I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters.
Recruitment Fee
Damian watched the sand before them, one hand extended and a small smile on his face.
"Anything yet?" Gregor asked.
"We're close," Damian said. "Shouldn't be long now."
"You said that almost an hour ago," Rex complained.
"That's because we're traveling in the same direction as them," Damian said calmly. "We're heading toward a sort of gathering point. Maybe a nest."
"Really?" Gregor asked. "That's great! We can come back here to hunt more after!"
"They'll move it," Damian said. "This is a one-time chance."
"Aw," Gregor sighed. "Oh well. Two Joopas is good enough for me." He laughed flippantly, sounding like he might be starting to go insane from years of isolation.
"Stop here," Damian said, Wolffe stopping the AT-TE. "Ready on the gun Rex. Let's see if you remember how to shoot."
Rex snorted. "No problem."
Damian smiled, closing his eyes as he focused. "Ready one."
"Ready," Rex called back, hunching forward and grinning.
Damian swung his arm upward and the ground exploded, a gigantic worm with a white carapace on its upper body that matched the sand in color, a green underbody, and a line of red eyes on the front of its head, just above its screeching maw flipping into the air. After a second, Rex fired the tank's main cannon and the blast slipped into the worm's mouth, exploding inside of it, the worm shrieking again before collapsing to the ground, black smoke curling out of its mouth. The clones, Barriss, Damian, and Ezra all cheered. Damian lowered his arm and smiled pleasantly.
"What about the other one?" Gregor asked.
"Give it a second," Damian said.
Then, an even bigger worm exploded out of the ground directly in front of them and Rex shouted in surprise, grabbing the turret's controls.
"It's Big Bongo!" Gregor cheered.
The worm leaned forward, shrieking just as Rex fired, killing the worm the same way he had the first, and it fell forward, only for Damian and Barriss to hold their hands out, catching it and moving it off to the side before dropping it. Again the clones cheered.
"Nice shooting Rex," Damian smirked.
"Nice wrangling," Rex smirked, climbing down to where the four Jedi were waiting. You got pretty powerful while we were here, didn't you?"
"He's gone full-blown monster," Barriss said. "I'm a little jealous."
"Don't be," Damian said. "It's all thanks to one of my ancestors."
Barriss shrugged. "Still."
"We held up our end of the deal, Captain," Kanan said. "Now it's time to get us those coordinates so we can go."
"I'll get 'em," Rex smiled. "But you might consider staying for dinner."
"It's going to be delicious!" Gregor cheered.
"I'm not so sure I can believe a worm will be delicious," Damian said. "However, I could use some food, and we've got a ways to go in order to get back to the ship, so why not?"
Rex nodded, smiling. The clones set to work making dinner out of pieces of one of the two worms and they all ate. Damian had to admit, Joopa meat wasn't nearly as bad as he was expecting. It wasn't great, and the meat was a little too squishy and juicy for his liking, especially since the meat squirting out juice every time he took a bite reminded him it was worm meat, but it didn't taste too bad. Once they'd eaten, they secured the worms to the sides of the tank and started back, moving much, much slower with the added weight. Damian did some quick math and sighed. It'd take until morning to get back. Already the sun was starting to set.
"I've got the list, and the advice regarding the bases," Rex said. "It's on the tank's main computer."
"Thanks," Damian smiled, walking inside and plugging in a data drive, beginning to download the list. As he was, he glanced to the side, seeing an outgoing message that hadn't been closed out of on a detachable tablet. He frowned, leaning forward to read it before standing, taking the tablet and scanning through the rest of the contents. Aside from the binary transmission to the Empire, alerting the Empire to the presence of Jedi, there were messages from Ahsoka that had never been read. Damian grit his teeth and walked outside, slamming the tablet into Rex's chest, knocking him back a step.
"Explain!" Damian snarled, blaster in hand.
Rex looked at the data pad and his eyes slowly widened. "What?"
