The hangar bay doors slid apart slowly, allowing for Fox and the search teams to move out and into the courtyard of the military base.
Hound and his group had already gone ahead and were farther down the courtyard, letting the K9's lead them.
"Spread out and search the area," Fox ordered, flicking on his helmet-mounted lamp.
The troopers moved forward, blasters at the ready and underbarrel flashlights gleaming into every nook and cranny.
Thunder and lightning crackled in the skies above, the rumbling forcing Fox to stay alert for any noise that seemed to be out of the ordinary.
Fox's armor would protect and keep him dry from the majority of the rain, but there was still the chance of water droplets getting through the breaks in his armor plates and soaking his undersuit.
His bad mood would only be amplified if he got chafing rashes later.
"All ground teams report in," Fox spoke into his comm. "Anyone see anything?"
"Team 1 here; no signs of the prisoner so far."
"Team 2 reporting in. We've got nothing."
"This is Team 3. That's a negative, Commander."
"This is Team 4…"
The rest of the teams continued reporting in, Fox's frustration growing when he saw no progress was being made in tracking down the Jedi prisoner.
"K9 team here-" Sergeant Hound's voice abruptly announced over the comm. "-I think I've got something. Standby."
Fox tensed, his hands automatically resting on top of his holsters while he waited for Hound's confirmation.
Hound's voice returned after an agonizingly long moment that felt more than just a few seconds. "Disregard; there's nothing here. Think my massiff just alerted on a false trail."
Fox's mood continued to plummet. Disappointed, he sighed before activating his comm. "Copy that. Continue your search."
He motioned to his team. "Let's keep moving."
And that was when Fox noticed movement out of the corner of his vision, his head snapping up to see that the Jedi prisoner was perched on top of one of the clone monument statues.
Before he even realized it, his arm jutted out, pointing upwards. "There she is! Quick, stop her!"
The other clones quickly followed his finger and began charging towards the statue.
"All units-the Jedi prisoner has been spotted in the courtyard! We're heading West towards vehicle lock-up!" Fox shouted into his comm. "Do not let her reach her ship!"
That was when he noticed one of the gun towers swivel around, facing West towards the vehicle lock-up.
"Gun tower 2B eliminating target vehicle," a clone voice announced crisply.
Bright green laser bolts pounded into the deck.
A nanosecond later and the ship exploded into a ball of flames, the force of the blast throwing the Jedi prisoner away from the now-decimated ship.
Fox shielded his eyes, his helmet visor doing little to stop the intensity of the explosion.
"Target vehicle destroyed."
"The prisoner's grounded now. She's not going anywhere," another clone voice declared darkly on the comm.
"I've got eyes on the prisoner. She's moving towards the industrial pipelines now. K9 is pursuing," Hound reported.
"Alright, don't lose her," Fox said. "We'll be right there." Time to send out the gunships. "All air units are cleared for lift off. Target is heading West-towards the industrial pipelines. Cut her off."
"Copy that, Commander. Lifting off now," Davijaan reported.
"What's going on?" a new voice demanded.
Fox turned and scowled, feeling his fist clench unconsciously. It was General Skywalker, with Captain Rex following close behind.
He straightened up with as much respect as he could muster, which was not much. "We found her. She's heading towards the industrial pipeline."
Skywalker paused for a moment, a dark, indecipherable look in his eyes. "Make sure all weapons are set to stun! I want her alive!"
Then he brushed past Fox and the other clones, Rex taking off after his General. Neither spared Fox or his men a single glance.
A low growl made its way up Fox's throat, before he clamped down on it. "Let's go!" he barked to the troopers. "After the prisoner!"
The roar of gunships made itself known and Fox watched as a pair of the vehicles sped past overhead, spotlights on full power.
"She's moving through the pipelines now," Hound reported, the sound of stun blasts and lightsabers and snarling massiffs audible in the background.
"Stun rounds are ineffective," warned another trooper on the comm. "She's dodging and deflecting everything we throw at her with those lightsabers."
"Maintain your position and continue suppressing the target," Fox ordered.
"Copy that."
"Do not shoot to kill! Do not shoot to kill!" Skywalker's voice barked on the comm. "Try to box her in-don't let her escape! Tell me what you see, Odd Ball."
Davijaan's voice crackled over the comm a moment later. "She's moving West along the central viaduct."
Fox could see the gunships pursuing up ahead and watched as they abruptly changed direction.
"Target is moving East now," Davijaan reported. "She's jumping over the pipes."
"Anyone on the ground have eyes on the prisoner?" Fox asked on the comm.
"Negative; still too far away," Hound answered.
