Vanguard
Chapter 31
"Operation: Dunkirk"
[UNSC Vanguard, Ventral Hangar bay]
"Seven . . ." Percival counted.
Longarm got into position, ten meters from the hangar door, ready to break into a sprint. His eyes quickly skimmed across his HUD ensuring everything was functioning, shields, weapons, motion tracker, grenade count, and an altimeter to his lower right corner.
"Six . . . five . . ."
The SPARTAN centered his eyes on the door ahead of him, waiting for the door to slide open, and felt the ship underneath him tremble as it exits Slipstream Space over the designated target.
"Four . . . three . . ."
Ahsoka's last words on the ship to him were "Good luck and stay safe . . ."
"Two . . . One . . ."
The hangar unlatched the inner locking mechanism and begun to slide open with a loud mechanical whine, air violently rushing outwards as it is sucked into the oxygen sparse mesosphere. He immediately breaks into a dead sprint, kicking his muscles into high gear, with the air rushing behind him he was able to reach an astonishing sixty one kilometers an hour, almost surpassing Kelly-087's top speed. He rapidly closed in on the hangar exit until he took one large step forward and dove out the hangar, the plant-wide metropolis appeared below him, commercial ships blanketed the skies beneath him.
His altimeter immediately displayed the height [49,921m] and it was declining at an alarming rate. He positioned himself into a head first freefall allowing him to see the skylanes that populated Coruscant's skies and the small square that was his target, the Jedi Temple.
His EVA thrusters kept him on course with small controlled bursts; he finally spoke into his helmet "Comms check."
"Comms are green" Percival reported.
"Vanguard Actual online" Jorge checked in.
"SPARTAN Longarm online" he adds.
The falling SPARTAN kept his body small and straight, an effort to control his descent, and states "I have visual on target, forty five klicks out and closing."
"Vanguard is away, we've detected a sudden mobilization of strike craft but they shouldn't present a threat" Percival reports.
As the AI stated that a squadron of three ARC-170 Starfighters accompanied by two Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-Wing Starfighters flew past the SPARTAN to intercept the destroyer, too fast for the clone pilots to notice the green blur that past them "Yeah I just saw the welcoming committee, they seemed nice."
He continued to stay on course, falling at a rapid rate, when he glanced at his altimeter which read [38,753m]. By this point he was beginning to break through the clouds the hung high over the surface, the moment he passed through the clouds he spots an imperialized Venator-class Star Destroyer maintaining a low altitude of at least two kilometers from the surface and keeping a distance of one kilometer from the temple.
"Vanguard Actual be advised I have visual on one ISD stationed close to the primary target, prioritizing it as primary target for fire mission."
Percival responded "Acknowledged. Move on with the mission and proceed with caution."
"Will-co."
The SPARTAN continue to remain on course, gently adjusting his trajectory through his EVA boosters, until he was beginning to close in on one of the skylanes that flew high above the temple precinct, filled with small speeders and commercial freighters. The center of his HUD blinked red with a display of words [WARNING: COLLISION IMMINENT! DEVIATE FROM CURRENT COURSE!] But Longarm remained on course, tending to fall right through the lanes and land at the designated location.
The first lane was coming up fast, he could begin to hear the roar of speeders flying past with horns blaring in frustration, and he was coming on a collision course with a freighter that was bound to kill him in one blow. He stayed the course until he came within fifteen meters of the point of impact and immediately activated his right booster, jettisoning himself out of harm's way passing the freighter by a meter but nearly coming into contact with another speeder by a margin, evidently frightening the driver inside.
"WAAH BAYA POODOO!" he heard the driver cry out through his audio receptors.
The altimeter read [21,529m] and there was only one more skylane that stood in his way, this one was less populated but still presented a threat to the operation. He closed in and tightened up his formation, causing him to fall like a bomb darting towards the surface and gain velocity, he spots an opening between a series of speeders that were cluttered together and makes that his point of passing. With careful adjustments with his thrusters he was able to get himself on a correct course. He was closing in fast and by just a mere margin he zips through between two speeders, causing more panic among the local population, and was now on a clear path to the temple below him.