"What is it?" Ezra asked from beside Damian, where he'd been talking to Rex.
"One of the clones ratted us out," Damian said. "And has been intercepting Ahsoka's messages."
"What?" Rex asked, looking at the rest of the information on the data pad. "I never got any messages from Commander Tano!"
Behind Rex, Wolffe turned away, only for Damian to lift and turn him with the Force.
"I knew it!" Kanan snapped, storming over. "I told you! They couldn't be trusted!"
"Kanan wait!" Ezra said, holding him back.
"Anything to share with the class Wolffe?" Damian asked, Rex turning to him, seeing the guilt in Wolffe's features.
"Wolffe?" Rex asked. "What did you do?"
"I...I contacted the Empire," Wolffe said as Damian set him on his feet. "If the Empire knew we were helping Jedi they'd wipe us out!"
Just then the tank shuddered to a stop, powering down.
"What's going on?" Rex asked, turning to the window where they could see Gregor, who shrugged.
"We've got a problem!" Barriss called out, running over with the severed top half of an Imperial Probe droid. "It sabotaged the tank."
"Dammit!" Rex swore. "They'll know you're all here."
"I'm calling Shaeeah," Damian said, only for his commlink to let out nothing but static. "Interference. Terrific."
"Can you fix the tank?" Rex asked. "You're a mechanic, right?"
Damian snorted. "I'll fly this hunk of junk back to the Wraith if I have to."
He ran to the back of the tank where the other half of the probe was sitting on the ground and dropped, looking up at the tank, seeing the probe had been cutting and crossing wires. He sighed heavily, then jumped, his magnetic boots attaching him to the bottom of the tank before he set to work. It wasn't a fast process, and within a half hour, he was going off of his lightsaber's light, which wasn't as helpful as he had hoped due to changing the colors of the wires.
"Need a hand?" Barriss asked, shining a flashlight up at the wires.
Damian took his lightsaber's handle out of his mouth, deactivating the blade and putting the weapon away. "Thanks. I was hoping to be done before the sun went down."
"Se were we," Barriss said. "How bad?"
"Aside from fucking with the wiring, that probe damaged some of the machinery," Damian said. "Some nuts and bolts missing here, a plasma-cutter there, and now we're stuck."
"Can you fix it?" Barriss asked.
"Barely," Damian said, then hissed in pain, muttering a swear as an exposed wire shocked him. "I can get it but the tank's not going to move at full speed again. Period."
Barriss nodded, jumping up beside him and activating her own magnetic boots. "Well, I guess we'll just have to be patient while you fix it, won't we?"
"I wish our comms worked, but something in the atmosphere's interfering with the signal," Damian said.
"Any clue what?" Barriss asked.
"No," Damian said. "If I had to guess, I'd say there's a sandstorm brewing."
Barriss nodded. "That's what Rex said too."
Damian nodded. "We'd better get this thing covered by the time we get into the storm or it's going to short out all of the wiring."
Barriss nodded.
Damian settled back in, continuing to work in silence, and finally finished making what repairs he could as the sun was beginning to rise. He used his lightsaber to carefully weld the panel the droid had used back into place before climbing up to the top of the tank, nodding to Gregor. Gregor started the tank and a loud, shuddering groan echoed from inside before fading. The tank started forward, but its movements were jerky, and a loud metallic impact sounded before sparks flew as the left middle leg tried to move, then continued each time, the legs dragging over the ground, slowing the tanks considerably.
"It's going to take us forever to get back to the ship," Rex said.
"I know," Damian nodded. "Just do what you can."
Rex nodded and Damian looked back where a sandstorm was gaining on them rapidly. It was huge. No wonder coms were down. There was practically enough static electricity in the air already to make Damian's hair stand on end. He waited outside in silence as Rex headed inside with the others. And after several hours, Barriss suddenly stepped out, looking slightly worried.
"The Empire's here," Barriss said. "They just called and showed a picture of me with my lightsaber as I killed the Probe droid. Sorry."