"Alright, we got her now," Davijaan exclaimed. "She's on a walkway; still moving Eastbound. Opening up on her now."
A moment later Fox could see one of the gunships descend towards one of the walkways, accompanied by the blue glow of stun blasts from within the troop compartment.
"No effect on target," Davijaan reported. "Ground team-try to box her in on that walkway."
"Keep on her," Fox ordered, picking up his pace. "Don't let her-"
He broke off when he heard the roar of a missile, followed by a bright explosion in the distance.
"What the fuck?" Fox growled out loud.
This was a fucking industrial pipeline complex. One laser bolt or spark in the wrong place could set the whole area ablaze.
"Explosive munitions are not authorized!" Fox shouted into his comm. "Lock that shit down-now! We're to use stun rounds only. One wrong move and this operation is over for all of us!"
"...Locking down," an irritated sounding clone reported a moment later.
Fox scowled. He didn't recognize the trooper that had spoken, but Davijaan would have a personnel roster of who was on that gunship.
Whoever it was, Fox was going to give them the ass-chewing of a lifetime after this operation.
"Good hit on target!" a trooper exclaimed over the comm. "She's hanging off the platform now."
"...Annnd she's on the move again," Davijaan cut in a moment later. "Target's boxed herself in one of the stairwells now. Looks like she also lost one of her lightsabers."
Sure enough, Fox could make out a gunship on either side of the stairwell, but didn't see the Jedi prisoner. She must be out of view.
"Copy that," Fox said. "All units converge on the gunships! Don't let her out of that stairwell!"
"We've got her surrounded now," Hound reported.
Fox turned the corner and charged down the walkway, stopping at the top of the stairs.
The area was washed in blinding white light from the gunships, the sounds of massiffs barking and clones shouting orders and the engines of the roaring gunships filling the air.
She was completely surrounded.
Troopers were now rappelling down from the gunships and taking up positions on the high ground.
I've got you now.
Fox's hand went to his blaster pistol and tightened around the handle.
The sound of two forms thundered down the walkway, and Fox saw Skywalker and Rex approaching.
They stood next to Fox, ignoring his presence and staring down at the scene below.
That was when the Jedi prisoner's head jerked towards them, her wide blue eyes shifting between Rex, Skywalker, and finally Fox.
Her gaze lingered on him, and Fox felt himself freeze, odd and unexplainable emotions flooding out without his permission.
Why do I feel like this?
Fox shook his head in frustration. "No," he growled forcefully, pulling his blaster from its holster and flicking it to the stun setting.
He pointed the weapon directly at the Jedi prisoner, gauging her reaction carefully.
She stood motionless and continued to stare back up at him, and then-like a switch had been flipped-everything burst back into action, the Jedi prisoner launching herself up into the air and over a pipe.
Fox began to fire stun bolts as she leapt through the air and landed on top of one of the pipes. "Take her down!" he barked into his comm.
"Ahsoka!" Skywalker shouted after her.
Fox watched as the Jedi prisoner took her remaining lightsaber and dug it into the pipe, tearing a circular hole into the metal frame.
"She's gonna get us all killed!" Fox yelled as he continued to fire.
A moment later the Jedi prisoner disappeared inside the pipe, all of the stun bolts having missed.
"Target's entered the pipeline now. Unknown direction of travel," Davijaan reported.
"Shit," Fox muttered, pushing past Skywalker. He raised his wrist-comm. "K9 team is with me; we're going after her. Everyone else-spread out and sweep the area. I want air units patrolling the complex perimeter. No one gets in or out!"
"Copy that, Commander," Hound acknowledged.
"Understood," Davijaan responded. "Air reinforcements are inbound. We're locking this place down tight."
Fox didn't bother to wait for the General or Rex. Instead, he grabbed ahold of the railing and vaulted over it, his feet slamming onto the top of the pipe.
Hound and his men followed close behind. "Someone set some rappel cables down!" he ordered.
A pair of troopers stepped up and tied their blaster rifle cables around the railing of the walkway, one trooper giving the cable a tug for good measure.
They reeled the cable toward the hole, pausing to cut the lines from their rifles before jumping down.
"Target is moving South inside the pipeline," one of the two troopers reported.
Fox spurred into action, grabbing hold of one the cables and lowering himself down into the pipe.
"I've lost sight of the target. She was last seen moving Southbound. Someone get the K9s down here or we're gonna lose her," the same trooper warned.
"This is Sergeant Hound; K9 team is on the move. My massiff's got a lead on a trail," Hound said from behind Fox.
Hound took the lead and they moved out, Fox keeping one of his blaster pistols at the ready.
