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Darkness on Umbara

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This is how it happened. With a birth.

We knew what was coming. Our allies had caught wind of an invasion fleet headed our way. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of ships. It seemed a bit like overkill: all of that, just for our small, little world. Little old Umbara. All the militia reservists were called up. I had to don my armour for the first time in years.

Pira watched as I clambered inside the suit, her face pale and belly large. She was pregnant with our first child. We'd been waiting and trying and hoping for so long, she'd struggled through the pregnancy from hell while I watched helplessly and now that the end of the road was near, here I was trudging off to war and abandoning her.

She was trying so hard not to show her fear, but she was as pale as a ghost, hands pressed to her lips. I wrapped my arms around her, cursing that I hadn't done this before I suited up. Our last embrace before I left, and all she could feel was cold plastoid pressing into her.

"Call your mother," I said, trying to sound strong and calm. "Get her over here. You shouldn't be alone. Not with the baby due any day now."

She started to nod, but then her face contorted, both hands going to her stomach. "Oooh!"

We both knew what was happening. I sat her down on the sofa, tried to make her comfortable, and called up first the local hospital ("We'll be there in five minutes!"), then her mother ("I'll see you both at the hospital then"), and then my commanding officer.

"Sir, my wife's just gone into labour. Can I—"

He cut me off. "I'm sorry, but we need every soldier at their posts. Your wife will have to do without you."

Our first child and I wasn't going to be there to see it come into this world. I met Pira's eyes, and now she was the one trying to be strong.

"You've got to go," she said. "I'll be okay. The medical team will be here any minute. Just get going."

So I left. I squeezed her hands, pressed my lips to her cheek, donned my helmet, and walked out the door.

==o0o==

The Republic's wet droids just kept coming. The idiot things just kept walking down the main highway, their armour shining bright in the shining light from the road. Only the landmines that we'd hidden there earlier seemed to give them pause. That was when we descended on them like banshees out of the trees.

When it was over, they had left their dead everywhere. The road to the capital was still ours, but we had lost men too.

I knew in my heart that I should mourn the dead, that I should be worrying about Pira and our child, but all I could feel was rage. Rage against these ghost-men who'd invaded my world and dragged the war to our doorstop. I knew this was the Mix talking, the gases that were pumping into my helmet and amping up my aggression, but I didn't care. I was determined to push these invaders off my planet and send them packing. Others might fear them, but they were just wet-droids, fighting for something they'd no stake in. They weren't like me and the others—fighting for our homes, our families, and our childrens' freedom. They were just shadows of men.

A voice crackled in my ears. It was Tarvi, one of our scouts. "They've stopped their retreat."

I felt my lips curl up into a snarl. We'd pushed them back a bit, and now they were just sitting there on the road like they owned the place. I wasn't going to stand for it.

"Everyone regroup. We'll teach them to sit around idly."

I grinned at my commander's voice: great minds. Then he motioned, pulling me to one side.

"Son, I've got some news that I think you should hear."

"Sir." I stood there waiting to hear what he had to say and wanting to join the others for the counter-attack.

"Your wife gave birth to a little girl a few hours ago. Both mother and child are healthy. Congratulations."

He clasped my shoulder and strode off, while I stood there gaping. A little girl. I was a father. All of a sudden, the invasion didn't seem quite so important. I wanted to shuck off my suit and gun and sprint to the hospital to see my daughter.

The whirr of weapons powering up snapped me back to the present, and I upped the Mix in my helmet. I needed to focus. I had to get rid of the ghost-men first. Only then would Pira and our daughter be safe. I breathed deeply, feeling my heart speed up as adrenaline flooded my system. Once again, I was a member of the militia, focused and out for blood.

We crept through the mists, following the voices and armour that shone in the UV light. I watched the clones standing around and singled out their leader. He stood out, his helmet subtly different from the other soldiers, and he carried two pistols rather than a rifle. I knew then: he was in charge and he was mine. I was going to take him down, and carry his helmet home as a plaything for my daughter.

Nees. That was a good name for a girl, for my daughter. I would kill this interloper for Nees. For Pira.

I shimmied up a nearby tree, one that had a branch that went right over the wet-droid leader, and waited for my commander's signal.

The others opened fire in a maelstrom of green.

I dropped to the ground and spun. He was right there. I lunged and grabbed him around the neck, but he twisted, and I was on the ground with my helmet cracked and Mix leaking away. I raised my blaster, but he was faster.

Pira, my love… I'm sorry.

Blue light. Then darkness.

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The soundtrack for this chapter is "Daddy's Little Girl" from Micheal Buble.

Thanks so much for reading. If you've time and the inclination, maybe review and let me know what you thought of the story? :) Next time, for our final chapter: Time has run out for a commando.