He looked down at his altitude [11,058m] and prepared for his final approach, spreading out his arms and legs to catch more atmospheric drag and perform some final adjustments that would ensure his arrival to the temple. Closer examination showed the temple suffered significant structural damage, portions of the temple were cratered, and the northern side of the temple bellowed a massive column of smoke into the morning skies above.
"On final approach, standby for Lock-Down" the SPARTAN reported just as he passed the ten thousand mark on his altimeter.
The rooftop was closing fast and it was time for his entrance, with quick flicks of his eyes he checks to ensure the Lock-Down System was on standby, he waited for a few more moments until he activates the system, the hydrostatic gel layer instantly hardened to a state just before impact. His body slammed into the stone rooftop of the temple, in one of the many plazas that inhabited it, with sheer force that would kill a man three times over, his shields shattered like glass, stone and debris flew about into the air while the ground cracked and crumbled from the blow. Longarm's body remained motionless and frozen hard.
Ahsoka's voice called through the helmet comms "Longarm come in! Are you alright!?"
The SPARTAN disabled the lockdown and his limbs fell limp, he responded out of breath "Yeah . . . I hear you."
He slowly sat up, groaning from the aching pain in his body, and performs a quick weapons check starting with the magnum on his chest. He pulls the sidearm out and pulls the slide; everything was functioning as expected so he slides it back into the holster. Next was the shotgun, bringing it out front and slide the pump which worked flawlessly. Then came the SMG with one pull of the bolt and it was primed. Finally came the DMR, checking the bolt and looking through the scope which was still in good condition. Everything was in order.
His shields recharged just as he stood up on his feet and braced the rifle against his shoulder before checking the immediate area around him for hostiles stating "Operation is go, I repeat operation is go. Proceeding to infil."
"Acknowledged SPARTAN, proceed with caution" Percival responded.
Longarm finishes his scan and moves north, given he landed on the northern part of the rooftop, intending to scale down the walls to the floor where an array of windows was supposedly located. After a four minute jog through the plazas he finds the edge of the temple, he looks down to see that it was a roughly twenty five foot straight drop before it angled outwards towards the bottom, and slaps the rifle onto his back before leaping off. He fell for several seconds until he reached out with his right hand, grasping the ledge of the windows before he could've fallen off, and pulls himself up onto the ledge.
He calls in "Standby" just as he felt the glass window panes, thinking this was too easy, before he cocks his right arm back "Breaching in three . . . two . . ." his fist balls up tight "One . . ." and launches it with heavy force.
His fist crashed into the window causing it to severely crack under pressure, his hand stung with pain as he tries to shake the pain off "Vanguard Actual I'm linking up a live feed, what am I dealing with here?"
A moment of silence passed, the bridge crew waiting for the live feed to come through until it showed on a widescreen in front of them, Ahsoka's voice came through "That's transparisteel, it's much like typical durasteel only weaker. One more hit should do it."
They watched the SPARTAN, through his helmet's onboard camera, ball up his right fist again, cocking his arm back, and send it smashing into the pane, and shattered the glass transparisteel into tiny fragments with a loud crashing sound.
"I'm in" he reports as he climbed through the shattered window frame and take a quick look around, ensuring no foot patrols were nearby.
He gives his hand another shake, relieving the pain, before he reaches for his rifle and begins to venture off through the wide open hallways that were presented before him. He walks through the halls that were once filled with life and grandeur, only to be replaced by silence and blaster marks, he found it weird that there were no bodies to be found but he thought of the possibility that the clones have picked up their dead. It was until he made his first turn that led further into the temple, what he saw next was something he was all too familiar.
"Damn . . ." he muttered.
He could hear Ahsoka's voice, who saw it as well, "Oh no . . ."
Before him laid bodies, more than he could count, belonging to clones and Jedi that littered the hallway.
He knew for Ahsoka's sake he needed to kill the feed, with one blink of his right eye the feed went dead just seconds before Tano demanded "No! Turn the feed back on!"
"Negative . . . I'm Oscar Mike."