After a moment, Hound stopped in his path.
"What is it?" Fox asked.
"Trail ends here. Doesn't look like my massiff is picking up any more leads," Hound answered.
"Shit," Fox said, bringing up his wrist-comm. "Anyone have eyes on the prisoner?"
"I've got nothing, Commander."
"Negative; no visual sir."
"Sorry sir, nothing besides sewage down here."
"Scanners aren't picking anything up on my side," Davijaan reported.
"Did you find her?" Skywalker's voice interrupted. The Jedi was breathing heavily and appeared to have run all the way to Fox.
Rex showed up a moment later, pausing beside his General and leaning against the pipe wall.
After their last interaction, he didn't seem too keen on talking much anymore.
Fox was perfectly fine with that.
"...We've lost her, sir," Fox eventually said, gritting his teeth. "The gunships haven't reported any movement-"
Skywalker let out a curse in a language that Fox had never heard and pushed past him. "Get out of my way!"
Rex doggedly followed after his General, not even sending a glance back Fox's way.
Fox growled under his breath and shoved his blaster back in its holster, silently motioning to the others to keep moving.
Reports had continued to come in that no one had found the Jedi prisoner yet. They appeared to be at a dead-end.
Then, abruptly-Skywalker began to charge forward, turning the corner.
Rex pursued his General without question, while Hound glanced at Fox in confusion.
"The General must've detected something," Fox muttered, beginning to head down the path Skywalker and Rex had just taken. "Let's go! Stay alert, troopers."
"We're moving East through the pipeline now," Hound spoke into his wrist-comm as he moved. "We think General Skywalker's got a lead on her location. Standby for updates."
Fox was able to get a glimpse of Skywalker jumping down another tunnel that led deeper into the bowels of the industrial pipeline and sewer system.
"We're heading South now. Standby," Hound reported.
Fox jumped down the tunnel and slipped past a worn industrial fan that slowly spun its large blades, allowing a gap.
That was when they came a series of additional tunnels that split off in various directions.
Fox spun around, looking for signs of movement or any clue that could help lead him in the direction that General Skywalker and the prisoner had gone.
"Shit, we lost the General," Hound muttered as he turned. "Where'd he go?"
Fox raised his wrist-comm. "General Skywalker, what's your location?"
He was met with no response other than a burp of static.
"General Skywalker," he repeated. "What is your current location?"
Again, no response.
"Fuck," Fox breathed, his mind racing.
"Alright," he barked after a moment of thought. "Everyone split up and pick a tunnel! Report in as soon as you've found Skywalker and the prisoner."
"Yes sir!"
They split off in different directions, Fox and Hound taking the middle-most tunnel.
"Is your massiff picking anything up?" Fox asked as they moved down the tunnel.
"Looks like he's got something," Hound answered. "What'd ya got boy?"
The massiff let out a bark and strained against his leash.
"Come on, Grizzer! Let's go!" Hound encouraged the massiff.
Hound took the lead and Fox followed close behind. They took another turn and jumped down another ledge.
"...Ahsoka, what are you doing?"
Fox held up a fist, and leaned against the wall, pulling out a blaster pistol.
"You didn't even try to come and help me!"
Yep, it was Skywalker and the prisoner alright.
Fox peered into the tunnel and found Skywalker and Rex with their backs to him and the prisoner standing directly in front of an opening.
He realized that it was one of the many drainage holes that led into the Underworld.
Shit.
Was she going to try to jump?
Skywalker and Rex and the prisoner were still arguing heatedly with one another, but Fox wasn't listening to their conversation anymore.
"This is Commander Fox," Fox whispered, ducking back. "We've located the General and the prisoner. We're at the end of one of the Underworld drainage tunnels-the prisoner looks like she might jump."
"Copy that, we're enroute to your signal now."
Fox turned to Hound. He exhaled a breath. "We can't wait until reinforcements get here."
Hound nodded slowly. "On three?" he asked, drawing a blaster pistol.
"On three," Fox repeated, raising his own pistol.
One…
Two…
"...I am not guilty!"
Fox rushed in, bringing his blaster to bear. "Show me your fucking hands! Do it now!" he shouted automatically.
He kept the blaster leveled, his sights finding the Jedi prisoner's torso.
Skywalker turned around in surprise. "Wait!" he yelled, holding up his hands in a placating manner. "We have to go back and prove her innocence-!"
"Drop the lightsaber and get on the ground!" Hound interrupted, ignoring Skywalker. "Don't make me release the K9 on you!"
Grizzer's barks and the incoherent shouting coming from multiple people rang in Fox' ears.
