It was now the fifth night and no aid was coming to help. The Separatists had continuously been pushing the Republic forces back. The number of wounded and dead was growing high. Xera sat next to one of the clones that had recently joined her Brigade, bandaging a blaster wound on his shoulder. She wasn't sure if it was possible to win this battle. Not without losing many more lives.
"General?" Xera's Senior Commander, Atlas, walked up next to her with his helmet tucked underneath his arm.
Xera stood up and walked with him towards the center of their temporary camp. "Any updates for me?"
"The Separatists seem to be getting ready to mobilize again soon and Doc is patching up the last of the wounded." He sounded exhausted.
Xera nodded and lowered her voice, "What's your opinion on our odds?"
Atlas looked at her briefly before returning his gaze ahead of him, "Would it make a difference, General?" He stopped as the pair reached the rest of the first platoon. "In any case, the men and I have something to ask you."
Xera tilted her head curiously and looked around at her comrades. Shaln stepped forward, supporting Flintlock at his side. "We know there's something that you pray to before every battle. Maybe this time we could all do that?"
"Hate to admit it, but we could use all the luck we can get on our side for this fight." Flintlock piped up.
Xera looked around at the Platoon of troopers, a soft smile spreading across her lips. Some of them, like Atlas, had been with her since the beginning. She sat down and motioned for them to do the same. "Khan is our god of war and battle strategy." She explained. "There is no guarantee that he'll actually assist us in battle if we aren't meant to win."
JJ, the Platoon's lieutenant, shrugged and leaned forward on his knees, "No harm in trying right?"
Xera smiled softly and nodded, holding out her hands for the two troopers beside her to hold, the others in the circle soon following suit. She bowed her head and closed her eyes before asking the Sharlis god for guidance in the battle to come. Soon, Drifter and Alarm came jogging out of the trees lining the clearing where the Brigade had made their camp.
"General!" Alarm called as the two made their way over to the circle of troopers. "The Separatists are on the move!"
Xera looked up and narrowed her eyes. She let go of her troopers' hands and stood up tall. "This will be our last stand." She announced, her fists clenched. "One way or another, let us end this battle tonight." The troopers around her cheered and raised their weapons towards the pitch black sky. The Jedi general then turned to Drifter and Alarm. "Gather the Lieutenants from each of the platoons. I'll be going over the plan once they arrive."
"Yes, General!" The two troopers saluted, determined grins spread across their faces as they raced off to inform the platoon leaders.
[ [ [ [ [ ]
Xera ignited her green lightsaber as she walked through the dark trees and leafy bushes towards the sound of marching droids with Atlas by her side.
The troopers from her first platoon that hadn't been seriously injured in the last clash followed closely behind her. While Hawkeye, Doc, and Flintlock had remained behind at the shuttle to watch over the wounded, the rest of the Brigade had split up to corner the enemy. One group behind the Separatist forces and two waiting in the shadows of the forest to jump out and trap the enemy. She only hoped her plan would work. Her troops couldn't take another all-out battle.
At last, the Separatist forces came into view and Xera motioned for her troopers to stop their advance. She stood there waiting as the opposing army continued marching until they were only a few feet away from the Republic.
"Your forces are looking rather pathetic, General Sharr'khan." The Separatist General brazenly commented. "Have you come to surrender?"
Xera raised her lightsaber towards the General and looked up at him as he sat smugly in his transport, "I still have one more trick up my sleeve, General Salazar." She called, smirking. "We won't be surrendering to you today!"
The shouts of agreement from her troops soon died down as none of their comrades emerged from the line of trees surrounding them as they had been instructed to do when Xera made her comment. Xera looked around, but there was no sign of them. Her heart skipped a beat and she snapped her head towards the Separatist general as he let out a piercing low chuckle. A sinister smile spread across his face and Xera narrowed her eyes.
"I'm afraid if you were hoping for the rest of your clones to join you, you are going to be sorely disappointed, Miss Sharr'khan."
Droids emerged from the shadows around the stationary forces, with the rest of Xera's troops in the middle of the mass, devoid of their weapons and their arms resting on their heads. "A smart move to be sure, but not completely unexpected when facing off against you. Go ahead, my young foe. Why don't you call those soldiers you left back at your dropships?"
