Before I begin this chapter, I just want to say I hope everyone out there is doing alright in the middle of this pandemic. Stay safe!
And for those of you who are sick or feeling under the weather, I hope you get better soon! :)
As their eyes adjusted to the darker interior of the hangar's indoor lighting, Ahsoka was able to take full stock of the situation.
There were four stormtroopers in cover around an Imperial Lambda-class transport. It appeared to have been damaged, panels were missing and wiring was exposed. It appeared the Imperials had been attempting to repair it.
What was most curious was the state the stormtroopers were in. Their armor was not glistening white like the other encounters Ahsoka had had with them. Here, their armor was streaked with dust and sandblasted, most likely from the winds outside.
"I said drop your weapons!" one of them yelled. Reaching out with the Force, Ahsoka could sense the speaker's unease and nervousness. Odd. Most stormtroopers she encountered never had frayed nerves like this one did. She did the same to the other three. They were holding together better. Most likely they were more experienced than the other.
Ahsoka did not sense any malice or aggression from them, just surprise at their appearance. She stepped in front of the others putting a hand down behind her. "It's alright guys, lower your weapons."
They all were reluctant, that Ahsoka could sense, but they all did. Henry holstered his blaster, Hoop let go of the nozzle of the plasma torch, and Rynn leaned her charge thumper against a wall.
One stormtrooper stepped forward, E-11 blaster held across his chest. This was the stormtroopers' commanding officer; he had an orange pauldron on one shoulder that appeared to have been slashed by something. Now that Ahsoka looked closer, his armor was covered in small slashes and grooves. There was something strange about him in the Force though, like an old presence she hadn't felt in a while. In fact it was similar to someone she knew from the Clone Wars. Someone now with them in the Rebellion.
Her eyes almost snapped wide in realization, but she kept the same face. She readied her senses, being prepared for the slightest threat this stormtrooper might pose to her.
He stopped before them. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"We could ask you the same," Ahsoka responded, crossing her arms over her chest.
The stormtrooper commander cocked his head, most likely sizing Ahsoka and the Charon survivors up threat level wise. "From the looks of that thing hanging from your belt, I'd say someone I'd usually shoot first and ask questions about later. That lightsaber there, means you were once a Jedi when the Order still lived. And that dropship you landed in appears vaguely similar to the twisted wrecks out on the other pads, so you must've come from that kriffed up space station in orbit. But I doubt a Jedi would be freely showing her lightsaber around if they were on a civilian station, so I assume your group is with the Rebellion."
"That a problem?" Ahsoka questioned, one hand opening subtly, ready to grab her functioning lightsaber with the Force if the Imperial tried anything.
"Normally yes," the stormtrooper responded, "but this isn't a normal situation. Now why don't you tell me what you are doing down here on this dustball."
Kaeden answered him before Ahsoka could. "We had a medical station on Charon Station, the mining depot up in orbit. Weeks, months, however long ago it was, Charon Station was stricken by a dropship colliding into it at max speed. What's worse was that some new alien species was unleashed up there. We're all that's left. Our only hope was to use that dropship out there as a lifeboat until help arrived."
Hoop joined in. "Problem was the power cells were so depleted we wouldn't last long enough for a rescue ship. We're hoping there are some down here in the mines we can use."
The stormtrooper's head sank a bit. "Haarchak, the infestation got up there too?" He holstered his blaster. "Close the door, don't want any more kriffing dust or sand to get in here." He called to the nervous stormtrooper. "Three-Seven, bring their ship inside. Don't want sand clogging the thrusters." The stormtrooper hesitated for a moment before he complied, starting the mechanical sequence that brought the landing pad into the hangar.
The commander gestured for them to follow him. "RC-709, Imperial Deep Space Reconnaissance. My squad was in the area investigating reports of a smuggler base in this sector when we received a signal from Charon Station. When we got here it was falling apart, but surface scans of Tartarus showed strange activity down here. We decided to investigate here first, thinking the smugglers had hit the station and fled to a base planetside. Encountered a sandstorm on approach and made a crash landing. It's a miracle our shuttle's in the condition it's in."
RC-709 gestured to one of the other experienced stormtroopers, who was leaning against a stack of mining crates. "That's RT-2756. The others are RT-8537 and our pilot RP-462."
Ahsoka frowned. "Sorry, but there is no way I'm calling you by your numbers," she had never called her clone troopers by their numbers, but instead by the names they had given themselves. "What're your names?"
