Twenty Two
"Take the shot Dar," his voice was calm over the comm.
"Just – one – more - minute," Darman drew the answer out.
Niner was intently watching the two people talking in front of them. Omega were individually dispersed around the perimeter of the warehouse.
"We're missing someone," Fi had also picked up on the Duros that had left the conversation in front of them. Niner had seen him disappear into the warehouse moments earlier.
"Take the shot Dar, now."
"There is a civilian in the way Sarge," Atin interjected.
Niner looked down the sniper attachment of his DC-17M at the scene.
Their orders were to take this civilian spy out at all costs.
He made the decision and squeezed the trigger oh so lightly.
A small plume of smoke drifted aimlessly from the tip of his rifle.
The Trandoshan was down.
So was the civilian female standing next to him.
"Resolute this is Omega. We are ready for immediate evac."
"Copy that Omega. See you at the RV. Resolute Out."
"Omega, meet up at RV. RC-1309 out."
That's when he heard it.
A small click and he rolled instinctively to his left. The missing Duros had found him and without hesitation he released one bolt of bright red at the Sergeant.
Niner took the heat of the shot. He lifted himself up quickly, releasing his vibroblade.
The alien was taken aback at the speed in which the injured soldier moved. He was startled, and Niner used this as his advantage, grabbing his arm he pulled him forward, forcefully pushing the blade into his gut, twisting it hard, the pain in his left hip biting.
Releasing the Duros, he almost fell on top of the dead alien. Niner's head swayed with pain. Collapsing onto the ground next to the blue figure, he immediately removed his survival pack and opened his med kit.
Niner had no time to spare.
Releasing the seal of his helmet, he breathed out and grabbed the hypo of Morpha and plunged it into his neck. Clenching his teeth he lifted up his thigh plate and looked at the gaping hole in his body suit. The laser blast had miraculously found the area between the katarn armour plates of his pelvis and upper leg.
It was a lucky shot, the alien would not have known it was the one area the soldier was vulnerable.
Ripping the bacta patches from their plastibags he adhered them to the site of the wound, gingerly pulling the black material back in place and lowering the grey plate of his armour. His eyes closed and he hissed at the pressure the plastoid bestowed against the laser burn.
"Where's the kriffing stims?" he mumbled looking for another pneumatic dispenser containing the precious stimulant that would get him back to the RV point on time. He found one and injected it into his neck.
Niner sat back, legs apart and waited the obligatory fifteen seconds for the drug to hit his system. He then picked up his rifle and stood, testing his legs for the first time and satisfied he could make the RV point in time took off, pushing the now dull ache aside as he ran.
###
"What the Fek was that?" Darman turned and challenged Niner as he slowly lumbered into the RV point. Fi and Atin were the first two to arrive and watched as their squad began to unravel before their eyes.
Darman removed his helmet and, storming over to him with purpose he threw it hard down on the ground in front of his Sergeant.
Niner ignored Darman's rantings, focussing on the bucket located at his boot. He was mesmerised by the bright lights flashing from the inside. He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea lolled through his stomach. Niner remained still and said in a low voice, "pick that up."
It was unlike Niner to have to order any of his team to do anything. The Morpha was beginning to wear off and he just wanted to get on the transport.
They faced off in front of one another. Fi had also removed his bucket and wore a worried look on his face. Atin watched and waited, ready to jump in a separate them at a seconds notice.
"I said, what the Fek was that? I had the shot; I just needed for the civilian to get out of the way. You killed them both!"
"Collateral damage, that is what it is Darman!" Niner hissed the words in his brother's face.
He too had thought twice about the female in the way. He too knew that she would be injured possibly killed if he pulled the trigger, but after three weeks of watching the Trandoshan trading illegal intel and arms to the Separatist's he couldn't risk him getting away.
He made a decision, and he stood by it.
Darman backed off, looking into Niner's visor as he bent down and swept up his bucket. He then pushed it into his Sergeant's chest.
"I hope you sleep well tonight Sarge."
"No better than you brother."
Darman shoved back hard into Niner who instinctively threw a punch at the angry soldier.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Atin broke in and separated the two men in grey. "We're supposed to killing Sep's, not each other. Remember which team we're on vode!" Niner turned away, his wrist comm letting him know that the transport was about to hit orbit and send a smaller craft down to collect them.
###
They sat down hard on the bench aboard the small yacht. The scrunching of the boots and armour clashing echoed loud in the empty durasteel bay. It was only then Niner allowed himself the luxury to remove his helmet.
