Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ella was nervous as she watched the men get into the troop transports and head towards the land. She couldn't go down until they'd gotten a defensible position so she wouldn't need to run. It was a compromise; she wouldn't abandon them, even though she was pregnant. Her presence wielded the power of whether some lived or died, and she wouldn't sit up on the Resolute and prop her feet up while eating potato chips and watching romantic comedies when they needed her.

It was a while before they called her, but Oddball was ready to bring her the moment she'd received confirmation. He had to do a quick bomb run, but that was neat. Watching the explosions was fun when you weren't running from them.

Ella stepped out of the ship into the dark world and sighed. There was a lot of pain and anger and maliciousness to be found here. She didn't like it. It gave her a cold, creeping feeling like dead fingers slipping up her spine.

"Ella!" Tup greeted relievedly. "You made it."

She smiled and hugged him, her round belly getting in the way a bit. She was eight months pregnant and it showed.

"How are you, Tup?" she asked.

He smiled, "I'm okay. The captain made sure I stayed sane on the gunship."

She squeezed his hand, "In glad you're alright, Tup. It takes a lot of courage to face something that brings back such horrible memories. Give yourself some credit."

He flushed and sighed, "Thanks, Ella. How's Ayah?"

She smiled, "She took a nap earlier, so think, but came back kicking. Feel right here; she's had her elbow against it all day."

He touched where she guided him and chuckled, "That must feel pretty uncomfortable."

She just shrugged, "She's getting bigger. Less room in there for her usual gymnastics."

"Wow," he breathed.

All the clones were pretty overwhelmed by her ability to grow a human inside her using just the resources her body gave her to make a hospitable environment. She understood where they came from. If scientists had spent forever trying to replicate the wondrous female body to make a false womb where they were grown, she'd be pretty awed by her capabilities too.

Still, it was kinda cute how even the toughest guys softened whenever they saw her, eyes glued to her swollen belly, a sweet, gentle glow in them as they thought about the little one that they'd be meeting soon.

"Well, tell her to let Mommy have a few minutes of peace," Tup said. "That's an order, ad'ika."

She smiled, "I will. And she'll tire out sooner or later."

Ella went into the back where the wounded were being encircled by a protective perimeter. When Kix saw her, he sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you're here, Ella," he said. "They got burned real bad by some weird bug thingy on the hill. Electric shock burns. Now a lot of their nervous systems are flaring up, and I'm running out of hypos."

She grimaced, unslinging her backpack. "Let's see here. Joot, lay still, trying to stand is not going to be helping anyone fight now."

"Y-Yes ma'am," he stuttered back, curled over his leg.

She knelt down next to him and examined the wound. It was an ugly burn; red and bubbly with the swollen, veiny tentacles of electricity reaching up his calf.

"I have a spray that will help with the burns," she said. "It'll sting at first. Kix," she began.

He nodded, stepping forward and grabbing his brother's hands.

Ella tried to be quick an thorough. There was no reason to stretch this out longer than need be, especially when it hurt Joot so much. She hadn't told him that after it stung, most of the pain would go away, and so was glad when he relaxed, a look of tired relief on his face as he unlocked his hands from Kix's.

The medic opened and closed his hands, rubbing them together.

"Did I hurt you?" the patient worried.

He shook his head, "Nah. Just tested the strength of my bones. That's all."

Joot actually smirked at this, though he apologized for his attempt.

Ella was standing up from treating the third to last man, when two gunships approached. They hovered over the ground just a little, stopping a few yards ahead of the grouped men.

The doors popped open to reveal a scowling besalisk, whose four arms were crossed over his chest and torso. He stalked off and talked to General Skywalker.

For some reason, Anakin left. Ella wished she knew why, but she couldn't hear the conversation; she was too far back in the crowd.

Rex said something to him, and he replied. Whatever was said made her friend flinch in shock.

"Stand at attention when I address you."

Huh?

"Your flattery is duly noted, but it will not be rewarded. There's a reason my command is so effective, and it's because I do things by the book; that includes protocol," he said, stalking through the men and growling in their faces. Then to Rex, "Have all platoons ready to move out immediately. That is all."

They all froze for a second, shocked by this... leadership.

Ella only had one thought in her mind.

The kriff?

Ella moved to the next man needing attention, and knelt down to treat his leg. She grimaced. It was bad. All the way up to his thigh. If she didn't care for it now, infection could set in and he might lose the whole thing.

Not today.

She had just begun to spray, squeezing Winter's hand in comfort, when, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INSUBORDINATION?!"

