"It's backing off! Dunn, get everyone in the chopper! Now!" Hawkins frantic voice calls in the comms, as we dash towards the hovering transport. "Get in here now! The building's unstable!"
A few meters from entering the transport, a rocket impacts right in front of me, the pressure wave pushing me back. The transport begins to swerve towards me.
"Shit! Stand back!" Hawkins warns. "I've lost controls!" I immediately crawl backward as fast as possible, the rotors barely missing me, before Hawkins is able to pull up. The enemy chopper returns and fires a salvo at the transport, most of the rockets hitting.
"It's falling apart!" Pac's voice calls faintly as the building continues to collapse. As it continues to fall, I slide down as the top floor shatters, gravity dragging me down until I grab hold of a ledge. With reflexes faster than anything human, a grab hold of Dunn before he can fall off the side.
"Shit! I'm hit!" Hawkins cries, the alarms blaring through the comms. I can only watch as the transport plummets down. "I'm going down! I'm going-" The comms crackle as the transport impacts with a piece of the building that jutted outward, the transport tearing in half. Before it can properly register, Dunn and I also begin the fall, the piece I held onto falling with us.
As consciousness returns, I find myself being dug up by Irish, who helps me to my feet.
"Pac, any sign of Hawkins or the rest of the crew?" Irish asks.
"No one survived." Pac answers shakily. Moments later, the wreckage explodes.
"Hey Recker. Recker, you conscious? Get back in the game, man. Stay with me." Irish calls to me, and as I regain myself, I turn and see Dunn.
"Nice play, Recker. That was some of the finest driving I've ever seen. Right there until the end. Hit the light Pac." The field medic, Pac, hits the roof light, illuminating the inside of the car. Dunn was visibly pinned under the passenger seat and back seats. Irish attempts to free him with no success.
"Shit. This seat won't budge. You're pinned in, Sergeant." He states in frustration.
"Irish, the worst thing we can do in a situation like this, is panic." Dunn warns.
"Don't talk like that man, you scare the crap out of me." Irish retorts, continuing to try and move the seat. "Pac, help me move this seat."
"We're still sinking!" Pac grunts, the seat still not moving.
"We'll get you out of here, Dunn. You hear me?" Irish asks rhetorically.
"How, man? The doors are stuck shut." Pac questions in desperation. The screen cracks further, the pressure becoming too much, Irish's cursing muffled by the breaking glass.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to happen, Irish." Dunn begins, before taking his revolver from his holster. "Recker, take my gun. It's yours now." I take the weapon with shaky hands.
"The fuck you thinking, Dunn? The fuck you thinking?" Irish asks, his voice cracking.
"For the wolf to survive, it's gotta chew off its own leg." He explains. "Fire!" unconsciously, my hand begins to aim the pistol at the glass.
"No, don't do it!" Irish tries to stop me, but his words can't stop my hands, which seem to have a mind of their own.
"Now, Recker! Shoot out the window! That's an order!" With a crack, the bullet tears through the glass, and with the added pressure, it shatters, filling the car with water. Once the pressure is equalized, the three of us open the doors and break for the surface, the car continuing to sink deeper with Dunn's body still trapped inside.
Vex awakes in a fit of sweat, his breathing ragged as he sits up in the med-cot. The buzz of medical equipment a surprisingly soothing sound. After a moment, he feels a soft hand grasping his arm, and he turns to see Ahsoka eyeing him with worry.
"Nightmare?" She asks softly.
"You could say that." He sighs, the beat of his panicked heart loud in his ears as his body goes into fight or flight with anxiety. A few minutes of deep breathing manages to calm his body, though he is still jittery with the effects of such a panic attack. Ahsoka had managed to fall back to sleep, her face contorted with the worry she had, though it softens over time. Feeling better, Vex stands up, leaving the med bay and walking around the Resolute. Anakin had gotten the two stationed back to the Resolute the day after the brain worm incident, but wanted Vex and Ahsoka to stay in the med-bay while he continued to complete missions, at least mostly. Vex traversed the ship and found his way to the Hanger, where Broadside is by an old Z95 Starfighter. "Is that..." Vex trails off, as Broadside turns to him.
"The General pulled some favours. Problem is, the whole ship needs to be refitted and repaired. The only one we could get was this, and she's a mess." Broadside explains.
"That's fine. Gives me something to do when we're on route to a battle or mission." Vex assures, eyeing the sleek, yet bulky ship. "You think we'd be able to do some scrap hunting at the end of our victories?"
"Maybe. Not entirely certain though." Broadside admits.
"If not, we'll just have to find another way around it. We need supplies, and I'd rather not go to scrappers and scavengers. As little credits need to be spent as possible." Vex states. "All the armour plates would need reinforcing. Y-Wing shields would be great, and a Hyperdrive for reconnaissance missions."
"The shields... We might be able to scrounge one up with the spare parts, or If a Y-Wing lands and is totaled in a fight, but the shield is intact, we can grab that." Broadside notes. "Armour, well, we will need to scavenge battles for that. No way we could get away with building some from Republic parts. Hyperdrive, we can commission for a spare, but we might have to forge paperwork."
"You're actually up for doing that?" Vex questions in amazement.
"The General would do the same." Broadside answers. "As long as we don't get caught, it will be fine."
"Alright." Vex sighs. "What's the state of primary systems?"
"Mostly shot. It'll need a heavy rework. The cannons are years old, and won't do much in the long run. They overheat quickly, and have small charge packs that last nowhere near as long as you would need in battle." Broadside groans. "Life support is non-functional. We'll need to scavenge for what we need for that too. If our life support systems fail, we have to rely on our armour. We don't get spare parts or anything. Electrical systems are completely fried, as is the fuel line and tank. No power at all. Engines are in bad shape, but it's easy to get some help from Incom with them. We might even get replacement engines for a low price as soldiers and pilots."
"Definitely a lot of work to do." Vex huffs. "But this is a good start. Anything we can do right now?" Vex asks.
"'We'?, no. You haven't been cleared yet." Broadside denies.
"Seriously?" Vex complains.
"Last I heard, the General said he will see how you are doing when he returns. Until then, there's nothing 'we' can do." Broadside explains. "Me, on the other hand; I can get some requisitioning done. I'll contact Incom and ask about the engines. Same with the shields. I can ask around and see who else might be able to lend a hand among the Vod'e, but I can't give promises."
"Thank you." Vex sighs in joy. "This means so much to me."
"From what you were able to do when we attacked the Malevolence, I firmly believe you should have a ship of your own to help us fight out there. Ground based fighting is all well and good, but you've got so much more to give." Broadside states. "Now, get back to the med-bay. You should ensure you rest up as much as possible to ensure you're discharged." Vex gives a salute, chuckling lightly, as Broadside salutes back. He makes his way back to the cot, noticing a now relaxed and deeply sleeping Ahsoka on her cot, a small smile on her face. Vex smiles at the sight, as he lies back down. Sleep comes easy to him here, and the nightmares keep themselves at bay for the rest of his sleep.
