Sleep came fitfully as every sound had me awake and listening for an assault on the that and the general anxiety over the situation I didn't get nearly as much rest as I'd have liked. Obi-Wan was much the same and we ended up meditating together to try and compose ourselves. That turned out to be less helpful than I'd hoped but the familiarity of it was comfort enough.
Some of the troopers have proven relatively good company though the awkwardness of being a near-human in a militia whose humanocentric beliefs are swaying between xenophobic then tentatively not. They're trying, most of them, but it's still a bit awkward.
The trooper who provided me with the grenades in the previous battle, one Sergeant Errol Vance, sought me out almost immediately after my chat with Tarkin and he's become the most ardent 'pro-alien' among the group of troopers I've sort of become acquainted with. That isn't saying as much as I'd like but it's a start, right?
Though this has given me the freedom to tell jokes from my old life. Predictably they laughed the loudest at the dirtier jokes. I don't know if they just liked the jokes or appreciated the moment of levity but I don't care, I liked telling jokes back home, not much chance for it now.
The pirates, having failed their first assault have decided to starve us out as the better option. Our food supplies aren't going to last, but on a promising note Tarkin hasn't advocated surrendering yet. He's just been quiet, he hasn't approached me, hasn't really done much of anything.
Master Tavik, Qui-Gon and the other senior Jedi have been busy working with Jace, occasionally Tarkin, and the assembled soldiers to maintain a watch on the siege line and fortify the mines. We've done pretty good I think, though I haven't really been involved in it that much. The real issue now, is letting the Senate know what happened and getting help. Though from what I remember, the Senate said no and a Jedi Strikeforce is what'll save us.
The sound of boots on stone alerts me to Obi-Wan's approach as he sits down beside me, his aura is bright with…. something, excitement, anticipation, anxiety? I'm not quite sure but whatever it is its raised his spirits somewhat.
"Viera, I just heard from Master Qui-Gon, someone discovered an exit from the mine down one of the side tunnels." It'd probably only be able to handle a small group of people at a time but say a small team could escape from it.
I think I know what's he going to say but I'll pretend I don't for the sake of letting him have his peace.
"Are we retreating then? I was under the assumption that Mt. Avos was the most convenient place for us to bunker down?" He shakes his head, pointing over to where Qui-Gon is talking with Valorum, Gunray, and Tyvokka.
"Master Jinn, Master Gallia and I are going to take Senator Valorum and Nute Gunray through the tunnel and see if we can find transport for them to escape Troiken and go warn Coruscant." Alright, so here we go, diversionary battle is a go then.
"How do you expect to get past the pirates, their siege line and aerial patrols aren't going to just let you go unmolested."
"That'll be our job, padawan." Master Tavik walks over to us from the other senior Jedi, he's on edge himself, not worried but tense and ready to move at a moment's notice. I turn my head to focus on him and nod in response.
"How so, Master? I assume a diversion?" Obvious answer really and not just because I know it's coming. He nods and points to the gathering of troopers near the mine entrance.
"Indeed, we'll be launching a diversionary attack while Master Jinn, Master Gallia, and Padawan Kenobi escort Senator Valorum, and Minister Gunray out one of the side tunnels." I notice a name missing there.
"Not Senator Tarkin?" I had sorta hoped he'd leave if only to avoid any chance of him dying here but no such luck there. Master Tavik frowns and shakes his head.
"No, he's refused to leave, he and Jace Dallin will assist with the diversionary attack." Okay, can he even shoot? I guess I'll find out shortly. Obi-Wan grins and stands, stretching his arms.
"I can't wait to actually do something and not sit around here waiting for an attack." I listen to his exuberance quietly, he's almost like Jang in that regard though comparably he's more reserved than her, it's going to be disappointing to see him become less open and exuberant in the coming years.
"Be careful Obi-Wan, there's no guarantee this diversionary attack will completely draw them off. Don't get in over your head." He'll be fine but it doesn't hurt to say it. He nods and gives me a thumbs up.