Ella squeaked and almost curled into a protective ball. Instead, her hands balled into fists, and she didn't turn when she replied. If he couldn't show respect to those who deserved it, it cancelled out what respect he thought he was owed.

"I'm caring for the wounded," she stated obviously.

"I can see that!" he growled, "But you are disobeying my direct orders! Stand at—"

Ella turned this time, and flared up at him, not at all intimidated by the huge gap between their heights. You didn't have to be big to be scary. "With all due respect, who peed in your cereal?"

"What did you—?"

"Not finished. You've said your piece. It's my turn. You might be General here. But I'm not under your jurisdiction. If you want me to treat you with respect, you'll have to reciprocate, and right now, you've done quite the opposite."

"You little—"

"Uh uh. What did I say? My turn. Now Winter here was burned very badly up on the ridge, and his leg will get infected perhaps to the point of needing amputation if I do not give him immediate care. I will finish caring for him, and then move on to Cipher. The others can go ahead and ready while I am working, but it will likely go quicker if I have someone to help me."

"Listen to me, medic," he growled dangerously. Ella heard the hairs on every neck around her bristle. "You will put away your supplies and step in line immediately!"

Ella shook her head, "Afraid not. And I'm a registered nurse, trained in field med and physical therapy. Don't know if you've noticed, but I'm also female, and pregnant. So back off. You're getting on my nerves and my patience is as thin as ice these days."

Krell looked like he'd say more, but decided against it; he knew he was holding up the line. Furiously, he stomped to the front.

Ella sighed in relief, "I'm sorry, Winter. We'll have to start again. Wanna bite on this?"

He nodded and took the mouthpiece she offered him, but said, "I want to cheer for you but I think he'd find it mutinous."

Ella laughed, "Don't you worry about cheering. And I won't let him push me around. How strong can he really be anyway? He's not growing a human inside him."

Wander chuckled beside her, "Stang right! Now let me have your hands, Winter. Go ahead Ella. Shh... it's okay. It'll be over soon. Just stay still."

Winter tried. He really did. But in the end, Chopper came over and helped hold him down so they could finish. He took the ointment and bandages from Ella and told her to finish Cipher's wound and wrap him up.

Kix and Wander hefted her time her feet, careful not to jostle the tiny girl in her nearing-on-huge belly.

"Thanks guys," she murmured. "I guess I have to start walking."

They sighed,

"Yeah. But you go on ahead with Rex and Fives," Chopper said from behind her. "I want to know there are two ARCs who will step between you and that... raging inferno of angst."

Ella laughed, then whispered, "He reminds me of a wet cat, honestly."

"Thanks for sticking up for us, Ella," Joot grunted from beside her where he was leaning heavily on Vutyc.

"You're my family, boys. I defend those I love," she said. Then she giggled, "But I think my pregnant hormones were squawking too, so you can thank Ayah."

•~§~•

Ella was exhausted. She couldn't walk for this long and not be. Not with the weight of a watermelon strapped to her front and a slightly lighter bag on her back. About eight hours after they'd started, she was falling behind from sheer exhaustion.

Someone tapped her shoulder.

Dogma.

"Mitre wanted to know if you would like a lift on one of the walkers," he whispered. "Gosh, you don't look good. Here," he handed her his canteen. "You need it more than I do."

She shook her head, "It's okay. I have some in my pack, I just can't get it off without being left behind."

"Want me to help?" he offered.

She sighed in relief, "That would be so helpful."

He opened her pack as she walked and quickly drew out a canteen of water. "You're sure carrying a lot," he worried.

She nodded, "Yes, but it's not too much. I'm careful."

He sighed, "If you say so. Just be... don't forget her."

Ella giggled, "If her elbow was digging into your kidney, I think you'd know how impossible that would be."

He laughed quietly, cautiously. Then he raised his wrist, "Come on over, Mitre. She needs the lift."

A walker quickly made its way over to her and several of the men helped her up. She sat in front of her rescuer, gripping with her legs to keep from falling.

"I'm not pushing you off, am I?" she worried.

He chuckled, "No, Ella. You aren't. Don't worry. Just take a break for a few hours."

And so she did.

She was awakened a few hours later by raised voices.

"CT-7567, are you reading me?"

She groaned. "Not him again."

"I asked you a question, CT-7567. Do you understand the need to adhere to my strategy?"

"Sir, the terrain is extremely hostile. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the battalion is making good time. These men just... need a little break."

Rex's voice was uncannily calm despite the slights he was enduring.

Ella groaned, "What did I miss?"

Mitre whispered, "Tup got picked up by a creepy flying thing. He's okay though."

