So...I don't really like this, but I don't know why, so I just decided to post it anyways. Let me know if the characters are OOC. I don't feel like they're right...but again, I don't know why. *sigh*
TW: canon-typical implied clone abuse? Really lightly implied though. Non-graphic injury.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars
Quinlan closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He could hear voices just outside the open warehouse door. Hopefully they weren't from the crime syndicate. The voices came nearer, and Quinlan forced himself not to move. He probably would only have one shot if he needed to run. The door slammed, and Quinlan jumped. It caused a sharp pain to shoot through his side, and he gritted his teeth. The voices moved farther away, and Quinlan breathed a sigh of relief.
Some time later, a speeder stopped outside. The door creaked as someone shoved it. Quinlan closed his eyes. Maybe if whoever it was thought he was unconscious, they would leave. The door cracked and it was shoved open. Footsteps came nearer. Quinlan didn't open his eyes. He could hear armor creaking as the person moved. The presence came close and knelt down beside him.
"Sir, can you hear me?" It was a clone. Quinlan shoved down his surprise and opened his eyes, blinking as he took in the red-and-white armor.
"Yeah. I was just…napping." Quinlan answered. The clone didn't seem to believe him.
"You have been critically injured, sir." The clone said. Quinlan raised an eyebrow. No, really? "A medic is on the way." The clone added.
"I don't need a medic." Quinlan protested. He looked down at his side, about to say that he'd just been grazed. It was not a graze. He winced.
"Oh." He bit his lip. "Okay, maybe a medic would be good." He really didn't want to see a medic, but he probably should. He turned back to the clone.
"Why're you here? You gonna arrest me?" There was a flash of surprise from the clone.
"No. You're a Jedi." Quinlan blinked. He was still trespassing, Jedi or no. Then he realized what the clone had said.
"No, I'm not!" He protested, hiding his lightsaber behind his back. The clone had probably already seen it though. He waved his hand in front of the clone's visor.
"I am not a Jedi." He said, lacing his voice with the Force. The clone did not look mind-tricked. He just sighed.
"Sure, whatever you say." Quinlan snorted, an unwilling smile tugging at his face.
"But why are you here?" He asked.
"The Guard got a call that an injured Jedi was found unresponsive in the lower levels." The clone said. Quinlan paused. Must have been those people he'd heard earlier.
"Oh. I thought they were from the crime syndicate."
"The what?" The clone blurted, shock and exasperation mixing around him.
"The crime syndicate. I infiltrated it, but got found out." Quinlan shot the clone a grin. The clone did not respond.
"Wait, where are we?" Quinlan asked. He hoped he was wrong. "Are we still in the steel warehouse on level 69?"
"Yessir." The clone responded, unconcerned. Quinlan stared at him.
"You shouldn't be here." Quinlan said. "Why are you down here? It's not very safe." The people on level 69 were very anti-Jedi, anti-war, and anti-clone.
"I'm trained for war, sir. I think I can handle it." The clone said. Quinlan scowled.
"You know what I mean." He said. "This is not a clone-friendly place." The clone seemed surprised.
"Well…no, but that's not a problem right now." He said. Quinlan moved to sit up, but stopped as his side burned. It might not be a problem now, but it could become one.
"What's the ETA for the medic?" He asked. The sooner they got out of here, the better. Plus, he was starting to feel the effects of the injury.
"Three minutes, sir." The clone reported. "Is there something you need?"
"No." Quinlan replied. "I just…we should go. They'll be looking…" He grimaced. "I'm not 'zactly supposed to be here either." The clone sighed.
"Yes, I gathered that. But—" He broke off. Quinlan cast out with the Force. People were coming. The Force whispered a warning. Quinlan sighed, and then coughed.
"Might be them. We need to go." He said.
"Can you stand?" The clone asked. Quinlan huffed. Yes. He wanted to say, but he knew he shouldn't draw on the Force unless he had to. He would just exhaust himself.
"Not by myself." Quinlan replied. The clone sighed.
"What if you hide?" Immediately, Quinlan had a surge of fear. Was the clone going to abandon him? He shook the thought away. He could deal with it.
"You're gonna leave me here?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, aiming for nonchalant.
"No." The clone said, as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind. "I would distract them so that they didn't find you." Quinlan stared. Huh. He was used to being on his own, not having people offer to help him.
"No." Quinlan said, knowing that his pursuers would kill the clone. "Just help me up. Do you have a speeder?"
"I left it outside." The clone said, standing and reaching down to help Quinlan up. Quinlan grabbed the clone's arm and staggered to his feet.
"Ow." He whispered, hunching over slightly. The clone moved to his side. Quinlan limped a few steps forwards before nearly falling. The clone grabbed him and steadied him.
"I can walk." Quinlan protested.
"Let me help." The clone ordered. Quinlan sighed and slung his arm over the clone's shoulders, letting the clone support him a little. The Force's warning grew louder. Quinlan grimaced.
"We need to hurry." He whispered.
"Then I need to carry you." The clone replied. Quinlan stuck out his tongue at the clone, who did not appear impressed. Quinlan took a deep breath and straightened, drawing on the Force and stepping away.
