Their Hope

Chapter Two

Allie can't move, knowing what is about to happen.

'Go young one,' the Force tells her once the meteors have landed.

'Our guest is awake sir,' Nub tells O'Niner once the alarm has stopped, making everyone turn their attention to focus on Allie.

'Welcome General. Would you like us to call in for you?' O'Niner asks kindly.

'No, call in whoever is outside, those weren't meteors sergeant,' Allie tries to make her voice sound sure and steady but everyone in the room can hear it shake slightly.

'Ma'am?' O'Niner questions but Allie can feel it's too late, the young trooper outside, who she doesn't know the name off, is dead. She immediately grabs Droidbait and pulls him away from the door, using the Force to close the doors to the control center, as the front doors of the base open. 'What is going on!?' O'Niner shouts as the door to the control room is bombarded.

'We need to leave, now. Sergeant we don't have time. Nub how do you we get out of here?' Allie asks still dragging Droitbait with her, making the rest of Domino stand to follow as well.

'This way,' Nub leads them to a ventilation shaft.

'Haar'chak, they are jamming our transmissions,' O'Niner swears, before quickly following the rest out of the control room. Once out of the tunnels, O'Niner turns to Allie. 'Who are you? And how did you know about the droids?'

'My name is Allie, and I saw it,' Allie says, technically not lying as she has watched the Rishi moon episode enough times to nearly know it by heart, pointing to her head as she replies. 'Now the question is how the hell do we get help?'

'Commander Cody and Captain Rex are on their way for an inspection,' Fives states.

'They will be walking straight into a trap,' Droidbait gasps.

'Then we warn them,' Cutup says before he screams.

'CUTUP!' Domino scream as a giant eel picks him up.

'Put him down this instance, he is not food,' Allie shouts at the eel, which freezes with Cutup held in its mouth. 'Now, don't make me come up there and make you,' she continues firmly, scoldingly. 'I don't care, we are not food. So kindly return him to me, please,' the troops look to one another confused.

'Is she talking to the giant eel?' Fives whispers Echo.

'Look like it, must be a Jedi thing,' Echo shrugs.

The eel snarls but releases Cutup with a throw, making him land on Allie.

'Nicely would have been better!' Allie shouts after the eel as it disappears back down the tunnel that it came from. 'Are you okay Cutup?' Allie asks kindly helping him sit up.

'I think so, just a little bruised,' Cutup replies, though clearly shaken by the incident.

'It's okay, you're alright now,' Allie hugs Cutup, rubbing his back gently to comfort him. The other troops look on in shock to see the Jedi taking the time to comfort their brother.

'Thank you,' Cutup whispers hugging her back with one arm. Allie pulls away and looks at the other troopers.

'Right so how are we warning Rex and Cody?' Allie asks.

'I've got a droid attack flare,' Fives says, holding said flare in his hand.

'Think we're going to have to be quick,' Hevy says pointing to the shuttle that's approaching.

Fives nods and fires the flare, hopefully alerting their two commanding officers.

'Well we best go find them,' Allie says standing up, offering a hand to Cutup who takes it, before taking the lead, allowing the Force to guide her.

'How does she know where she's going?' Droidbait asks.

'The Force,' Allie answers, looking over her shoulder and smiling at the troopers. 'Sorry we were never introduced. I'm Allie.'

'Sergeant O'Niner. This is Fives, Echo, Hevy, Droidbait, Cutup and you've met Nub,' O'Niner introduces his men, proudly.

'Jate at urcir gar an,' Allie replies shocking the troopers apart from Nub.

'A friend taught her Mando'a' Nub supplies for the others.

Walking quickly they come upon the flaming wreckage of what was Cody and Rex's shuttle, finding the two officers stood in front of it.

'Take off your helmets,' Rex snarls, not seeing Allie who has slipped behind Hevy, pointing his gun towards them.

'That isn't necessary,' Allie says, stepping from behind Hevy and in front of Rex's gun, shocking him, but the troopers take off their helmets as ordered.

'Got ourselves some shinies Cody,' Rex says lowering his gun, before an eel appears, turning his gun to shoot it, however Allie pulls his arm down.

'Stop,' Allie says to both the eel and rex. 'You, we have had this conversation before. We are not food, now shoe,' she says addressing the eel, who seems to huff but leaves. 'And you,' turning on her heel to face Rex. 'Just because you can shoot and kill something, doesn't mean you have too,' after which she releases his arm, moving over to Cutup's side, placing her hand on his arm and smiling warmly at him, once again checking that he is alright.

'Right,' Cody laughs at Rex's dumbfounded expression. 'Good job on getting so many of your men out Sergeant.'

'Sirs, I didn't sirs, I'm not sure any of us would have made it out without the General,' O'Niner admits.

'Much appreciated General,' Cody nods to Allie in thanks.

'Please just Allie is fine, the general makes me very uncomfortable,' Allie says waving her hands in a stop gesture. 'It's nice to meet you Cody and Rex,' she points her fingers between the two, pretending she doesn't know who is who.

'Rex Ma'am.'

'Cody Ma'am.'

'Oh God's, I'd prefer general to Ma'am, that just makes me feel old,' Allie laughs. 'Right so who has a plan?'

'I've got one,' Rex smirks, as Cody groans, while everyone else gather around.

Mando'a translation

Haar'chak- damn it

Jate at urcir gar an' good to meet you all