"Is this about a rest? It's due time that someone said something," she grumbled, "It's been, what? Twelve hours with no rest? Even ARCs don't pull that kind of stupidity."

Mitre chuckled at her. "You gonna take him on?"

"Captain," Krell said, his voice increasing in volume. "Do I need to remind you of this battalion's strategic mission in conquering this planet? Look back. See those platoons? Their mission is to take this city and take it swiftly. Time and rest are luxuries the Republic cannot afford. We are the key to this invasion! The other battalions are counting on our support! If we fail, everyone fails! Do you understand this! Do all of you understand this! Now move on!"

Ella's blood simmered. He was playing a dangerous game with his men, throwing their health to the wind. What she wanted to know was how he planned to force an exhausted-off-their-feet army to be the elite and unstoppable fighting battalion they would've been with well-needed rests.

If there ever was a shab'la di'kut, Pong Krell would be the one most deserving of that label.

•~§~•

The injured looked bad after the long walk. The wounds were weeping and it took more effort and pain on their part to bring their wounds to a safer zone.

Ella wanted to scream, and rip Krell's arms off and stuff them up his—

Okay, and the pregnancy temper is back. It lives ladies and gentlemen. Alive and kicking and ready to down that humongous pile of walking idiocy.

Every time she saw him, it was a physical struggle not to wail on him for causing the men she cared about to much unnecessary pain. For putting their lives in danger.

Rex sighed and leaned against a tree, groaning and rubbing his temples. "Please just do the Umbarans a favor and shoot me now."

Ella sighed, "Need something for that headache?"

He nodded, "If you can spare something... ah! You brought the...?"

She smiled and popped two of the ZapAche into his hand. He sighed in relief as they kicked in.

"So, what did he do this time?" she asked, pressing a cold cloth to Winter's sweaty forehead. He whimpered, trying to squirm away from the feverish pain in his leg. "Shh. Shh shh, it's okay. You're gonna be okay."

Rex's brow furrowed as he watched the exchange, and he sighed, "He's having us abandon Skywalker's plan and move out in a full forward assault up the main road."

Ella shook her head, "He's going to get everyone killed."

Rex grunted in agreement, "That's what I'm worried about. It's not like I can do anything, though. With Skywalker, he and I can talk through things and come to an agreement. Which is what we did this time."

Ella nodded, "It helps when the care of the men is one of the top priorities."

Rex sighed sadly, "I... highly doubt that is even on the list of his priorities at all."

Ella shook her head, busying her hands with Winter as to keep herself from running away to kick Krell's shins. She'd taken on Cad Bane. Surely Krell couldn't be that much harder to wrangle.

You didn't have a baby to think about then, Sensibility reminded.

"When do you head out?"

"Now."

Ella swallowed. "You better be back."

Rex smiled and hugged her, "I will be. No way am I leaving before seeing my little niece."

She sniffled, "Rex don't make me cry. Please."

He chuckled, "No, I won't. I promise. We will come back."

Ella nodded, and squeezed his hand. "I guess I'll be here then, since I'm banned from active combat. Which means you better bring back all those boys."

Rex nodded, "That's always the goal."

She squeezed once more, and let him go, telling him to be safe.

Ayah moved within her as she sat next to Cipher. She gently rubbed her womb, sighing. "How are you feeling Cipher?"

He groaned, "I... not too good, Ella," he admitted.

"I have to give you an antibiotic. Need another pain stim while I'm at it?" she murmured gently, taking another cool cloth from her bag and rubbing it across his forehead.

He leaned into her touch and the refreshing towel against his burning skin, nodding.

She took out the two hypos and injected the antibiotic into the site of the wound. Cipher jerked, whining.

"Shhh... sorry, I didn't tell you because you'd stiffen up and it would hurt worse. Just one more."

He nodded, hissing when the needle penetrated but sighing in relief the moment the numbing substance went to work. She nestled closer to him and let him lean his head on her shoulder tiredly.

"Thanks, Ella," he murmured.

"You're welcome, Cipher." She giggled then, touching her vibrating tummy. "Thought she'd be asleep by now. She's been so busy today. Maybe she takes power naps in between exercise."

He hummed in amusement. "How long now?"

"Until she's born?" she clarified.

He nodded, "Yeah. You're how far along?"

"32 weeks. So only a about 6 to 8 weeks left," she sighed. "She's big now. I can feel her head, and you can see my stomach move when she does. Oh, see?" She pulled her shirt up a little so he could watch the ripples.

Cipher gasped in astonishment, "That's so amazing!"