"It's fine," Damian said, just as a TIE fighter dropped out of the clouds. "Here goes."
He raised a hand, catching the ship with the Force before sending it exploding into the ground. Rex and the others ran outside before Rex told Wolffe to take evasive maneuvers, Wolffe beginning to turn the tank.
"TIEs don't fly alone," Rex said.
"Oh I know," Damian said as several more flew down out of the clouds, opening fire.
The others extended their lightsabers, using them to try and protect he tank, Rex grabbing a rocket launcher and climbing to the top, waiting. One of them moved to make a low pass and Damian deflected a pair of shots up at it, managing to graze it and make it veer off.
"Why doesn't someone man the big gun?" Ezra asked finally.
"It's no good in this situation," Rex said.
"Oh, kinda like you guys," Kanan jabbed as he blocked a few blasts from a TIE fighter.
"You want the shot?" Rex asked Gregor.
"Love to," Gregor said, accepting the rocket launcher.
He walked to the front of the tank and raised his, then fired as a TIE fighter passed over them. After a moment, the rocket hit the edge of one wing, exploding and blowing the wing off, sending the fighter corkscrewing and spiraling toward the ground. However, before it could hit, its remaining wing clipped the wing of another and both wound up becoming fireballs against the ground. Damian stared for a moment before hurling his lightsaber into the air, the lightsaber spinning in a blurred disk before slicing off the last TIE fighter's wing, sending it exploding into the air as well as Damian caught his lightsaber.
"That was an amazing shot," Damian said.
"Gregor, you've still got it," Rex commended Gregor.
"It's in my blood," Gregor said proudly.
"You know, we'd make a good team if we all fought together," Ezra said.
"Yeah, tried that once, didn't really work out so well," Kanan said. "Now if that storm gets any closer it'll ground us, even with the Wraith. Can you make this hunk of junk move any faster?"
"Not unless you want to get out and push," Rex said.
"Be patient Kanan," Damian said. "The storm is going to catch us, there's no way around that. And the Empire's definitely not done with us. Who was it that called?"
"Our old friend Kallus," Kanan said.
"I thought so," Damian nodded. "We're in luck."
"How?" Kanan asked.
"He's too prideful to bomb us from orbit and be done with it," Damian said. "He'll try to come down and capture us himself, most likely in AT-ATs."
"AT-ATs?" Rex asked.
"It's like this only a lot bigger, meaner, faster, and on four legs," Damian said.
"Four?" Wolffe asked. "How's it not fall over?"
"Very precise engineering," Damian said. "They're a pain to deal with, but not impossible."
"Enemy contact," Wolffe said. "Point two four."
They all turned where he was pointing, seeing three specs in the distance. Rex and Damian both held up binoculars and Damian smirked.
"AT-ATs," Damian said. "Damn, Kallus, you're almost predictable."
"Any surprises in them?" Barriss asked.
Damian focused for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't sense him, but it wouldn't be the first time he's slipped past my senses."
"The Sith Stalker?" Rex asked.
"Yeah," Damian nodded. "The last one."
"Last?" Rex asked. "There were more?"
"Quite a few, yes," Damian nodded. "But we managed to kill all the others, and now he's the last. But I beat him in the last fight, so in theory, I should be able to beat him again if I have to fight him again."
Rex nodded as Damian handed his optics to Gregor.
"Look at the size of them!" Gregor grinned.
"Huh," Rex mused, inspecting the walkers. "Reinforced armor plating, heavy cannons, and anti-personnel blasters."
"I'm glad you guys are excited, but those giant death machines are on their way to blow us to bits!" Ezra reminded them.
"Wolffe set vector two niner zero," Rex instructed, Wolffe saluting and heading into the tank.
"Wait, you're just gonna turn and run?" Kanan asked. "Just like that?"
"Well if you've got a better idea, Sir, now's the time," Rex said, sitting in the heavy cannon's gunner seat.
"I thought you clones love to fight," Kanan said.