"I'll be fine, same to you Viera, I expect to come back and find you alive and well." I stand quickly and give him a short nod. The others are gravitating toward the mine entrance and I should probably join them.
"I like living, I don't plan on stopping here, see you later Obi-Wan, may the Force be with you." He smiles and nods before rushing over to Qui-Gon and the others.
A flicker, a glimpse of something and I start walking in the direction of the aura, moving through troopers towards my target. Sgt. Vance is with the remnants of his squad, briefing them on the diversion, when I approach. He spots me and waves me over.
A tall man and surprisingly young, short cropped hair and the strangest not-jersey accent I've ever heard. We talked after the first battle and he's apparently from Commenor out near the Core Worlds. The third son of a miner who thought fighting out in the Outer Rim with Tarkin was the best way to start anew. Irony of ironies he ends up getting besieged inside a mine.
"Hey there, padawan, ready to rumble? We're just about ready to get this diversion started." I nod affirmative and can't help but grin back, reminded of why I sought him out personally. We both like high explosives and blowing things to pieces.
"I'm just about ready, do you have any more thermal detonators?" He nods and points towards a small satchel against the wall, I can already see the small balls of high yield explosives.
"I went around and got as many as I could, go wild with them. They'll be useful for this diversion I think." Oh, they will indeed. I grab the satchel, seven thermal detonators inside. Were these all he could find? I hope they're not all that we have.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" I hear Tarkin's voice and immediately turn towards the mine entrance. And there he is the daft man, blaster rifle in hand and an expression made of stone. Jace is beside him, similarly armed and tense.
"This attack is a diversion, that means you don't get too eager and overextend the battle line. We're to draw their attention until Senator Valorum and his escort are safely away. Jace steps forward and takes over.
"Stick with your squads and make for the escape pods, they'll be our best cover from enemy fire. Watch for those landspeeders and any artillery. When you hear their air power it's time to retreat." He turns to point at several troopers in particular.
"Zem, Dahn, Durame, Anjek, Mardin, you're on overwatch, you'll cover our retreat." The five troopers each nod, reaching for their sniper rifles and heading off to take up positions. Tarkin steps forward again and raises his blaster rifle.
"Let's show these pirate sum what we've got, for the Republic!" The cry is taken up and everyone is moving.
"Everybody out, let's go!" Jace yells and I grab the satchel and join the troopers exiting the mine entrance. How is this distraction going to work, their siege line is outside the range of our blasters, wouldn't we have to get closer to them to attack?
I hear someone yell charge and the lightsabers of the other Jedi ignite as they take off down the ridge and towards the siege line. I ignite my own lightsaber and sprint forward. All around me the troopers open fire in the direction of the pirate's siege line. It isn't long before they return fire and my lightsaber flashes before me, deflecting shots, Sgt. Vance and his squad behind me return fire as we run.
Dirt and dust are thrown up around me from the fire of the pirates and-oh shit is that a rocket! A plume of smoke and the ground in front of me explodes outwards and I stumble, barely falling to the ground. Okay where's that cover.
The crashed escape pods are still there though and they're perfect cover for us. Most of us get behind the pods before the landspeeders take hold of our position but as the sharp staccato of laser cannons and behind me four people drop, a moment of pain and surprise, their auras flashing in the Force and winking out of existence. I shiver slightly, that's horrifying, but I have to push past it. There is no death, there is the Force.
I'm just behind the cover enough to avoid the worst of the enemy fire and especially the laser cannons from the landspeeders but still enough to deflect some shots. Sgt. Vance and the others are occasionally ducking out of cover to fire at the pirates before slipping back into cover.
I am just a little envious of them right now.
The landspeeders haven't moved to flank us yet, but I can see through the escape pod we're hiding behind, the pirates are advancing towards our position with the speeders giving cover. There seems to be a little dip in the terrain between us and them, it's not much but it seems to be serving as a mini-trench. There are four speeders firing on us, and I have seven thermal detonators. Alright so same as before, toss the grenades precisely towards the landspeeders.