She giggled, "It sure is."

"It's amazing that you can do the work of an entire facility with just your body, Ella. Even if it does take a little longer," he said. "What do you think she'll look like?"

"Well, tiny and squishy, and she'll smell sweet. Newborns have the most beautiful smell. Like warm cotton and lavender or something. And her fingers and toes will be so tiny, like little pearls and jewels. Mmmm..."

Ella had to stop as a cramping pain squeezed her abdomen.

"Are you okay?" Cipher asked apprehensively.

Ella smiled, though it was a bit strained. "I'm okay. Just some Braxton Hicks. They just started a few days ago. It's not urgent unless a pattern starts. Right now they're just random."

He nodded, "I'm sorry they're hurting you."

She smiled, huffing a little. "They're not so bad. They just come by surprise."

He nodded. "Ella, I'm sleepy."

She nodded. "Stay awake just a little longer, I'm gonna pull us close to your brothers, okay?"

He nodded, smiling a little at the prospect of a cuddle pile to be.

Ella carefully pulled him just a few feet to the side where the rest of his brothers were snuggled. Winter and Cipher wrapped their arms around her, quickly pulling her into the midst. Ella smiled. She'd heard from Kix that many of the men felt safe when in her presence. Something that was such a foreign concept to them that it startled them. But that couldn't deter them from wanting to incorporate the sweet young woman into every activity possible, just to have her sweet presence.

The most recent activity had placed her in the spotlight, and no one wanted her to leave it anytime soon.

It had started with a surprise present from Padmé.

She had been gifted a brand new piano by a senator or something. She, however, didn't play, and asked the kindly person if he would mind if she gifted it to someone she knew who loved the piano and hadn't had the opportunity to play in a very long time because she didn't own one.

He'd heartily agreed, and so the Resolute now had its own piano in the mess hall. It was the only place big enough to fit it where everyone could listen readily, especially since there was no entertainment center.

Ella had been so excited when she'd seen it the first time, almost but not really bouncing up and down, as it wasn't safe for Ayah. She waddled over to the bench and caressed the ivory keys adoringly, muttering to herself about the beauty of the instrument, then asking Chopper if he could help her lift and prop up the heavy lid.

After it was opened, she sat at the beautiful piano and played a few scales and arpeggios.

The tinkling sound of the instrument drew a crowd as she began to play, Earth Angel, her smile a bittersweet one that changed a little with every note.

This lyric swelled and trembled until it spilled over into another song. Moonlight Sonata.

By now, almost all of the men had gathered, quietly slipping into empty spaces, just leaning in to hear the music, the likes of which they'd never been able to hear before, let alone witness in person.

Those sitting by her quietly whispered how her hands moved with such fluidity and grace, dancing across the black and white keys like falling rain.

They rode the dips and highs of the midnight journey, listening to the sun slowly rise, blotting out the other stars as it bid the moon a restful sleep until it would cast its enchantment the next evening.

Then a thunderous applause had clapped through the room as quick as lightning striking the moment the flourish of the final note ceased to ring. Ella started at first, so deeply infused in her music that she hadn't noticed the crowd that had grown. She flushed and took a little bow from the bench.

Ella thought of the lovely evenings to follow as she cuddled with the boys now. How each night they'd begged her to please, please play something! We really like it!

"You're... voice is pretty," Lodes murmured, trying to twist closer.

Ella suddenly realized she'd been humming, and let out a breathy laugh of surprise, "I didn't know I had been humming! But thank you."

"Would you...?" Winter tried. He stopped, as if he were afraid he was asking something that would offend her.

"Would I what, Winter?" she asked gently.

He sighed, "Sing for us?"

She paused, considering. Then she nodded, and began to him the intro of a song to get her voice acclimated before she threw herself into it fully.

"If I could, I would give you wings

To lift you way up in the air,

And you could find the rainbow's end,

Cause wings would get you there.

If I could, I would give you wings

To carry you out of the storm

They'd take you higher than the wind

And you'd be safe and warm.

Wings, little wings

Wings in the wink of and eye

Soon your little wings will be

Big enough to fly.

If I could, I would give you wing

To lighten your heart through the years

They'd flutter soft around you then

And dry up all your tears."

There wasn't much noise after but that of distant blasterfire. Ella sat with the boys for what felt like hours, just holding them and soothing them back to sleep when they woke, and occasionally checking their injuries.

•~§~•

Ella had just taken a seat again after changing Joot's bandages, when the earth erupted in flames close by, the impact of the originating blast shaking the ground.