RT-2756 chuckled. "I do get tired of yelling out numbers in the heat of battle sometimes, old man." He turned to Ahsoka and the other Charon survivors and removed his helmet. "Brennan Kowalski," Kowalski was in his mid-twenties, light-skinned with short brown hair. A few scars, most likely given to him from the receiving end of a vibroknife, crossed his face. "I know the nervous wreck over there won't want to say anything, so I'll do it for him. That's TJ Easley, tech specialist, and then there's Milnor Wilcox, the surviving transport pilot."
Easely swore and threw a rock at Kowalski, which the older trooper caught and tossed to his side. Wilcox nodded at the new arrivals before returning to the shuttle. Kowalski then turned to look at RC-709. "How 'bout you, old man? Want me to do it for you as well?"
"Fine," RC-709 sighed. He reached up and removed his helmet. "Name's Crespi."
Ahsoka nodded as he did, recognizing the familiarness of Crespi's weathered face. She had been right. He was an old clone trooper. "You're a clone?" she asked, looking for confirmation.
"I am," he responded. "You going to strike me down? Get revenge for your fallen brethren?"
"No," Ahsoka said tersely. "I'm not. What unit were you in?"
"Not yours, Tano." Crespi said. He laughed at the shock on Ahsoka's face as he correctly identified who she was. "Don't look too shocked, it wasn't that hard to figure out. There weren't that many togruta Jedi, even fewer with orange skin. You also appear to be in your mid thirties. That would make you a teenager during the Clone Wars. And pretty much every clone knew about the 501st Legion and its legendary Jedi leaders Skywalker and Tano. Simple enough to extrapolate that the togrutan Jedi standing before me is Commander Tano all grown up. Enough on that though. We have larger concerns."
Kowalski spoke up. "The old guy mentioned that we crashed on landing here. Wilcox somehow made it to the landing pad. We were surprised when no one came out to greet us after the crash and swept the area we're in now. We found a few shreds of some material like dried snakeskin and the bloodstains and small arms fire you see on the walls around you.
"We set up camp under the shelter of this hangar, unable to get a signal off because of the sandstorm. They came during the night up through the elevator shaft, surprising us while most were asleep. I don't know what they were: black, insectoid creatures that scuttled across the walls and ceiling like spiders. They snatched half a dozen men, and killed a couple others." He gestured to a corner where a few lumps were present under a tarp. "Poor Olmstead was skewered through the back and Reisel died when he shot one off of himself. The blood… it poured out all over him and melted straight through his armor," Kowalski was silent for a moment. "I still hear his screams when I close my eyes."
Crespi took back over for Kowalski, something the younger stormtrooper was probably grateful for. "There were ten of us left after the raid. Some wanted to evacuate as soon as possible, but Massey refused to leave them behind. It came to a vote: 6-4 in favor of staying and rescuing our missing comrades. Massey led six down into the mine a week ago, going level by level via the stairs. Easely stayed up here to fix the shuttle with Wilcox, and Kowalski and I remained to cover him. We lost contact with Massey's group a few days back. No clue what's happened to him."
Easely walked over from the shuttle, pausing and coming to attention before Crespi. "Shuttle should be flyable and space-worthy in an hour or two, sir."
Crespi nodded. "I'm not leaving without knowing the fate of my men. They might be dead, alive, incapacitated, I don't know, but I won't leave without confirmation of their fate."
Kowalski grunted. "Are you sure about that, boss? There's only four of us against who knows how many of them."
"Can that talk Bren," Crespi snapped, whirling to look the stormtrooper in the eyes. "We are Imperial Stormtroopers. We do NOT abandon our own!"
"We can accompany you to Level 4, but no further," Hoop said. "That's where the power cells are supposed to be."
"Oh that's just great," Kowalski jabbed a finger at Hoop. "I knew Rebels were cowardly. You talk all high and mighty about saving people, but you'd leave us to die here trying to save our comrades?"
"And what chance do you think we have against those creatures?"
"Fine. Take what you need and leave. I see how it is."
"But Hoop," Kaeden said, "their friends could be in danger."
"Nobody in the Empire has friends," Henry spoke up, venom creeping into his voice. "They train their cadets to use any means necessary to advance. They train you to see everyone around you as a tool, nothing more."
"Rebel propaganda," Kowalski spat.
"It got my sister killed," Henry shot back. "Her CO threw her and all her stormtroopers into a foolish assault that had no tactical or strategic value whatsoever. Simply because the result of that assault was that the CO got a promotion."
"Like I said, Rebel propaganda," Kowalski said again, eyes steely and cold. "If you weren't at that battle, you can't claim to know what happened."
Henry just glared daggers at Kowalski, who did the same in return. While they squabbled, Hoop turned to Kaeden, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Doctor… Kaeden, look at us. One rebel soldier, two medical staff, an engineer, a science officer, and a former Jedi. Only one of us has even a remote chance of going against all those creatures and coming out alive."