During this time, Rex had stepped in front of Skywalker and the prisoner.
Fox pointed at the clone Captain. "Get out of the way," he barked.
"No," Rex said simply.
"What!?" the Jedi shouted angrily, obviously confused and disoriented.
"Don't make me fucking repeat myself," Fox growled, tightening his grip on his blaster. "Move. Aside."
Out of the corner of his eye, Fox could see the Jedi prisoner inching backwards towards the ledge of the tunnel opening.
Hound had noticed as well.
"Hey!" the clone ARF Sergeant shouted. "Get away from that opening!"
"Commander!" Rex suddenly shouted, his confrontation with Fox all but forgotten.
Skywalker held up a hand and abruptly turned back to the prisoner. "Ahsoka-wait! You know I trust you, and would never let anyone hurt you!" he glowered at Fox and Hound for a moment before returning his attention to the prisoner.
He closed his eyes and sighed. "...But you need to come back, and make your case to the council. Please."
The prisoner stopped, faltering and glancing back in hesitation.
Then she straightened up and glared at Skywalker, defiant. "No," she said shakily, her voice raising. "I am not going to take the fall for something I didn't do!"
Skywalker was silent for a few seconds. When he spoke again, his tone was harsh. "I am ordering you to put down your lightsaber and come with me! Now!" he jabbed a finger towards the ground. "Trust me…" he whispered.
"I do trust you…" Ahsoka said quietly.
"We're closing in on your position, Commander!" Fox's comm rang in his ear.
That was when he noticed the Jedi prisoner backing away towards the opening again, a cargo freighter descending into the Underworld in the background.
"Stop!" Fox ordered with as much force as he could muster. "Get away from that ledge!"
"Commander!" Rex shouted again, this time more desperately. "You don't want to do this."
"...But you know as well as I do that no one else will believe me," she glanced over her shoulder towards the ledge, ignoring Fox's and Rex's shouts.
"She's too close to deploy the K9 now," Hound muttered urgently. "And if we stun her, she might fall."
"We'll have to tackle her," Fox responded grimly.
Hound nodded and pulled his massiff back, allowing Fox to step in front of him.
"...You have to trust me now," the Jedi prisoner continued.
"Ahsoka, I do trust you!" Skywalker exclaimed in frustration.
The Jedi prisoner held out a hand. "I know you do," she said, then her eyes locked on Rex's T-visor. "I'm sorry for putting you through this, Rex," she whispered, her blue eyes appearing to send a desperate message to anyone who would listen.
She turned to Fox now, a look of genuine sorrow appearing on her face. "...And I'm sorry about your brothers, Fox."
Fox felt a flash of white hot anger followed by a rush of several other emotions, all at once. "I'm not going to tell you again-" his voice faltered, and he gripped his blaster pistol with both hands. "Get away from that ledge!"
Then she faced the opening completely now, throwing over her shoulder. "Wish me luck."
And that was when chaos broke out, everything happening in a blur of motion.
Skywalker shouted something that Fox didn't catch as he shoved the Jedi away from the opening and into Rex, rushing headfirst towards the prisoner as she cleared the ledge.
Several voices shouted after Fox, but he couldn't understand the words, the air rushing past his helmet now.
Fox watched as the prisoner landed on the freighter below, then realized what he had done.
He almost laughed.
So this is the way I'm going out, huh?
He opened the planet-wide Coruscant Guard comm channel. "I'm sorry boys," he managed to whisper.
Then he closed his eyes and waited for the impact to take him.
That was when Fox suddenly felt his body jerk in the air, freezing.
When he opened his eyes again in surprise, he saw the Jedi prisoner below him with her arms stretched out towards him, eyes closed and teeth gritted in concentration.
He was floating. And slowly descending towards her.
Fox left the Jedi prisoner no time to recover.
As soon as he was a few feet away from the deck, he raised his blaster pistol and fired.
She jumped back, opening her eyes again and igniting her single remaining lightsaber.
Fox grunted as he collided with the deck.
He pushed himself to his knees and raised his hand again, determined to take the Jedi prisoner down at all costs.
That was when Fox realized he had dropped his blaster and the Jedi prisoner was no longer standing in front of him.
Fox's hand managed to reach his other holster when the sound of a stun bolt rang out.
Then all he knew was darkness.
Author Notes: And here we are. Sorry for the wait everyone, writer's block combined with everything else in life will do that to ya sometimes. This was also one of the chapters/segments of the storyline I had been looking forward to writing and completing the most, so I wanted to take my time with it. Anyway, hope you all enjoy. Cheers.