The men immediately wakened from their sleep, readying weapons. They pulled Ella more protectively into their midst, all curling around her.

Ella drew her own blaster and held it before her, waiting on someone to emerge from the flaming shadows.

"Hold!" a familiar voice cried.

Ella and the men all slumped in relief at the sight of Kix, Chopper, Jesse, Vutyc, and Tup.

"Thank Heaven you're safe!" Ella gasped.

"We can do that later," Jesse said. "The Umbarans are headed here, and we need to move you to better cover."

Ella nodded and stood, "Chopper, can you take Winter? He's the worst off. Jesse, Joot and Saph can still walk, help them. Kix get Cipher. Tup, you get Tricks, and Vutyc, help me with Ivory."

Together they moved the injured to a cleft in some trees, a little closer to the action. Ella helped care for the new wounded as the skirmish progressed.

It was rather nightmarish.

Pitch black save the eerie reddish-pink lights that glimmered dimly above them, the world lit up by green and blue blaster bolts, or the blindingly-bright blue-white light of the missiles from the Umbaran aircraft.

Kix dragged someone off the field and injected him with a painkiller, then handed him off to Vutyc, who left him with Ella.

Ella sat beside him and began to patch up his wound, "Oh, Point, you really have gotten yourself into trouble this time, haven't you?"

He shrugged, "Suppose so."

She laughed softly, "You lie still with the others. Okay?"

He nodded, "Yes ma'am."

Kix stuck his head back into the shelter and called, "We're moving again. We have more help this time."

Ella nodded and helped him support Winter. She sighed as his head lolled against her neck; his skin was hit and burned against hers.

"I'm really worried about Winter, Kix," she said when they'd gotten to a quitter area.

"Me too," he replied. "Fortunately, they'll be staying here until we secure that base."

"Oh?"

He shrugged, "The General says carting them around is taking too much time. I doubt he plans to partake in the fighting anyway, so it's not like there won't be anyone here."

Ella narrowed her eyes, "I'm staying then."

"You are, but why are you determined this time? I thought it would take more convincing!" he asked in surprise.

She sighed, "Do not get me wrong; I want to go with you. I want to help you. But... if they'd be here without someone to stand between them and Krell, I can't go."

"And you need to rest too," Kix said. "May I remind you that even when you aren't pregnant, you aren't a trooper and you have Ayah to think about?"

She sighed, "Alright. Yeah. I will rest too. After I put up a protective perimeter around them all with little zappers to keep him away."

The medic laughed, "Okay. That works."

Ella and her friends helped to settle the injured, then Kix looked over the most infected: Winter, Cipher, and Ivory.

"He's got a high fever," Kix said gravely as he looked over Winter. "And that leg... Ella, forget the infection taking his leg, it might take him."

Ella shook her head, "What can I do for him?"

"Well what have you done so far?"

She sighed, "I've given him antibiotic stims regularly, disinfected the area and cleaned it, even tried that don't-do-unless-urgent spray. I've tried cold cloths for the fever and the fever meds."

He nodded, "That's as much as I know to do besides a bacta tank, which we don't have, or bacta patches, which we're low on." He sighed, "I heard there was some sort of natural medicinal thing taught in the mainstream med schools we clones don't have access to. Do you remember if you ever learned anything there?"

She thought a moment, then nodded, "Yes! I have ColSilver! He can take some of it orally and I can make an ointment and apply it to the site of the wound!"

"ColSilver?"

"It's a natural infection fighting immune system booster. And it's kinda hard to overdose it, so we can use practically as much as we need until he gets better!" she explained excitedly.

He nodded, "Alright."

His comlink blipped, and he sighed, "I have to go. Look after them, will you?"

She nodded and hugged him, "Like a mynock watches her young."

"Don't forget that you need to take care of your own young," he said, gently patting her belly. "You need to take it easy, being so close to the due date."

Ella smiled softly, "I will. I need you here to help me deliver her anyway."

"Yeah, let's not try a DIY for this," he joked.

Ella sighed and sat down as the men moved out into the Umbaran wastelands, rifling through her bag until she found a large bottle of ColSilver.

Measuring it out into an oral syringe, she slid closer to Winter and propped him up, tapping his face. She frowned at the temperature.

"Come on, sweetheart," she murmured, shaking him slightly until he opened his eyes. "That's it. Good boy. I have something that might help you feel better. I need you to take this for me, okay?"

He grimaced, but let her situate the nozzle inside his mouth, then dispensed it the thick medicine. Winter made a face at the bitter, chalky taste, but bravely swallowed it.