"But we can't just leave them here…"
Crespi cut in, nodding at Hoop. "He's right, young one. You can't save everyone. That's the burden of command. You do what you must to save your people, just as I do the same for me and mine. I'll take any and all support you can offer, but I won't keep you here against your will."
Ahsoka's mind flashed back to Ryloth: her first command and her first failure. She had lost her entire squadron that day because she had neglected their safety. Anakin had told her something similar to what Crespi had told Kaeden. It was impossible to save everyone, especially in the situation they were in.
Looking at the others, Kowalski and Henry were still at each other's throats, Hoop was talking to Kaeden, Barriss and Rynn were sitting quietly in the corner, Barriss appeared to be meditating while Rynn was fiddling with her charge thumper. Easely and Wilcox were putting some finishing touches on the Imperial shuttle. She noticed Wilcox was the quiet type; he hadn't said a word since they had landed here.
Crespi walked over to her. "I take it you're in command of this group?"
"I guess so," Ahsoka said. "I've only known them for a… a day maybe, probably less, but they look to me for guidance and orders."
Crespi chuckled. "You're the most experienced of them all. They see that and accept it. I met your captain once. CT-7567, Captain Rex? I remember something he told all of us: 'Experience outranks everything.'"
"It does," Ahsoka agreed, "but I don't know if any amount of experience can prepare us for what's down in that mine."
"On that we are in agreement, Tano," Crespi nodded. "Easely and Wilcox told me the shuttle should be repaired in about a standard hour. Get some rest while you can, once we head down into that mine, I doubt any of us will be able to get any form of respite."
Crespi got up to leave and had gotten a few steps away when Ahsoka spoke. "Wait, Crespi… there's something I need to know. Did you… you know?"
Crespi stopped and sighed, looking up at the ceiling, then down at the ground in front of his feet. Ahsoka could feel his emotions roiling inside him: anger, disgust, and… despair? "I did my duty." With that, he walked off.
Kaeden looked up as Crespi crouched down next to her. "You armed?" he asked.
Kaeden shook her head. "No. Neither myself or Salvia has a weapon. We weren't really well-equipped up there at Charon Station."
"Why not?" Crespi asked.
"Well, Charon Station was a covert medical station hidden by a mining operation. It wouldn't really be covert if there was a massive arsenal there, would it?"
Crespi chuckled lightly. "No, I guess not."
"Plus most of the weaponry we had was lost when the majority of our crew died in the command center." Kaeden proceeded to tell Crespi about what had happened down up on Charon Station, from the discovery in the mines by Hunter to the desperate battle in the command center, then Ahsoka's arrival and the fights that had happened since she joined them. Through it all, Crespi just listened and nodded.
When Kaeden finished, Crespi sighed sadly. "Listen Doctor, I fought through the Clone Wars. My life was one tidal wave of blaster bolts, clone blood, and droid parts after another, interspersed with moments of soul-crushing boredom while we waited for the next wave of death and destruction. And at the end of it all… I lost my best friend. Since then, I've done nothing but fight for the Empire. I was created to fight. My life holds no other purpose. My life has been nothing but war and violence. But never was I in a situation like the one you were in for the past several weeks. You're stronger than you think to have made it this far and still have hope of survival and life beyond this struggle. Always remember, as long as you can keep moving forward, you can make it. Trust your instincts and keep moving."
He stood and offered Kaeden a hand, helping her up. "Now, let's get you and your friend a gun."
Kaeden called over to Salvia, who stirred and looked over at them. Kaeden waved her over and the three stepped into the banged-up shuttle. Kaeden didn't miss, however, the way Ahsoka's face deepened into a frown on hearing Salvia's name.
Inside the shuttle, Crespi was crouched next to a weapons locker. He opened the lid to reveal blasters of every size. Small hold-out blasters, fleet-issue DH-17 blaster pistols, E-11 stormtrooper rifles, a long blaster rifle probably used for sniping, and others Kaeden didn't know the name of.
Crespi picked out two DH-17s, checking the gas chambers and power packs. "Either of you used one of these?"
Both Kaeden and Salvia shook their heads, although Kaeden said: "Not that one before, no, but I have fired a blaster a few times."
Crespi nodded. "You won't need any long-range stuff down in that mine. These have an effective range of 30 meters, which should be more than enough down there. Gas cartridge carries about 500 rounds, but the power pack is good for only around 100 rounds. Take these," he handed them each a spare gas cartridge and a few extra power packs. Crespi showed them how to reload each and had them each try it a few times. "Other than that, just point and shoot."