This time though, I need to move faster before they take off. Pick your target, prime the grenade and toss, accelerate and guide it towards its target and immediately onto the next. At first the only sound is the fire of blasters and then a trio of explosions go off in rapid succession. I can see two landspeeders detonate, pain, terror, and a blinding heat. The third detonator seems to have gone off course slightly, blasting into the front and taking out the repulsorlifts keeping it aloft. It's immobile now but the laser cannon is still functioning it seems. The fourth speeder takes off before the detonator hits. Though it does take out the three pirates around it, a sense of terror and raging heat, three detonators left.
Sgt. Vance ducks out of cover and opens fire on the advancing pirates before he turns back to me, it seems like the squads of pirates are halted at the lip of what seems to be a mini-hill? Whatever it is, its providing half decent cover from our attack.
Master Tavik and the other senior Jedi are spread out across our 'battle line' deflecting shots away and back at the pirate forces but no one's really advancing on the other. With most their landspeeders gone or turned into stationary emplacements they're not nearly as eager to advance as they might have been.
That other landspeeder drove off but I think it's coming back around I think and when it does I have a feeling we're going to want to be back into the safety of the mine.
"Padawan, toss a detonator onto their cover, see if you can smoke them out." Ah, right I can do that, another thermal detonator is primed and tossed. A moment of nothing then an explosion. Some dead, even more injured but they're not giving up just yet. Even they must realize that turning and running will only get them shot.
This is going well, too well, where's the threat. I toss another grenade and the explosion echoes across the field, but now there's a whine growing louder and louder. Did I not actually destroy the repulsorlifts on that other speeder? A quick look shows that It's still out, so what's making that noise?
The force gives me a warning, a sense of danger, right before the cries of everyone else reach me.
"Incoming!" someone shouts and I barely have time to even move before the descending A-6 starfighters open fire and burn lances of laserfire into the field. Dirt and stone explode outward, covering me and everyone else in dirt and dust.
That's, can we deal with that? Plo Koon managed one in a ship with no distractions and he had a talent for it. But I count at least seven A-6 fighters, and already they're whirring around for another run at us. I think it's about time to go back to the mine. And it looks like that one functioning landspeeder is already back on its way, to make things even worse for us.
I can hear running, Master Tavik is on his way over to me now and I take that as the cue to get ready to run for it.
"Padawan, back to the mine we're retreating." I nod quickly, too nervous to do anything else really. The A-6's come around for another run and we all hunker down to give a smaller target. Even still the attack is a nightmare. Our cover is glowing red hot and seems to even be melting in places from the heat. Master Tavik gives me a firm push towards the mine even as the others are already beginning to move.
"Go!" he turns back to join the other senior Jedi as a rearguard. I take off running, straining to keep up with the other, taller people around me. Damn these short teenage legs! A hand roughly grabs the collar of my tunic and hauls me up, before I can react, I am being carried by Sgt. Vance as he sprints towards the mine. The only consolation is that he's using a fireman's carry and not the princess carry. I swear I'd die from the mortification alone otherwise.
"Ah, hey! At least turn me around! I can deflect shots still." The mortification of being carried is warring with the underlying terror of the situation but he complies and my lightsaber flashes, batting at the few shots sent our way. Okay, I get it, I appear to be a thirteen-year-old girl to these older soldiers. It's fine, they're not being purposefully insulting to my ability, let it go.
That said he is running faster than I would be so whatever, we're already halfway up the hill. I can see the bodies of the pirates scattered over the mini-trench they tried to hide in and it is gruesome. I can also see the bodies of our own strewn around the escape pods, I easily count over a dozen.
We've crested the hill and he sets me down quickly, turning to give covering fire to the others coming up the hill. The senior Jedi coming up last, still deflecting the last of the oncoming shots from the pirates who have proven so far reluctant to come forward. The A-6's have pulled off but that won't be forever, but once we get into the mine proper they won't have a good shot on us.