"Good boy," she praised, setting the empty dispenser aside and picking up a canteen. "Let's see about getting rid of that aftertaste, shall we?"

He nodded slightly and gratefully accepted the water, almost guzzling it in his thirst. She coaxed him to drink slower as to not overtax his battered system, then helped him lay back against the side of the rock.

"You can go to sleep, sweetie," she whispered. "Thanks for being such a wonderful patient."

He sighed and slowly sank into sleep. Ella injected him with a mild sedative and unbound his leg. It hadn't changed much from when she'd seen it a few minutes before. She was just glad it hadn't worsened.

Grabbing the disinfectant again, she dabbed at the weeping places and then poured a bit of the ColSilver into a little bowl, grabbed a bit of the soothing unan oil, and blended it with another oil good for generating the growth of new healthy cells, Typim. After mixing it well, she coated the effected area generously. Then she bound his leg with clean bandages and grabbed the thermometer.

His temperature had already dropped.

Looking up towards heaven, she sighed in relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Moving from Winter, she treated the rest of the burn victims in this same manner, then moved onto the other injured.

There were seven severely wounded by blasters, and almost a dozen with internal damage.

She was just wrapping up Point's midriff when someone stopped behind her.

She stiffened.

"Why are you here in your condition, medic?" Krell asked, his voice surprisingly missing some of its bravado.

She paused, then answered slowly, "I regard these men as my brothers. My family. And just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I still can't help, even if it might be in different ways than before."

He paused, humming thoughtfully, "Doesn't your husband object to this?"

She shut her eyes tightly, willing the pain away. Then she straightened and turned to face him briefly. "He likely would. But he's not here."

"You left him at home to be here?"

She sighed, "My husband died in a horrible accident not long before I found out I was pregnant."

He considered this as she moved to Pique, checking over his injured ribs. The boy hissed, jerking at the barely-there touch, doing his best to hold still.

"Shhh... it's okay, Pique," she comforted. "You've broken three and cracked five. I'm sorry I can't do more than offer a pain stim for the moment. Hopefully I'll have access to bacta tanks soon, and you'll heal quickly there."

He grunted, "Ssssorry, Ellla."

"It's okay. Broken ribs are nothing to scoff at." She kissed his forehead softly., then carefully injected his neck. He twitched, but she could tell she'd done a good job at keeping him from feeling most of it.

"What was his name?" Krell asked.

Why is he so interested? she wondered. "Eikko."

"How long were you married?"

She shrugged, "Not long enough. Only a month or two."

She paused and bit her lip when another practice-contraction decided to emerge. She sighed when it passed and stood a little taller, turning to speak to him.

Krell was gone, back at the hilltop watching the explosions coming from afar. She shook her head, not understanding him. Why had he shown interest in her? Why had he just left suddenly? Why wasn't he leading the men with Rex?

So much didn't make sense.

Ella just sat down beside Winter, shut her eyes and prayed. Prayed that her family would make it through this mess. Prayed that somehow, they'd be okay.

•~§~•

Ella didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until someone moved at her side, moaning softly.

She yawned and turned. "Let's check on you."

"Fine by me, Ella."

Ella gasped, immediately wide awake.

Winter was awake!

He looked like he was still in some pain, but the fever light had left his eyes.

"Hey!" she whispered in surprise and joy. "How are you feeling?"

He nodded, "Better, I think. And thirsty."

She smiled and grabbed a canteen, helping him take a few careful sips.

"Lay back. I'm going to check your leg, okay?" she said.

He obeyed, hissing a little when she unwrapped the bandages.

Ella almost cried.

His leg was healing. The weeping and redness of infection was greatly diminished, and even some of the worst burns were mending.

Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!

"It's looking a lot better," she murmured, her voice trembly with relief. "Let me take your temperature, okay?"

He opened his mouth and let her place the thermometer under his tongue. In a few seconds it beeped.

Ella sighed, "You still have a slight fever, but just barely. Winter, I think you're gonna be okay."

He smiled thankfully, hugging her. "Thank you so much, Ella."

"You're very, very welcome, Winter." Then she sat up. "You still have to take some more medicine."

He groaned, "I don't remember much from before, but that... that is not a taste you can easily be rid of."

She giggled, "Come on. Open up."

He obeyed, reluctantly, grimacing at the taste once again, then quickly swallowing it. "Tha tathes groth!"

She laughed, "Here! Drink some water and I'll give you a stim for the pain."

He sighed as he gulped the reviving liquid, "Poking me and shoving rotten stuff down my throat."

"I live to abuse you."