The SPARTAN approached the nearest body, a Jedi, and kneels over putting his hand down to the figure's neck, two fingers against the side of the neck, checking for a pulse but the Jedi was long gone. He looks over to the next body several feet away, a clone, and moves over to check. Initial observation tells him the trooper died instantly from a deep slash to his upper chest, tearing and cauterizing the heart and lungs to a smoldering state, but what caught his attention afterwards were the trooper's markings, blue stripes on the torso and helmet, that belonged to the 501st.
Percival heard the SPARTAN sigh deeply and ask "SPARTAN Longarm, report."
James took a moment to try to understand what happened before he responds "I've identified a trooper from the 501st . . ."
Ahsoka was hesitant to ask "Are you sure?"
"Armor configuration matches. It's them."
There was a long silence through the comms, Longarm knew Ahsoka's fear for her former master's safety was now in play, then she ordered "James . . . if you find Anakin down there."
"I'll find him" he assures her "And I'll bring him home."
"Go."
The SPARTAN stood to his feet and resumed marching forward, treading carefully to not step on any of the bodies that lay around him. He could only imagine what transpired here the last several days, each body he found was cold and silent, it began to remind him of the days during the Human-Covenant War. The variety of wounds he found closely resembled to what he saw on dead and wounded people he fought alongside during the war, even those he tried to protect. Saber slashes and blaster marks inhabited each and every body he found; none were any different from the rest. He eventually began to find children, long gone just like the rest of them, this troubled him the most but he continued to press on.
He continues to march on until his receptors began to pick up faint voices further down near an intersection, he picks up the pace readying his rifle for first contact, he comes close enough to make sense of what was being said "C'mon Ray! Put your back into it!"
"I'm trying Sir, the child sealed the doors!"
James immediately recognized the voices 'Clones'.
He reaches the intersection and moves to the right wall, etching close to the corner to peek around, and spots four armed clone troopers, all 501st, trying to gain entrance into a room. One trooper was trying to break down the door, after failing to open the door through other means, while the other three stood on guard.
The SPARTAN spoke quietly enough not to be heard by the troopers "Be advised, I have visual on four armed contacts, they're trying to force their way into a room. Something about a child."
Percival answered "Can you identify the contacts?"
"Clones, 501st."
Ahsoka stepped in "Are any of them Rex?"
Longarm took another look around the corner "Negative."
She sighs uncertain on what to do, these were men she fought alongside since the Battle of Christophsis near the beginning of the war, it seemed mindless to order someone to kill them with cold hearted efficiency.
Percival however took control "The safety of the child comes first, move in and only engage if fired upon."
"Acknowledged, I'm moving in."
The SPARTAN rounds the corner, keeping his weapon lowered as to not antagonize the troopers who were currently unaware of him. Each passing step he drew closer, every instinct telling him to shoot and kill but his mind stayed beckoned him to stay calm and see how it plays out. His foot accidently kicks a discarded blaster sending it skittering across the floor and grabbing the attention of the troopers, they all looked to see a hulking green giant donning heavy armor and wielding a rifle.
They immediately drew their weapons on him, setting them on kill, the sergeant called out "Halt! You're not authorized to be here, you're trespassing on Imperial grounds!"
Longarm kept his calm "Stand down trooper, I've been sent here to help."
Three of the troopers looked at one another, confused, but the sergeant didn't buy it "I didn't receive notice of your arrival. Identify yourself immediately."
"Longarm" he answered.
The sergeant recognized the name and immediately orders "By order of his royal majesty, you are hereby under arrest for collaboration with the Jedi traitors. Surrender your arms and come with us for interrogation."
In response the SPARTAN slowly raised his weapon, training the barrel on the sergeant, "That's not going to happen trooper."
"Don't make this harder than it has to be!" the clone barked, keeping his long DC-15A rifle on his target.
James gave his only warning "This is your one chance to walk away alive. I hate to kill a man I fought alongside."
But the trooper gave no thought, his undying loyalty to the Emperor took over rational thought, and ordered "Blast 'em!" causing the other troopers to open fire spraying blue bolts of plasma onto the SPARTAN.