"Come on." He said, and started running. The clone followed. They made it to the door, and dashed outside. The speeder was gone. Quinlan spun to Fox, who stumbled away from him.
"Where's the speeder?" Quinlan asked urgently, though he was fairly certain it had been stolen. The Force was pushing at him to go.
"Gone." The clone said. "Stolen, I'd guess. Medic's ETA two minutes." The Force was screaming now.
"It's not gonna be fast enough." Quinlan said, looking back towards the doorway. He grabbed Fox and shoved him behind a stack of crates. Fox scrambled back farther, away from him. Quinlan followed him. He could hear voices again.
"I know I knifed him good. He can't have gone far." Someone growled. Quinlan scowled. He was just…lightly stabbed. It wasn't that serious. He could feel the clone watching him, probably trying to figure out why Quinlan hadn't passed out yet if he'd been stabbed.
"He's a Jedi. He could've just disappeared with his Force magic." A second man scoffed. Quinlan snorted. He wished he could disappear with the Force.
"The clone might've taken him." Another said. "There was a Guard speeder here."
"Nah. One of the pickpockets stole it." The first replied. "Besides, it's Vos we're talking about. Anyways, he's still around. Not in the warehouse, so…"
"Wait, what's that?" Someone asked. Quinlan stiffened. The Force screamed a warning.
"Run." Quinlan whispered. The clone backed up, but he was trapped between a wall and another crate.
"There's nowhere to go." The clone whispered back. Quinlan scowled. That wasn't good. The clone backed up until he couldn't go any farther. Quinlan took a deep breath, crouched, and then jumped up onto the crate. Spots filled his vision as his side burned with pain. Quinlan dropped to the edge and motioned for the clone to follow. The clone jumped and grabbed on to the crate's edge with his fingertips. Quinlan helped him up and then collapsed backwards.
"You good?" He panted, holding his side. The clone paused.
"I'm fine." He said. "You're bleeding."
"Eh, it's fine." Quinlan said. He straightened, drawing on the Force once more. "We need to move. Come on." He jumped to the next crate. The clone followed. Quinlan made it, but wavered on the edge and fell. He caught himself, but yelped as he stretched the wound in his side. The clone came landed just fine and rushed over.
"There he is!" Someone yelled. The clone grabbed Quinlan's arm and dragged him over the edge. Quinlan hunched over and hugged his ribs. He couldn't do that again.
"Just run. I'll hold them off." Quinlan panted. "I can't move." He fumbled for his lightsaber as his pursuers landed on the crate they had just left. They raised their blasters and pointed them at Quinlan. Quinlan stood up, surprised that the clone was still there.
"Surrender, and we won't kill you." The leader ordered. Quinlan coughed, still trying to recover his breath.
"Yeah, you will." He retorted. The leader smirked.
"You, we'll kill. The clone we'll let go."
"No. You won't." Quinlan argued. He knew that the clone was just as disliked as he was. "You can't take us anyways. I'm a Jedi, 'member?" That was a lie. Quinlan wasn't sure how long he could last, but if the clone would just run, Quinlan could manage long enough for him to get away.
"You won't be a threat." The man scoffed. Quinlan ignited his 'saber just as the blasters fired. The clone fired back at them. One of the men's shot's grazed Quinlan's arm. He dropped his 'saber, but recalled it to his left hand.
"Get behind me." He ordered. He couldn't cover them both, not injured like this. Quinlan's vision swam again and he drew on the Force more heavily. It was too much. He collapsed to the ground.
When Quinlan woke, he was in a medbay. Quinlan propped himself up on his elbow, ignoring how it made his side ache. He felt drowsy, so he must be on some kind of painkiller. Or he was still feeling the effects of drawing on the Force to much. That was also possible. The clone who had been leaving, turned around. Quinlan tried to smile at him.
"You a medic?" He asked. The clone shook his head.
"No sir. The medics will be back shortly."
"S'fine." Quinlan mumbled. He blinked and looked at the clone. "Why are you here then?"
"I…needed to complete my mission report." The clone said. Quinlan studied him.
"You're the one that rescued me." He said.
"Yes sir." The clone said.
"What's you're name?" Quinlan asked. He started to sit up, flinched, and decided to stay still. It hurt too much to sit.
"CC-1010. But I go by Fox."
"Fox." Quinlan repeated. "M'kay. I'll remember that. I'm Quinlan Vos. Thanks for your help." Quinlan took a deep breath. It hurt. "If you ever need anything, contact me." He offered. Fox startled.
"I-I was just doing my duty, sir." He said.
"You could'a run." Quinlan corrected him. I told you to, actually. "You could've said you were unable to bring me back. You didn't have to stay." Most people wouldn't have stayed for a stranger. Fox frowned.
"It was my duty, sir." He repeated. Quinlan gave him a tired smile. He didn't want to debate it right now.
"Thanks anyways." He said. Fox nodded.
"You're welcome, sir." He said. Quinlan lay back on his pillow.
"Night Fox." Quinlan murmured, closing his eyes. He could feel Fox's surprise. After a few moments, Quinlan heard him respond.
"Good night, General."