Atin saw it first, the pain written all over his Sergeant's face. Niner swayed slightly then lent forward before heaving the contents of his stomach over the floor in front of them.
"Sarge!" Niner watched Fi leap up out of his seat, and move towards him in slow motion as he lost consciousness.
###
Back on Coruscant, Niner sat at one end of the table in the Mess, Darman at the other, with the other two members of Omega in the middle.
"Can't you two just kiss and make up?" Fi, trying hard to lighten the mood when General Mundi entered.
"Atten-shun!"
All men in the Mess Hall stood straight as a pin.
"At ease, Gentlemen," the General commanded as he headed over to the table where the disgruntled group of Republic Commandos sat. They stood up again as the General made it clear it was them he was there to see.
"Gentlemen, please sit. I am happy to report from our source on Daltar that your mission was a resounding success. Not only did you manage to take out the Sep spy, but our intel is that the woman also killed was under surveillance for reportedly selling Republic post locations to one of the Hutt fractions on Nar Shudar. Well done men. You've earned your well deserved leave."
They all stood again as General Mundi turned and left the Hall. Slowly they resumed their seats, all except Darman.
"Well done Sarge," Fi beamed.
"Lucky shot ner vod," was all Darman said as he turned and left the room.
###
Omega were officially on cool down.
Darman and Niner had made their peace over the shooting of a woman, who in the end, had been more enmeshed in Separatist activity than the man they had been observing.
Fi was in the rec room and was watching the senate channel on the Holonet when Niner entered.
"What are you watching Fi?" he asked as he sat heavily on the couch beside him.
"The Senate channel."
"Senate channel? No one watches that rubbish. You plan on heading into politics when the war is over ner vod?"
"Maybe," he said preoccupied, "the women are alright to look at."
"That depends on what system they're from," Niner laughed.
That's when he saw why his friend was watching the boring Senate Ceremony.
New dignitaries were being sworn in, and standing in the small queue stood Skylar Gem.
Resplendent in a cream and gold coloured gown, with her hair tied high on her head, he almost didn't recognise her other than she was obviously the most beautiful woman in the room.
"I think I am in love," Fi stated matter of fact.
"You'll have to trade in your suit for one of blue and white to get noticed by her Fi," Niner said, moving slightly into a more comfortable position on the couch.
"Never say never ner vod," Fi smiled like a eopie in love, "a brother can dream can't he?"
That's what Niner liked about Fi.
He had such a sense of humour and was always an optimist. Out of all the men in the squad, Fi wanted more.
He was desperate to have a relationship, and would often talk about how he would treat a woman keen enough to date a commando. It was all talk though, Darman was the only one to have met and have a relationship with a woman, a Jedi at that. Niner smiled as he watched the ceremony continue.
"You bet Fi." Niner said, as mesmerised as the cameras.
He knew that the Coruscanti would love the beautiful woman that filled their screens. It was a good PR stunt for the Senate, and he didn't mind in the slightest.
The two soldiers sat in silence and watched as she was led into the main chamber of the Senate and was introduced with a group of other off world Representatives.
Both lost in their thoughts.
###
Rex sat in his small office on board Resolute.
He was busy finishing a report on Geonosis to High Command when his wrist comm beeped. He knew Kix had been evacted back to Coruscant and they were going to have a few days dirt side to regroup after the onslaught at the hands of the Separatists and the Geonosians. He stopped typing and turned the small screen on and flicked through the channels until he found the one he was after.
Her face filled the screen. Rex flopped back into his chair and watched as Gem waited to be inducted into the Senate.
This is what she was brought to Coruscant for. Everything she had been through, the crash of her flight from Oriis, the death of her father, the reason he had been fortunate enough to meet her, was all for this moment, this ceremony. It was bitter sweet.
She looked beautiful. The cream and gold material fell to the floor. One shoulder was bare and his attention immediately went to a strand of hair that had worked its way loose. She turned around, and he was briefly annoyed that he couldn't see her face.
Rex drew in a quick breath when he saw it.
The feeling caught him unaware.
Weaved into the back of her hair was the Narglatch claw. It was his gift to her from the Talz warrior. She then turned back to face the camera's along with the other dignitaries and smiled into the lens.
Rex leaned onto his desk, his hand holding his forehead as he continued to watch as she disappeared into the Chamber, dwarfed by two Senate Guards.
A quick knock and his office door slid open.
"Sir, we are leaving hyperspace and will be in Coruscant's orbit in the next fifteen minutes."
"Thank you Corporal."
Rex turned off the screen and grabbed his helmet. Collecting his pack he walked out of the small room, closing the door on yet another victory.
###