Longarm called out in his comms "Engaging!" followed up with three loud cracks of gunfire, each sending a 7.62mm armor piercing round into the sergeant's chest effortlessly penetrating the plastoid armor plating and killing him on the spot.
Continuous bolts of fire zipped across and struck the SPARTAN in various areas, while a majority of others flew past harmlessly, his shields flared orange as he returns fire with two successive headshots, the rounds easily cracked through the clones' T-shaped visor plates, each met with a different dying cry as each trooper fell. One final bolt struck him across the face and broke his shields before he lines up his last shot and sends it barreling towards the last trooper's chest who cried out just before hitting the ground on his back dead.
"Hostiles eliminated . . . I'm sorry Ahsoka."
Tano was momentarily silent "They attacked you first . . . don't worry" she said halfheartedly.
"They must've been busy if they were trying to get into that room" Jorge remarks.
Longarm glances at the door, sealed shut, and slaps the rifle onto his back. The keypad next to it seemed active so he pressed a random set of keys hoping it would do something, however the pad chimed in a negative way denying him entry. He glances at the door one more time before turning back to the pad and give it a solid punch that smashed the security measure and caused the door to slide open. He draws his M7 and carefully moves in with the weapon up to his shoulder, at first glance the room appeared empty, immaculate, regulated furniture that marked this room as someone's living quarters with a small window with light shining through.
One initial sweep was performed before he reported "Clear" then moved about inside to search.
It didn't take a moment to notice there was a slumped figure against the wall; the worn robes defined the figure as another Jedi, middle-aged Zabrak distinguished by the bone-like thorns protruding from his head, one blaster shot to his upper right chest.
"What did you find?" Ahsoka asked.
"I got one KIA, but he's too old to be a child . . ." he then heard a small whimper and stopped himself "Wait . . . standby."
He looked around the room briefly, seeing no other door than the one he came through, and quickly realizes the whimper came from underneath the bed next to him. He holsters his SMG and steps over to the bed before reaching down and lifts it up to find a young Pantoran girl, approximately six years old and signified by her blue skin and her short pastel purple hair, who immediately stood up and ran towards the dead Jedi.
He sets the bed down carefully and faces the youngling who barked "STAY BACK!"
The SPARTAN sets down on a knee stating calmly "Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you."
"STAY BACK!" she yelled now brandishing a lightsaber hilt "DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU!"
Jorge could hear the commotion through the comms "What's going on?"
But James ignored him, staying on task, and slowly reaches out with his right hand "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you."
But she swipes it away and attempts to activate the saber, repeatedly pressing the stud that would typically ignite the blade however nothing happened, "I SAID STAY BACK!"
"Alright . . . have it your way" the SPARTAN replied as he backed away slowly before he reaches for his helmet and sets it on the ground, the girl stared at his pale complexion and piercing blue eyes "I'm a friend of Ahsoka Tano, have you heard of her?" he asks.
Something ticked in the little girl's mind "Ahsoka?" to which James nods silently.
"Wh-where is she?"
"She's aboard my ship safe and sound. She sent me here to look for people that may still be alive. And you're the first."
The girl said nothing afterwards, she still seemed frightened, but then he asks "What's your name?"
She remained silent so he went first putting his hand on his chest "My name is Longarm . . ."
"Bayu Cila . . ."
He gave a small grin "Bayu . . . that's a nice name. Is it alright if I call you Bay?" to which she nodded.
"Well listen Bay, I'm only here for a while but I have to keep moving to find anyone else that may still be here. You can come with me and help me find others, once we're done we'll head back to my ship and you'll see Ahsoka" he reaches out with his hand "Would you come with me?"
Bay hesitated for the moment, looking back at the dead Jedi behind her before shedding a tear from her eyes; he asks "Was he a friend?"
"My master . . ."she answered trying to keep herself from crying.
"Bay . . . I'm sorry for your loss. He died protecting you, and he would want you to get out of here safely. Would you come with me?"
Bay hesitated a little longer before she nodded agreeing and took his hand, the SPARTAN fits his helmet back on and stands up, "Alright when we walk out I'd like for you to close your eyes, okay?"
She nodded and asked "Could you carry me?"