"I do love a battle," Rex said. "But on my terms. Gregor, drop the Joopas, we gotta get moving!"
"Aaww," Greggor complained. "Bye, bye Big Bongo."
The cranes holding the Joopas released and fell, only for both Joopas to stop, hovering alongside the tank, Damian and Barriss both holding their arms out toward one.
"We'll bring these," Damian said. "I have an idea to beat the walkers. They have a weak point. their necks aren't armored."
"A single shot could take it down," Gregor said.
"Do you have a way to line up that shot?" Rex asked. "Without getting blown to bits, preferably."
"I do," Damian nodded. "Head into the storm. It'll scramble their sensors."
"Yeah, and ours!" Kanan said.
"True," Damian nodded. "Which is why you and Ezra will be guiding us by seeing with the Force. Consider it training."
Rex looked to Kanan who sided.
"Alright, fine," Kanan said. "Do it."
"Wolffe, turn to one eight zero," Rex said.
"Copy that," Wolffe replied, heading toward the sandstorm, everyone heading inside.
The walkers began to fire at them, but stopped as they entered the sand cloud. As they did, Kanan reached out, closing his eyes, Ezra doing the same.
"I'll guide you," Kanan said. "If you're willing to trust me, I'll get you that shot. Ezra, you just focus on sensing our surroundings."
Ezra nodded.
"I always trust my general," Rex said.
Kanan nodded, focusing as Damian and Barriss shared a knowing look, both feeling the strain of carrying a Joopa with the Force for so long. "Prepare to stop. Now!"
Wolffe yanked on the controls, stopping the tank, the damaged leg screeching and complaining loudly, the sound echoing even above the wind.
"That leg's going to give us away!" Wolffe said.
"Don't worry about that," Kanan said. "Commander Wolffe, circle left. Double time."
Wolffe began to turn the tank, the leg once again screaming and protesting, dragging uselessly across the ground.
"Full stop!" Kanan said.
Wolffe stopped. Damian sighed I relief.
"Barriss, under the tank."
Barriss nodded and both shoved their Joopa under the tank, the tank sitting on top of it and holding it in place.
"If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded," Kanan said.
"What!?" Ezra shouted.
"We are," Damian nodded, pulling his helmet on. "We'll take out one of the walkers after you blast one, then use ours to take the third one out.
Rex nodded as Barriss pulled on a clear breathing mask that looked to be made of glass.
"I'll take the shot," Gregor said.
"No," Kanan said. "Ezra should take the shot."
"Uh, why don't you do it?" Ezra asked.
"Kanan's right," Rex said. "We need one Jedi up there manning the cannon, and another Jedi down here to lead us out of this mess. And with Barriss and Damian going to try and take out the other two, that leaves you."
Ezra nodded.
"Damian, can you spot him before you go?" Rex asked.
"Sure," Damian nodded. "Come on kid. Target practice time."
Ezra nodded but before he could leave, Rex tossed him his old helmet. The three Jedi headed outside, Damian keeping Ezra from being blown away in the storm and helping him to the gun. Once Ezra was sitting down, Barriss set a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't miss," Barriss said.
"Hey, I never miss," Ezra smirked.
"Ezra, I've seen you shoot," Damian said.
Ezra sighed. "It'll be fine."
"Ezra, there's a walker somewhere...around point five," Kanan said over their commlinks.
"Somewhere around point five?" Ezra asked. "Perfect. Targeting scope's useless. I can't see it!"
"Doesn't matter," Kanan said. "You're not going to see it with your eyes."
"You're sensing it with the Force," Damian said.
Ezra nodded and remained silent and still, releasing the gun's controls for a moment before reaching out to the handle with the firing button. Then, after a moment, he pressed it and the shot flashed out, scoring a direct hit on the neck and exploding. Damian grinned and nodded.
"Walker's down!" Damian said. "Me and Barriss are off! You'll be dragging the Joopas when you move to steer wide."