"My thoughts exactly," he teased. "Ow! Did you have to jab me there?"

"I wanted to get close to the site of the wound."

"Humph."

"Someone's grumpy."

"You just stuck me and made me drink yucky stuff. I have a good reason to be."

She rolled her eyes, "That 'yucky stuff' is likely the reason you're still alive. Now can you feel your leg?"

He shook his head, "Not really."

"Good. I need to change your bandages and slather it with the ointment again."

He nodded, "Ok."

It turned out he actually could feel his leg, and tensed at the first contact. But after she applied the ointment, he relaxed.

"Feels better?"

He nodded. "I wonder how the boys are doing?"

Ella nodded, "How about I try to find out?"

She quickly finished dressing his wound and walked to the hilltop.

"What's the situation?" she asked Appo.

"There's a lot of huge explosions going on in that area. Rex said he needed reinforcements but the General thought otherwise. A few minutes ago, he told us he sent some men behind enemy lines to try to hijack a fighter and provide air support." He sighed, "The General... wasn't appreciative that he'd given the go-ahead without his authorization. Threatened to relieve Rex of duty."

Ella sighed and shook her head, "I don't get it. It's worse than that, but I can't say it."

He huffed a laugh, "Yeah... woah! You see that?"

There was a gigantic explosion, then, in the sky, two Umbaran craft came soaring through the area... well, if you could call it soaring. More like spinning aimlessly.

Ella felt bad for the pilots. They must be sick by now.

"Impressive," Krell growled to himself, then barked, "Sergeant! Their defenses are down! Send in the rest of our forces! Attack the airbase!"

Appo stiffened and spoke into his wrist com, "All units move out!"

Ella swallowed. "Excuse me, but there are a lot of wounded. We have no troop transports or anything, and it will take a long while to transport them so far on foot not to mention the many along the way who were injured in the skirmish."

"Leave them."

Ella couldn't believe what her ears had heard.

Just leave all those men to die alone? How heartless and cruel can you be?

The woman shook her head, "No."

He froze, "Did you just counter a direct order?"

Ella didn't budge, "There is no way in heaven or earth that will compel me to obey that order. There are almost twenty men here, all of which will survive if given the proper treatment, and likely at least that many who are still alive in the gorge! I will not do what you say. You toss away their lives like nothing, and I've had it. If you leave them, you leave me, and I am a citizen of the Republic."

Krell looked murderous, fuming with anger and wrath. Ella could imagine fire burning in his eyes, wishful to burn her to a crisp with his mere glare, which, she'd admit, was a little impressive.

But she's grown up with her mother's glare. Krell was a kitten in comparison.

"You can be as angry as you want, but that will not change what I have said. It is wrong to just leave them."

"And what did you propose we do?" he seethed. "As you already said, it is impossible to carry them all the way."

"Impractical, yes, but impossible, no," she countered. "If it comes to that, I can speak for everyone when I say I will gladly walk or trudge there with them so they can receive proper attention and rest. We may, however, have an easier answer. Surely they had transports at the airbase."

"And you think we should utilize them?" Krell asked, a bit calmer now.

She nodded, "We have no AT-TEs or airlifts. The AT-RT's can only hold so many people at once. If we have the option of transports, we need to take it."

He nodded, then lifted his wrist com, "Sergeant. If you come across any transportation when you invade, Nurse Starrow requests they be sent to the injured."

"Thank you, General. We will keep a sharp lookout," came the relieved reply.

Ella lifted her own wrist, "Rex, it's Ella. How many injured do you have?"

There was a pause. Ella prayed that her friend was alright.

Then, "It's good to hear your voice, Ella. We have almost forty injured. Some are less severe than others, and can walk, or be supported. But there are many who cannot move and require immediate medical attention."

Ella nodded, "We're hoping the airbase will let us borrow some transports to pick you up."

He sighed in relief, "Thank the Maker. Oh, Kix wants to know if the... Coll Silver? ... he wants to know if the treatment for the burn victims worked."

Ella smiled, her voice holding her joy, "Tell him their fevers are either dropped or gone completely and the areas of infection or injury are mending rapidly. The only complaint is the taste of the medicine."

She heard tired laughter, then, "Ella, you're an angel. Thank you so much."

She smiled, "You just take care until we get you. That's an order, Captain."

"Best order I've received all day. Will comply, ma'am. Awaiting further orders until I see you."

Ella sighed and went back to her patients, checking them all over. When she finished, Cipher and Winter grabbed her before she could go anywhere.

"You have worked yourself to death," Cipher murmured softly.