The SPARTAN realized this would make him at a disadvantage if he came across more clones but this was possibly the only way she was going to move, he reaches down and scoops the little girl up in his left arm as he draws his magnum into his right, "You ready?"
She nodded silently.
"Alright, go ahead and close your eyes."
The two headed back out into the hallway, Bay kept her eyes closed as asked as she held onto the SPARTAN, Longarm looked down at the troopers he just killed for a brief moment, blood seeping from their wounds, before heading off back towards the intersection to resume his search.
He turns around the turn to his right just before contacting the Vanguard "Sierra-121 to Vanguard Actual, I've located a survivor and we are proceeding with our search."
"Are they alright?" Ahsoka asked worriedly.
"She's fine; I'm proceeding further into the temple."
A wave of relief came over her "Acknowledged, there should be a stairwell just up ahead, head to the lower levels and continue your search . . . stay safe."
"Roger, we're Oscar Mike."
The two continue to walk further down the halls, the bodies eventually seemed to be more scattered apart from one another but they continued to litter the floors, Longarm kept his magnum at the ready while he held onto Bay who eventually opened her eyes and saw the corpses as they pass.
"Why would they do something like this? We haven't done anything wrong . . ." she asked herself.
However the SPARTAN heard her question and answered "I don't know."
Another moment passed before she stated "You can let me down now."
"You sure?"
She nodded "Mhm."
He sets the girl down on the ground before exchanging his magnum in favor for his rifle, which displayed eleven rounds remaining, and resumed marching forward with caution. She looked up to him as they walked, seeing the focus and coordination he was putting into his efforts, she figured that he was good friends with Ahsoka if he was willing to risk his life like this. The two were beginning to come up on a T-shaped intersection where the aforementioned stairway Tano spoke of was supposedly located, the SPARTAN gestured with his left hand for Bay to stick behind him allowing him to take point.
The two reached the intersection, the stairway to their right, and approached the corner when Longarm picked up the distant voice of a clone "Move it double time! Epsilon squad went dark ten minutes ago, we have to rendezvous and find out what happened!" accompanied by a chorus of rushing footsteps running up the stairway.
Longarm urged Bay "Stay here and whatever you do don't look" before he headed out into the open, latching the rifle onto his back, to confront the inbound troopers.
When he looked down the steps he could see a small platform down below that led to another case of stairs, the footsteps were becoming closer and soon enough he saw a number of troopers rushing up the stairs with blasters in hands. It didn't take long for the clones to come around the second set of stairs and look up to see the seven foot soldier standing in front of them, they immediately took aim ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Twelve troopers all in total against one single SPARTAN commando.
The platoon leader stepped forward and demanded "In the name of the new Empire, identify yourself!"
Bay watched silently from cover as Longarm made no response but instead reached for his back and produced his M90 CAWS Combat Shotgun, the troopers tensed, before stating "Who wants to pray to god first?"
The platoon leader hesitated for the brief moment then roared his command "GET HIM!"
The troopers took aim and open fired sending a volley of blaster up towards the SPARTAN who then took one leap forward towards the clones, with his augmented strength he was able to land in the midst of their ranks, and tear them apart from the inside.
The SPARTAN-ll rams his shoulder into the chest of the platoon leader, knocking all the air out of him, sending him crashing into a wall and fall unconscious. Blaster fire riddled Longarm's shields however he quickly turns around and fires an eight gauge shell, containing fifteen pellet-sized armor piercing projectiles, into the nearest trooper's chest at point-blank range and the results was devastating. The buckshot shell violently, and literally, shattered the clone's plastoid armor, sending fragmented pieces flying, and tore into his chest cavity with enough force to kill a full grown Sangheili in one blast, sending the trooper flying back a couple of feet.
The surrounding troopers watched their brother fall with a blood shrilled cry and continue their assault, firing their carbines and rifles at the SPARTAN whose shields was barely holding, but Longarm began to duck and sway through the incoming fire and placed another shell into the next trooper with similar effects. The clones quickly wised up and began to put distance between themselves and the super soldier, but it proved pointless as the commando stayed in close proximity and continue to wreak havoc among them. Longarm delivers third shell into another clone's body who gave another blood chilling cry just before swapping his shotgun in favor for his magnum and swiftly fires a round into the visor of a fifth clone.
