Tail and Twitch had wrapped strips of blankets tightly around their wounds, and also taken extra sheets to cover their faces and necks, and in Twitch's case, stomach and lower back, from the sun.

The communications centre was unusable, totally and completely. They spent the day scavenging for anything useful; knives from the Mess Halls, which weren't present, comms, also not present, canteens for carrying water – nonexistent – anything.

Twitch had spent hours searching, and came up with a four-foot-long, inch-round pipe for her trouble. She was pleased with her find and now sat in the ruins of the boiler room.

She was using a slim, strong wire to tie a sharp piece of metal to the end of the pole. After a while, she had a sturdy spear. The makeshift blade of her weapon was firmly in place, and she found she could wield it easily.

The queazy feeling she always got when hungry kept her sitting for a while until she no longer felt hungry, simply hollow.

On the bridge, Twitch found Tail creating his own weapon: a sword. Twitch was amused to see the blade was the same piece of metal which she'd killed the nexu with. The corporal noticed her smirk and shrugged.

"Worked well enough last time." He reasoned.

"Yeah, though it's a pity we couldn't find any blasters."

"Ah, well. Hey, are nexus edible?" She glanced back at the shaft.

"Not sure. Are the ship's databanks functional?" He shook his head. "Hmm, well, I don't see any reason for why the meat wouldn't be safe to eat, though I'd avoid the organs."

"I was thinking that. Come on, let's get some food."

"What about any metal we use to cut? Heavy metal poisoning isn't out." The sergeant fretted as the started the long climb down, taking their weapons along. Returning to the bridge would be fruitless and illogical.

"Durasteel won't do that."

§ § §

"Impressed now?" The slim figure challenged.

"Interested. They seem to be thinking half a plan each, as though they need each other to function." The larger man crossed his arms.

"Not likely. Twitch has proven her independence too many times to count. Tail can handle independent thinking. He's done so often. Usually when Twitch is exercising said ability."

"Well, they're not thinking on the wrong lines. Challenge Three, they get split up. I want to see their 'independent thinking' for myself."

§ § §

The nexu had fed both of the marooned troopers well, and they had cooked all the meat they could find on the predator, stuffing it into makeshift blanket backpacks.

Twitch had removed all the claws and the larges fangs, knowing they could come in handy as she put them in an extra pouch made of a pillow case.

"You know what I don't get?" Tail asked as they dropped into a barrack. The door had been jammed, so they entered through the vents, thus being sure no other predators could sneak up on them.

"What?"

"That they left the blankets and pillows. They took everything but the kitchen sink and bedspreads."

"Unfortunately, that points to droids. They don't need beds, after all."

"And yet we both know they would've left the bodies."

"Exactly. Or maybe they're coming back. Either way, we better get some sleep before nightfall." They rolled onto bunks of their choice and lay there, lost in their own thoughts.

TWITCH'S P.O.V. (FLASHBACK/DREAM)

I'm held in a containment unit. We all are. My distress over the battle that landed us here has not left. Spitfire was gunned down right in front of me.

She was about to make a joke; I could tell from the smirk on her face and the posture of her body as she moved to walk backwards in front of us, hands spreading out to the sides.

Then, several rounds from a Droideka that had arrived, unnoticed, hit her, tearing through my sister's chest. She was dead before I caught her in my arms. Now, I watch wordlessly as Dooku gloatingly walks around the ring of his prisoners. Nine people with whom he can do whatever he pleases.

"I think I'll start with this one." The Count says, pointing to Jax. "After all, you went through so much trouble to save him in the first place." He Force-pulls a spear from the shadows, looking over the fine craftsmanship admiringly. I know why he would torture my squad members. He wants to hurt me.

"Leave them out of this. I know who you're angry at, and it's not them. Take it out on me." I snarl.

"I am." The spear flashes and a spray of blood squirts across the room.

§ § §

NO P.O.V. (PRESENT)

Tail woke up to whimpering. It took him a few moments to realize it was Twitch he was hearing. The young clone was crying in her sleep, tossing and turning. He walked over to her and gently wiped away the tears with his fingers before shaking the sergeant awake.

"Wha? Oh, Tail. Is it time to go?" She asked.

"Most likely. You alright?"

"Fine. What about you?"

"I'll be great once we clear the desert. Let's get going."

§ § §

"So, the kid has nightmares." The critic growled.

"She didn't have training against them."

"Any ideas what goes on in her head?"

"Nothing pretty. Not after what happened to her squad."

§ § §

Twitch was haunted by her nightmare, but did not mention it to Tail. He probably had his own demons to face. The corporal was carrying a large portion of the meat; the sergeant a smaller amount due to her size, along with their weapons, several metal rods, and her pouch of sharp nexu parts.

Blankets protected most of their skin from the setting suns, though their pre-wreckage travels had gotten the job done and their skin was sensitive. Once night fell, the blankets kept them warm, straight until dawn.

They then took out the rods and used the blankets to form makeshift tents. Tail slept as Twitch took first watch, then the corporal stayed awake the second half of the day.

His sister once again had nightmares. When she woke up with a start an hour before sunset, she tiredly sat and ate a few mouthfuls of nexu before crawling outside. The two nodded and packed up, preparing to leave. They had to find water soon, though.

"How's your leg?" Tail asked. She blinked slowly before remembering what he was talking about.

"Oh, um, it's alright. What about your leg?"

"It's fine. Your arm?"

"Fine, but we need a better plan than this. We could be walking away from water and civilization for all we know."

"Not many other choices. But, then, you already knew that."

"Yeah, just needed you to play devil's advocate."

§ § §

"Why did he ask about her leg?"

"One moment and I'll access her medical records." There was a short pause, then the aide let out a long, low whistle. "Wow. This kid's had a lot of visits to the med bay. Let's see...here. Her leg was permanently damaged during the battle of Moleen. Dealt by General Grievous, the wound partially severed her Achilles tendon. Depending on exertion, the pain in her leg varies."

"Grievous. Of course he's the one who crippled a child."

"She's not exactly crippled, sir. She can still move around without the aid of any thing or one."

"Hmm. They're almost done with this challenge. Prep the team."


A.N. ~ another short chapter! Don't worry, Chapter Three is coming up ASAP. But, it's also short, and the last of my prewritten chapters for the FanFiction, so production rate is going down after the next chapter. Too much of one word in one note. Sorry!