larger and larger, widened by hands and shovels. They could hear General Skywalker issuing orders and the rapid answers of a dozen voices. Daylight and fresh air suddenly poured into the lobby. Captain Rex appeared at the top of the rubble pile, torso sticking through the enlarged hole. "Think it's wide enough now, boys; you can crawl through."

"Sir!" Kix said. "We've got a civilian over here who needs medical assistance; you sure you can't make it bigger?"

"Don't wanna make it too much bigger, kid," Rex replied, "the whole thing's pretty shaky. But we'll see what we can do."

Rex disappeared again and soon more hands were pulling at the stone. The walls shuddered and a great puff of dust escaped the ceiling. "All right, that's enough!" Rex's voice called out. "We've done what we can, kid, but you should hurry! You need help?"

"No," Kix said, "just give us a minute!"

He and Hardcase ran back to the other side of the lobby. Jesse was already sliding out from behind Shahrey. He got to his feet and scooped her and the baby up in his arms. "Time to go," he said.

"I think General Skywalker's holding the hole open," Hardcase said, "but we should move it." He reached down and grabbed his helmet, sliding it onto his head before picking up the discarded pieces of Jesse's armor. Kix put his helmet on and slung the medkit over his shoulders. They headed back to the opening, Jesse carefully picking his way across the stones of the lobby floor. When they reached the pile, Kix scrambled up first. He crawled through halfway. Rex stood at the bottom of the pile, looking up expectantly. Charger and Boro and a few others hovered around him, awaiting orders. General Skywalker stood a few feet away on the stairs, arms outstretched, eyes shut, concentrating.

"Anybody got an empty pack?" Kix called down. He unshouldered his medkit and tossed it down the pile.

The men conferred quickly. "Sorry," Boro said, "we don't."

"Then make that one empty," Kix ordered. "And hand it back. I've got precious cargo to get out of here."

The men quickly emptied Kix's medkit of supplies. Rex took it and climbed the pile, handing it to Kix. "Make it fast," he said. "I don't know how much longer the General can hold this."

Kix took the empty pack and climbed back down to his squad. "Okay here's what we're gonna do," he said quickly. "Shahrey, I need you to trust me one more time, okay?"

In Jesse's arms, Shahrey nodded. "Of course."

"Okay. I need to take Shahreeka from you. I'm gonna put her in this empty pack––gently––and climb back up the pile. I'm gonna hand her off to my Captain, where she'll be safe. Then we can get you out of here. Okay?"

Shahrey's expression grew worried, but she nodded her assent. Kix reached out and carefully scooped the baby from Shahrey's arms. He lowered her into the empty pack and fastened the flap. "Hardcase, hold this," he said. Hardcase held the pack as Kix eased his arms through the straps. With the pack secure, Kix ascended the rubble pile once more. At the top, Kix slowly unshouldered the pack. Rex crouched at the opening waiting.

"Captain," Kix said, "I need you to take this. Carefully."

Rex's eyes showed confusion for a moment, but he nodded and stretched out his arms. Kix settled the pack into Rex's waiting arms, and Rex withdrew it from the hole.

Kix breathed a quick sigh of relief before climbing back down. He gestured to Hardcase. "Okay, you go first. Take Jesse's armor and get out of here." Hardcase nodded and made his way up the pile.

"Shahrey," Kix said, "can you hold on to Jesse?"

"I think so," Shahrey replied.

"Okay, good. If you can hold on to his back, he'll climb up with you, and then we can guide you through the hole. Okay?"

Shahrey nodded. Jesse let her down gently and turned around. He crouched, and Kix helped Shahrey hook her arms around his shoulders. With Shahrey on his back, Jesse scaled the rubble pile, Kix following behind.

At the top, Jesse let Shahrey down and crawled through the hole. He waited on the other side for her. "Come on through," he said, "I know you can do this." Shahrey gathered her torn skirts around her and shuffled through the hole. Jesse helped to pull her out, then picked her up in his arms again as he slid down the pile to join Hardcase and the Captain. Kix clambered through the hole once more and made his way down to join them as well.

"Is that everyone?" General Skywalker's strained voice asked.

"Yes sir," Kix replied, "that's all of us."

"Go then," the General said, "hurry."

"You heard him!" Captain Rex barked. "Up and out!"