The troopers were falling faster than they could shoot and fall back, they were still able to place accurate rounds downrange but each bolt was countered by the SPARTAN's energy shielding until it finally cracked leaving the soldier's titanium alloy shell exposed to blaster fire. Longarm makes another two kills with near simultaneous headshots, the clones crumpling down the stairs, just as a bolt fired from a DC-15A strikes him across his chest, the MJOLNIR armor's refractive coating doing its best to disperse the bolt and successfully does so but another hit from a high powered energy weapon would compromise the armor. The situation escalated and Longarm was forced to draws his SMG into his left hand and unload a quick and devastating eight round burst into another pair of troopers, the 5mm FMJ rounds easily pierced their armor in various locations across the body. The last two troopers quickly realized the battle was lost but they didn't stop fighting, the two clones quickly rushed at the SPARTAN hoping to take him at close range.
The first trooper prepares to throw a right fist across Longarm's head when he came within striking distance however the SPARTAN holsters his magnum and shoots up his right open hand grasping the clone by the neck with considerable force before throwing him aside like a ragdoll. The second trooper managed to come close enough to tackle the seven foot super soldier with all his might but it only caused Longarm to skid back a foot before he drew his knife and drives it into the clone's abdomen, the titanium carbide blade biting and tearing into the armor and flesh causing the trooper to cry out in agony before he was forcibly shoved aside and his chest was riddled by gunfire from Longarm's M7. James felt the threat was eliminated until another blue bolt slams into his chest, the refractive coating fails and a deep scorched hole was made in the SPARTAN's right pec piece and bodysuit. Longarm let out a brief roar of pain as he staggered back a step just before seeing the trooper he thrown away come back up armed with a DC-15S carbine primed and ready to shoot to kill. He attempts to take aim with his SMG but before he could pull the trigger the clone trooper was suddenly and violently launched into a nearby wall with enough force to either kill him or put him in a coma.
The SPARTAN-ll looked up the stairs to see Bayu with her hands held out, he soon realized that she had used the Force to save him, she quickly runs down the steps asking out loud "Are you alright!?"
He takes a moment to cope with the stinging pain in his chest before he gently places his hand over the blast mark, the hole was deep but fortunately it stopped just at the bodysuit, and answers "Yeah . . . I'll be fine. Thanks for the assist."
Bay gave a small grin filled with relief before she waves with her hand "C'mon! There might still be people here!" and runs off down the stairs.
He was utterly surprised that she had such a turnaround, from this frightened little girl to someone who was taking the lead on his operation with such confidence, he couldn't help but grin "Yes ma'am" and fall in behind her with his DMR in hand.
They eventually reached the bottom of the stairwell and were coming out onto a level that was located near the base of the ziggurat, they were given to separate directions to follow, both decided to head right and make their way to one of the more open areas of the temple. The two were beginning to move with a higher sense of purpose, Longarm powerwalking with his rifle braced against his shoulder while Bay was keeping up with a steady jog, until they came to what seemed to be a bridge that overlooked the floor level down below, the bridge was littered with bodies but they had their hopes that one or two would still be breathing. The SPARTAN slowed down to a steady walk once he reached the first set of bodies and carefully examined each one, both clone and Jedi, but at first there was no luck so they kept pressing forward.
Longarm saw Bay was doing the same, watching vigilantly for signs of life, so he asked as he kept his sights forward "So what were you doing before the attack?"
Cila looked up at the SPARTAN for a brief moment before turning her eyes back down grabbing her hilt from her belt "I was in the process of constructing my lightsaber with my master. I wasn't having the best of luck but my master remained confident in me, he was like a father to me. Do you have a father?"
"Everyone has a father. I lost mine a long time ago."
"What was he like?"
"Strong, modest, always had a story to tell. If you were to put him next to a senator or a king, you can always bet they'll be asking for one more story."
"He seems nice."
"Yeah" he sighed "He was."