Xera's head snapped up and she looked to Atlas instinctively. She hesitantly raised her comlink and contacted Flintlock. After a few eerily silent moments, he answered. "Sorry, General." The side of his head was bleeding, "They got the drop on us."
"It's alright. How is everyone?" Xera's heart was pounding as she waited for him to answer, but the transmission cut out as he opened his mouth to respond. "Flint?" She called, trying to keep her voice calm, but it was hard as she worried for her friend's and comrades' safety.
"Care to surrender now?" General Salazar crowed.
The green ambient light of Xera's lightsaber disappeared as she attached her weapon to her belt. The young Jedi General sighed and silently cursed herself. She didn't see a way out of their present situation. Not with over half of her troops out of the fight and being held captive. "I have one condition." She stated, meeting the Separatist General's gaze.
"General! You can't be serious!" Atlas cried next to her.
Ignoring him and focusing on the General before her, she waited for him to wave her on before Xera continued, choosing her words carefully so as to make sure Atlas would understand her idea, while also making sure the Separatists would understand her condition and wouldn't find a loophole. "I will surrender under the condition that you allow my Troops to get off-world and safely return back to Coruscant."
He clapped his hands together excitedly, and grinned, "Excellent-"
"However-" Xera interrupted, "If you were to break this condition in any way, all of the droids in your army won't be able to stop the vengeance I will wreak upon you." Her voice was deadly calm, but dripping with venom.
She noticed the General gulp nervously before remembering his composure, "And how am I supposed to know that your clones won't just turn around and attack my army anyways?"
It was a fair question. This General was at least cunning, Xera had to give him that much. "Because they follow my wishes even if they don't agree." She looked at Atlas, who looked like he desperately wanted to protest. "You have my word." She finished, turning back to the Separatist General.
"General, I really don't think this is the best move right now-" Atlas finally piped up. The troopers around Xera now began throwing their own concerns into the mix.
Xera smiled softly, she couldn't have asked for a better group of troopers. Of course, they all had their faults. Flintlock and Bomber were about as good at causing trouble as they were defeating droids-that was to say they were excellent at it. Lighter had no regard for his safety but made up for it in his determination to protect his brothers. JJ was as stubborn as they came. Chip was always the clumsiest of the bunch. Bitie and Fang always seemed to be fighting over something and coming up with things to bet on. Error was oblivious most of the time. Yet when it came down to it, Xera knew she could count on them to have her back as well as each other's.
She held up a hand to quiet them down so she could speak. Turning to Atlas, Xera placed one hand on her hip. "Trust me, Atlas, I'll be alright. You just get everyone back to Coruscant safely. That's an order." Again she chose her words carefully as she spoke to her commander.
For a few moments, they stood there, before Atlas shook his head and reluctantly mumbled a half-hearted "Fine."
Xera smiled gratefully and turned back to face the Separatist army. As Atlas ushered the remaining Republic troops back to the dropships, Xera heard him whisper when he walked past her so that only she would be able to hear him, "See you soon, Xera."
When what seemed like an eternity passed by, Xera watched as the dropships finally took off and exited the planet's atmosphere. A few more moments passed by, and no fighting could be seen in the sky above her head, Xera released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
Xera unhooked her lightsaber from her belt and tossed it to the Separatist General who fumbled with it before he managed to regain his hold on it. "Seems you've kept your word, General so I will be keeping mine." She walked forward into the midst of the droids and allowed one to bind her hands behind her back.
With a command from the Separatist General, his army and Xera began walking back through the path to the Separatist's own ship. "I'm so glad that we were able to agree on your surrender, General Sharr'khan."
"Yes." Xera nodded, "I'm glad that we were able to settle things without any more need for bloodshed." So, her god hadn't intended for them to win the battle, but at least her troopers and her were all able to live and fight another day.
"However, I am sorry things have to end this way."
Xera's head snapped up for the last time towards the General in confusion. She briefly heard blasters click before pain flared all throughout her body and her world turned black, the ground rushing up to meet her.