"Come and wait. No reason to be up and about right now; nothing to do," Winter agreed sleepily.

"Hmm... did Kix and Rex put you up to this?" she teased.

They laughed, "Ella!"

She gasped and rolled her eyes, "Does she ever sleep?"

"She's kicking again?" Cipher asked.

"Can I feel? Please?" Winter begged.

Ella giggled softly, "Yes. Here," she took his hand and lay it against her stomach. "You boys are so sweet about her."

"We like babies," Cipher said.

"Yeah, babies are cool," Winter agreed.

"So cute and wriggly and tiny," Joot piped up.

"And their hands wrap around your fingers and don't let go," Pique sighed.

"And their little noises..." Point trailed off.

And a collective sigh went up as the men thought of their little brothers, tiny, sweet, innocent.

Ella smiled to herself. There was so much to love about these men she was so blessed to call her brothers.

•~§~•

There were so many injured.

Ella felt like she didn't have time to even think. She was glad that the boys in the wilderness were being found and brought in, but it seemed like if she finished treating ten, there were another twenty in their place.

"You okay?"

She whirled around and smacked right into Dogma.

"You're okay!" she exclaimed in a flustered whisper.

He nodded, "Just bruises. I swear. Kix told me that you can be harder to trick than anyone he's met, and that's coming from him." He smiled at his own quip, then sighed, "There's a lot of brothers here."

She nodded, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, "Comes with the job, I suppose. Oh, Rex sent me. He wanted you to know that they've found everyone. That's it. And he's okay. They all are. Your group."

She smiled, "I'm glad."

He hesitated a moment, then started to turn.

"Hey!" she called as he walked away.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Yes ma'am?"

She shrugged, "You're in my group too, you know."

The boy looked surprised, then flushed with pleasure and ducked his head, mumbling, "Thank you, ma'am."

"And," she said, stepping closer, "the people in my group call me Ella."

He nodded, "Ella."

This appeared to be a little too much friendliness for him to handle bare-faced, and he slammed his helmet on his head, nodded, and walked away stiffly.

Ella watched him leave, confusedly. "Is he okay?" she murmured to Wander.

"Dogma?" he asked, setting one of his brothers' broken legs. Fortunately the patient was knocked out already. "Dogma is a little bit... let's say that he's more of a stickler for rules than Echo was. The regs were bendable for Echo; he looked to them as guidelines, but knew that in the end, it came down to the situation and his own gut. Dogma... he sees them as law. Or, rather, life or death rules. And because of this, some of the boys don't like him."

"But he's just... he's just eight!" she cried under her breath. "He's sixteen biologically! Isn't that technically what he's been trained to do?"

Wander nodded reluctantly, "Yes. But, he doesn't know that he has to deviate in order to survive and even complete missions. I think this is because of some increased training from the Kaminoans. Increased... intensity of punishments if you fail to follow orders or break regs." He shrugged. "You saying he's in your group... it means a lot to him. More than he can probably wrap his head around."

Ella looked back in the direction of the young trooper, only a little bit older than her middle brother.

Olvet stuck to the rules too. He did it because he cared about his family and knew there were reasons behind them being there. He trusted that his parents had his best interest at heart.

Suddenly, she was afraid for that young man.

Dogma was trusting the wrong jedi. And she had a horrible feeling that Krell would only break his ability to trust the jedi forever with his quickness to throw away the men's lives, to sacrifice them for momentary victory.

She told Wander she'd be heading to bed, and he smiled and told her that was a good idea.

She went to the room that had been assigned to her and sat down on the bed. So many worries swirled through her head.

What would happen to the 501st under Krell's confusing and careless command?

How could she keep her friends safe from the General's tyrannical ideals and actions?

Would Rex be able to handle this much stress?

And what about the younger ones? What about Dogma, who wanted to find his place in the esteemed legion, and was putting his loyalty in uncaring hands?

Ayah elbowed her, as if sensing her concern and telling her to put it to rest.

She rubbed the little one through the wall of her womb and smiled. "At least I can keep you safe, little one. At least there's that."

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Mando'a Translations

Ad'ika - little one

Grayi'r'ika - so mando'a is actually a gender neutral language, but does have specific gender names if you look for them. Vod'ika is gender neutral for 'sibling.' Grayi'r is 'sister.' Grayr is 'brother.' Very slight differences.

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Ok. Sorry for the long update. Things have been a little crazy so the time I've had to write has come in spontaneous bursts. I hope I've managed to piece something together that's legible and worth reading.

Have a blessed weekend!

Love, Peace, and

LittleBitOfGrace

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