The company ascended the stairs quickly and poured out into the blinding sunlight of the square. A few moments later, General Skywalker emerged, backing up the stairs. When he reached the square, he relaxed his arms, collapsing to his knees. A distant, rumbling BOOM was heard, and a rush of dust shot up and out into the square.

Kix, Jesse, and Hardcase glanced at each other. "That was close," Jesse murmured.

"Too close," Hardcase agreed.

Captain Rex walked up to them, carefully holding the pack that Kix had given him. He took in the three of them: Kix, his face pale and exhausted; Hardcase, dragging parts of Jesse's armor; and Jesse, cradling a human woman in his arms. "Quite an ordeal you boys went through, ay?"

"You don't know the half of it, sir," Hardcase said.

Rex gave a half smile. "Well, I'm sure I––"

Just then the pack gave a loud SCREECH! Rex nearly dropped it in surprise. "What the––" he began, but Kix was already taking the pack from his arms, setting it on the ground, unfastening the flap, reaching inside. The woman slid out of Jesse's arms and stepped toward Kix. She swayed, and Jesse steadied her. Kix withdrew his arms from the pack and handed the woman a bundle of towels, writhing and crying. "Oh my baby, my little girl!" the woman said as she enveloped the bundle in her embrace.

Rex's eyebrows shot up. He looked at the three troopers in turn again.

Just then a voice cried out from across the square. "SHAHREY! Shahrey is that you!" The company turned to see a man racing toward them, his long robe kicking up behind him as he ran. When he reached Shahrey he paused, his arms outstretched, barely touching her, his face a mixture of relief and amazement. He gazed at the tiny bundle in her arms. "You…you had the baby?" he breathed.

Shahrey smiled up at him. "Shahreeka," she said. "Our little girl, our little Shahreeka."

The man enveloped Shahrey in a warm embrace then. "Oh my darling, my love, I was so worried. I left the hospital bag on the step, remember? By the column, where we stopped, and when I ran back to get it I heard an explosion, and there was smoke, and the stairs were dark, and––" He broke off, tears in his eyes. "But you're here, and you're safe, and we have a baby."

Shahrey looked over at the troopers. "It was them," she said. "They found me, they helped me, they delivered our baby and got us out."

The man turned and extended his hand to Jesse first, shaking it firmly as he looked into Jesse's eyes. "Thank you," he said. He offered his hand to Hardcase next, and then Kix, who each took off their helmets as they returned the handshake. "Thank you all. I don't have words."

Kix tried to hide his relieved smile behind a professional facade. "Just doing our job, sir."

The man smiled in gratitude, before turning back to his wife. "There's a medical speeder waiting," he said. "We should still go to the hospital."

Shahrey nodded. She turned to the clones. "I will never forget what you did for us," she said. She looked at each of them. "Kix. Jesse. Hardcase. I will never forget you." She smiled at them, before finally turning away and following her husband across the square.

The familiar drone of a gunship cut the air, and the clones turned to see it landing smoothly in front of the entrance to the train depot. They looked to Captain Rex, who still stood a few feet away, observing them. Finally, his eyes settled on Hardcase. "Well," he said, "that was certainly…uncalled for."

Hardcase looked sheepishly at the ground, but couldn't help a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Captain…" Jesse said, "Captain I…know we're still practically shinies, sir, so…thank you for coming to get us."

Rex's eyes crinkled fondly. "I've said this before: in my book, experience is everything. And I think––when it comes to this particular matter––you three outrank even me."

Kix beamed. Hardcase elbowed Jesse with a smile. Jesse gave a proud nod.

"Come on men," Rex continued, walking toward the gunship. "You've certainly earned your stripes with the 501st today."

The three troopers trailed behind the Captain as they made their way toward the gunship. Hardcase handed Jesse back his armor and then threw his arms around the others' shoulders. "Well, I'd call that a successful first mission, wouldn't you?"

Jesse couldn't stop smiling. "I can't believe it. I can't believe we did that. Kix, you were so good in there! You really never did that in training? I don't believe it. You had to have."

Kix shook his head, but he couldn't stop the smile bleeding into his expression either. "No, but if there's one thing I learned, it's this: fake it 'til you make it, boys. They don't realize you don't know what you're doing if you act like you do!"

Hardcase laughed and clapped Kix across the shoulder. Kix and Jesse reached up to put their arms around Hardcase in return. Together, they followed their General, their Captain, and their brothers into the gunship.