He and Barriss dropped off the tank, taking a moment to attach the cranes back to the Joopas, then took off at a sprint, dashing through the storm, lightsaber handles in hand but not ignited. As they ran, the remaining walkers opened fire at where the tank had been, hitting nothing, and Damian grinned. If Kallus had thought about it, he'd have fired around the downed walker instead. They reached the walker they had chosen to take down and jumped, flipping and using their mag boots to land on the underside. Damian extended his lightsaber and slashed the latch for a panel, swinging it open before they both flipped inside, instantly going to work slaughtering the dozen or so clones inside. Then, they moved to the tank's head, killing the two drivers. As they sat in the driver's seats, they turned the walker, opening fire on the other, blasting its guns first, then hitting the neck. After a moment, it crashed tot he ground and a speeder left it, racing away through the storm before flipping and crashing as the wind decided to stop it. Damian grinned, holding out a hand and Barriss slapped it before they followed the clones out of the storm, then stopped. The clones, Kanan, and Ezra all walked outside and Damian opened the hatch in the roof, climbing out and waving. Rex waved back.
He and Barriss dropped to the ground and walked over as the others all climbed off of the AT-TE. They met in the middle and Gregor gave Damian a high five.
"Nice job," Rex said. "Felt just like the old days."
"I thought it might," Damian nodded. "Now, how're those comms working?"
"Already called for pickup," Ezra said. "And we've got more good news."
"Oh?" Damian asked.
"I've decided to come back with you," Rex said. "After all, someone's got to be there to make sure you don't hurt Ahsoka."
"Oh please," Damian snorted. "She'd kill me if I did. Besides, you don't have to worry about that. She saved me. I'll do anything for her. Including hog tie you and bring you back by force if necessary."
Rex chuckled. "No, no. I'll come with you. Gregor, Wolffe, this is goodbye."
All three Clones saluted each other, then Gregor turned to the AT-AT excitedly.
"It's so beautiful!" Gregor grinned.
"And all yours," Damian said. "Once you throw out the dead bodies. And there's a latch on the stomach that needs replacing."
"Easy job," Gregor grinned.
Just then, the Wraith flew over, landing off to the side and They all said their goodbyes before those leaving the planet headed to the Wraith. They left the planet and Shaeeah jumped to Hyperspace as soon as they broke orbit. A few hours later, Damian met Ahsoka with a hug, sinning her once before kissing her.
"You weren't gone that long," Ahsoka smirked, before her eyes widened. "Did something happen? Was he there!?"
"No, no," Damian chuckled. "Nothing like that. I'm just happy to see you again. I miss you."
Ahsoka smiled and kissed him, then pulled back and looked behind him, the others parting and allowing Rex to pass them.
"Commander," Rex smiled. "You've hardly aged at all."
"I have Damian to thank," Ahsoka said. "He strengthened my connection to the Force using his own, and the Force slowed my aging, just like it did his and Barriss's."
"Wait, you can do that?" Ezra asked.
"Yep," Damian nodded.
Ahsoka hugged Rex, and he chuckled, hugging her back.
"I'm glad you're still alive," Rex said.
"You too," Ahsoka smiled.
"Well I wouldn't be, if it weren't for these four," Rex said, gesturing to Damian and the other three Jedi.
"Thank you for trusting my friend," Ahsoka said.
"It wasn't easy," Kanan snorted, then sighed. "It's still not."
"Nothing worth doing ever is," Ahsoka said.
"Ain't that the truth," Damian sighed. "Why can't something ever be both worth doing and easy?"
"Are you trying to say something?" Ahsoka smirked.
"What are you kidding?" Damian asked. "It was definitely not easy getting to do you."
The others all groaned, besides Barriss, all of them leaving.
"I just payed the difficulty in advance," Damian said. "Now I get to be with you for free."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, kissing him. "Come on. I'm sure Riyo won't mind having Alina for a few more hours."
Damian grinned widely and followed Ahsoka to their room without complaint.
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