Salvia looked at Crespi with a wary look on her face. "Why are you doing this? Couldn't you be killed for giving Rebels weaponry?"
Crespi laughed. "As I told your Jedi leader, this isn't a normal situation. I doubt I'm going to survive this anyways. We all stand a slightly better chance if everyone is armed."
Just over an hour later, Easely and Wilcox reported in to say that the shuttle had been repaired to a space-worthy condition and Crespi gave the order to prepare to head down into the mines.
Crespi walked up to Ahsoka, his voice now modulated by the helmet that was now back on his head. "We'll take the elevator down to the 4th Floor and look for your power cells. If they aren't there, we'll go level by level until we find them or my men. Once your crew finds them, you can either help us or leave, you do what's best for your own. We're leaving Wilcox up here in case we need to make a quick escape."
"Thank you, Crespi."
Kowalski and Easely got into position on both sides of the elevator doors. Crespi nodded, and they pulled the doors open with a screech of metal across accumulated grit. The flashlights slung onto the barrels of their E-11s flicked on to illuminate the inside of the metal cage that made up the elevator.
Nothing came out at them, but the light illuminated a grisly sight.
A partially decomposed body lay in the corner, some of the flesh stripped from its bones, it's mouth frozen open in a scream. Ahsoka couldn't distinguish whether it was male or female, but it was human. The slightly damp, humid air created by the climate control systems had created the perfect environment for whatever bacteria or other microorganisms to do their work. The remaining skin on the body was bloated in some areas and sagged in others. The air smelled with a tang of decay.
Easely slipped into the cage and examined the elevator systems. "Inoperative, give me a moment." Taking a power pack from his belt he plugged in a couple wires. A few moments later, the elevator lights flickered to life. "Systems operative, ready to descend."
"Wait…" Rynn said. "You want us to go down in that?"
"You want to go down the stairs?" Hoop teased. There were over 7,000 individual stairs in each of the two emergency stairwells next to the elevators. Five thousand feet down into the ground. No one wanted to go down all of those. No one, apparently, except for Crespi's missing stormtroopers.
Rynn's face wrinkled around her nose. "Can we at least move the body out of there?"
Crespi looked to Ahsoka, who nodded. Stretching out a hand, she lifted the body into the air and out of the elevator cage.
It didn't stay in one piece.
Thousands of feet below the intruders, they moved about frenetically. Much to do. The hive had to be maintained. It was a frenzy of movement and activity. Repairs, movement of the eggs to safety, stalking the interlopers down here with them.
The interlopers had ran when they attacked. With the death of some, fear surrounded all but one. That one was interesting. That one was not afraid of them like most would be. That one wanted them. That one wanted their offspring. That one was dangerous.
But not nearly as dangerous as the being above them. The being coming for them.
They could feel it. The Power of the Cosmos was being manipulated up on the surface. Enslaved. Forced to do the wielder's bidding.
They smelled the scent, the scent of the wielder. They marked her, prepared for her. As long as she lived, the hive was in danger.
The hive was life. The hive would survive. The interlopers would die. They would make it so.
Ahsoka was the last to pile into the now-empty, but still smelly, elevator. She was the best prepared for anything they might face. Crespi stood next to her, E-11 blaster at the ready. Easely and Kowalski had taken up firing positions at the corners.
"Easely. Bay 4 please."
The stormtrooper complied without complaint. She could feel Kowalski's anger at them simmering. She didn't blame him. If their situations were flipped, she would probably be the same.
It also didn't help that they were rebels and a Jedi.
"Starting descent." Easely said. The doors closed with a shudder and the elevator started to move down towards the nightmare that awaited them.
Ahsoka tried to center herself in the Force to prepare herself for what they would encounter, despite the nagging feeling that there was nothing anyone could do to prepare for this situation. She frowned. Below them, she could feel a massive spike of rage, hate, and aggression. She didn't have the time to dwell on that though.
Her stomach flew up into her throat, the floor giving out beneath them, wind suddenly whistling past her montrals. Someone screamed. Kaeden? Rynn?
Ahsoka thought she heard Crespi yell "Brace!" as the elevator began to shriek.
Well that's just wonderful. I wonder what could have happened. I hope you all enjoyed the stormtroopers I created for this story. How many of them will make it out alive?
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, feel free to comment on anything you saw or thought while reading this. Even better if you have some constructive criticism! I love hearing from my readers on what I could improve on. And if you know someone who might enjoy this story, please pass it on and share it with them! :)
CT7567Rules - Hope you've been enjoying the new season of Clone Wars! Clones are better than stormtroopers for sure. I wonder if having a clone commander means these stormtroopers will be better than your run of the mill trooper.