Gosh I'm tired, feels like I've run a marathon, the adrenaline must be wearing off but I can't rest now, not until the battle's over. The other Jedi are at the top of the hill now and they're still firing. When are they going to stop? I'd really like them to stop.
My lightsaber is still deflecting shots but I'm getting slower and I know it, damn my childish stamina! And the whine is back, the starfighters are coming for another pass at us. Their laser cannons fire and we're only saved by the rock ceiling of the mine entrance. Even then the ground shakes and dust and rocks crack and fall down, pelting us. The pirates have stopped firing and for a moment all is quiet save for the whine of sublight engines. Have they given up? I think they've- no, the mine shakes again as they come around for another run.
Then comes the quiet, the long quiet where we all just sort of wonder what's about to happen. I think they've given up this time, they're not droids or professional soldiers, no way they can keep throwing themselves at us for that long and not just decide to give up.
Slowly, the pirates creep back to their siege line and everyone breathes out in relief. Another battle done and we're not dead yet. We're not done yet though, we have to consolidate ammo, get the wounded sorted and set up watches before we can rest.
Master Tavik taps me on the shoulder and pulls me aside to where Master Koon is inspecting the wounded. I was trained in basic first aid during my initiate years and I feel like I'm going to get some experience at it now.
"We need to bandage up the wounded, we can rest when that's done." Master Tavik gets to work on a wounded soldier and I nod, going to the first untreated soldier.
Back at the temple we always practiced on lifeless dummies and other simulated representations. Other times we'd pretend our fellow initiates were wounded and we'd need to treat them, all under the watchful eye of the Temple healers but this is something different entirely.
Patching up the wounded is a simultaneously enlightening and horrifying task. Blasters being energy based, most wounds are burns and not entry wounds so there's no blood, which is good because I hate blood, but the burns smell horrific. Roasted flesh and something that makes me think of sulfur, it's sickening and makes me glad I haven't really eaten much yet.
Another trooper is set down in front of me, there's a blaster bolt to her chest. Her uniform is burnt away at the front, the edges have melted and fused to her skin and the middle of her chest is burnt black from char. Okay that's serious, she's lucid though the Force only knows how with how much pain she has to be in.
"Please." It's no more than a whisper, I can barely hear it but I look up into her eyes. There's fear and pain and the sense of terror that death is looming over her. I offer my best smile as I reach for the bacta container.
"It's fine, don't worry, we'll get you patched up." I grab the bacta dispenser and inspect it closely, oh it's empty. I know I had some more around here, they'd been set out for me when I started. A glance around and oh Force they're all empty.
"Master Tavik, do you have any more bacta dispensers, I'm out?" He shakes his head, drat well Plo Koon then.
"What about you Master Koon, do you have any bacta to spare?" Plo Koon also shakes his head and I grimace, that's bad. A quick look around and I don't see anyone else rushing forward with bacta. We can't be out of bacta now! There's still so many wounded and my patient isn't going to last without bacta to her burn!
"Please." She rasps again and I can't stop the shaking as I turn my focus back to her. She's still just looking at me but the terror is overwhelming her now, her aura in the Force is flaring with terror and fear but it's also dimming steadily. She repeats herself and I don't know what to say, what do I say to her? I can't look away as the life slowly fades from her, I want to look away, I don't want to see this but my body won't listen to me.
Her eyes close, her lips are moving but no more words are coming out, she's dimming slowly but surely and in a moment of silence she dies.
I stand up from the new corpse, there's no point to patching up the wounded anymore, I don't know what to do anymore. Something's wrong, my hands are shaking, I try to still them and I can't. Her eyes close, life dims and I can't stop shaking.
There's a hand on my shoulder, I don't know who it is except I do but my brain won't focus on it, but its guiding me back into the mine, to a wall. I lean back against the cave wall, slumping down it until I'm sitting. A hand on my head, a sense of quiet.
I'm asleep before I realize what's happening.