They were proceeding further along the bridge checking for signs of life but there was nothing to be found, he asks "Did you ever get your lightsaber to function?"
"Mm no . . . and I don't think I ever will now."
"I'm sure Ahsoka would teach you."
The two continued onwards until they heard a moan ahead of them, close and weak, and they quickly picked up the pace until they came to they believe was the general location of the sound. The moan echoes again, this time they were possibly meters away, and both the SPARTAN and the Jedi youngling began to search relentlessly. Bay skimmed through the bodies she found, using what powers she had in the Force to find anything that might show a sign of life, Longarm on other hand was making use of careful observation and listening.
He was checking the body of a Jedi when he heard the moan emanate from a robed body to his left just a few feet away and he calls out "Over here."
He steps over to the moaning corpse that laid face down, with Cila rushing over, and gently places his left hand on the figure's neck, he waited patiently for a moment before stating "I got a pulse."
Ahsoka called over the comms "Who is it Longarm?" her heart froze waiting to know who else survived.
The SPARTAN carefully grabs the figure's shoulder and turns it over onto its back, initial observation told him that this was middle aged cerean male with a black beard and his eyes were gruesomely slashed by a saber thus making the poor man blind.
But the discovery caught Longarm off guard "Son of a . . ."
Percival demanded "SPARTAN Longarm, please report."
"It's Cain . . . I can't believe it but it's Cain Komari . . ."
"What!? How did he- it doesn't matter. Is he still alive!?" Ahsoka asked with worry in her voice.
"Standby."
Bay kneeled down the blinded Jedi and pleaded "Master Komari are you alright? Please say something!"
The cerean moaned "Child . . .? Have I . . . become one with the Force . . .?"
Longarm remarks "Not just yet you stubborn bastard, you're lucky the clones found you before I did after that stunt with the bounty hunters."
Cain grimaced but eventually he gives a small weak chuckle "Hehe . . . you are the one that is stubborn Longarm . . . you just refuse to die . . ."
Bay asked "Wait you two know each other?"
"We had a couple run-ins with each other before."
Komari reached out to Longarm, placing his hand on the SPARTAN's shoulder pauldron, "Please tell me . . . is young Ahsoka safe?"
"She's safe aboard the Vanguard, she sent me to look for survivors and I guess we found you."
Cain grinned "Forgive me for my previous actions . . . I was only doing this to protect what I valued . . ."
"Forget about it, I would've done the same thing if you were on my turf, besides it looks like Karma got you pretty good."
"Heh . . . I don't know this Karma you speak of but . . . it was not who took my sight away from me . . ."
"Who did this to you?"
Cain took a moment to gather his breath, still weak from what happened two days ago, and answered ". . . Vader . . ."
"Who?"
"Never mind that now . . . I hope you have a plan to get us out of here . . ."
"As a matter of fact I do, but we need to keep searching for survivors and I don't intend to leave anyone behind."
"Very noble of you SPARTAN . . . but I'm afraid there is not many of us left."
"Wait can't Jedi sense each other's presence through the Force? Could you find anyone else?"
The Jedi sighed "I suppose it is worth a try . . . but the dark side has drowned our senses . . ."
Cain began to focus, becoming in touch with what ability he still retains in the Force, the moment was long and painstaking for his injured body until he found something "Lador . . . he still lives."
"Where?"
"Eastern side of the temple . . . I cannot be certain . . ."
"Well that's where we'll start looking then" Longarm comments as he begins to pick the cerean up from the floor, putting the Jedi's right arm around his broad armored shoulders, and reports in "Be advised Cain Komari is secured though his condition is unstable, we're on route to locate another Jedi by the name Lador, how copy?"
Percival acknowledged "Copy loud and clear, Cila and Komari are secured but needs medical assistance, proceed to your next target and do what you can. The Vanguard is on standby to move in for emergency evac."
The trio began to head off towards the eastern side of the dead Jedi temple, Cain spoke "I have misjudged your intentions . . . I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing . . ."
Longarm however retorts "Once we get out of here alive, you and I are going to have a talk" only for Komari to give another chuckle.
Please leave your thoughts and comments. Thank you.
