The dull ringing in Lyra's ears, coupled with the crisp smell of smoke, caused her to open her eyes. She leaned on one of the supply crates for support as she took in her surroundings. Charred holes in the trees and flames licked at the grass in the aftermath of the detonators' explosion. She could just make out voices as she turned her head to the Imperials. The soldiers' backs were turned to the three fugitives now, instead focused on retaliating against the Separatists that had orchestrated the ambush. Kriffing hell. I told that general not to send anyone!
"…Lyra? Lyra!"
Her husband's voice filtered through her gradually improving hearing. She turned her head towards the voice, eyes widening with shock. Silas was multitasking between firing at the Imperials and dragging Cooper's semi-conscious form behind cover. "Lyra, talk to me!" Silas hollered. "You all right?"
The woman hastily nodded her head. "I'm fine," she shouted, crawling over to the clone lying limp in her husband's lap. "Cooper?" she spoke, nudging his shoulder in an attempt to rouse him.
"C'mon, kid. Wake up," Silas added.
The boy let out a pained moan in response, turning over onto his side. Cooper's half-lidded eyes didn't offer that much relief to the couple, but it was better than nothing. "Good…soldiers…" the boy muttered, clutching his head painfully.
The words spilling out of Cooper's mouth puzzled Lyra, but she managed to shove her curiosity to the side. We're not safe right now. "Cooper, can you hear me?" Lyra concernedly asked. "Are you okay?"
The young clone's eyes blinked, widening suddenly, and Silas placed a hand on the teen's chest to keep him from bolting upright. "The insurgents…they…they followed us?" Cooper gasped.
"We've got bigger problems at the moment," Lyra stammered, daring to peek up from behind cover. She recoiled in horror as one Imperial slammed his rifle into the nearest insurgent's head again and again. The former Separatist's skull caved in like brittle stone, chunks of blood and bone spattering every which way.
The woman felt a hand pull her back down behind cover as the Imperial trooper glanced in their direction. "Lyra," Cooper slurred, his eyes fluttering in an attempt to stay open. Lyra didn't need to be a doctor to recognize the signs of a concussion in the young clone. "Go…get out of here…"
Lyra nodded her head in reply, her eyes searching for a window to escape the violence. That was when she spotted the medkits, sitting innocently on the other side of the clearing. She spotted the opportunity and took it, crawling toward the dense area not marred with blaster fire. Here's hoping we can all get out of—
A sudden stinging pain lanced through her side. Lyra let out a scream, hands clutching the spot where a lucky blaster bolt had hit its target. She struggled to ignore the waves of agony as she briefly removed her hand, the palm stained with a mixture of blood and charred ash.
"Insurgent filth!"
The hand latching onto Lyra's hair compounded the cruel statement. Next thing she knew, she was rolling painfully along the ground, eyes glancing up just long enough to make out the blood-stained rifle of the trooper from earlier.
"Get away from her!" Silas roared, launching himself at the Imperial and knocking the soldier's helmet off. The Imperial clone's eyes reflected nothing short of determination as he shoved back at Silas, sending the scatterblaster in his wife's direction. Lyra recoiled in shock as the trooper's armored boot sent Silas crashing into the nearest pile of crates.
Need to…get that blaster. With the instinct to stay alive coursing through her brain, Lyra began to slowly and painfully crawl toward her husband's blaster. Doubts swam through her mind as the burn on her side flared up, but she persisted. I'm not the best shot here…but I'm out of options.
She barely heard the Imperial's guttural growl before he slammed his weight into Lyra's side, hindering her from reaching the blaster. As she struggled to pry herself from the trooper's iron grip, Lyra desperately reached for the scatterblaster with one hand, while the other clawed at the soldier's exposed face. Nearly there. Just need to hold on.
The blow to her face caught the slicer off guard, and she continued to claw and scratch at the Imperial's eyes. The clone trooper responded just as violently, pinning her arms with one hand while the other delivered another punch to her head. "You wretch!" he roared, fury shining in his eyes as he pulled a vibrodagger out of its sheath.
Lyra barely noticed the blaster shots sent her direction. Nevertheless, she felt the flurry of bolts connect with their target, the Imperial clone going limp almost immediately. The slicer immediately threw the corpse to the side and backed away, eyes widening in shock as she stared at her savior.
Cooper's hands clutched his own carbine in a death grip, concerned eyes latching onto Lyra. His breaths came out quickly and unevenly. Lyra barely had time to catch the teen as he stumbled forward, easing him onto the ground and removing the blaster from his shaking hands. Cooper painfully clutched his head, a sign that the concussion he received earlier was coming back to haunt him.
The Tethan easily noticed the insurgents surrounding her and her friends as they swiftly occupied the ground the Imperials had held moments before. "Area's clear," the captain called out, lowering his blaster. "Is everyone all right?"
It was at this moment that the awareness of Lyra's own injury returned with a vengeance. She grimaced as her side flared with waves of white hot pain. She tried her best to stand, tried her best to ignore the wound for a brief moment. Nevertheless, she couldn't hold back the grateful grimace as Silas came rushing forward with the nearest officer.
Her mind barely registered that she'd been moved until she felt the itchy material of the stretcher underneath her back.
"It'll be okay," Lyra heard her husband tell her, his hand desperately grasping her own. "Stay with me, honey. You're gonna be okay." Her eyes quickly glanced him over for injuries of his own, and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding once she found none.
"Hey…Lyra…"
The slicer turned to face Cooper, a dazed smile on his face as an insurgent medic examined the bruise on the clone's head. "Told you I'd watch your back," the teen spoke, his clearer voice a sign that the concussion was slowly beginning to wear off.
For the first time in a while, Lyra felt she could put her faith in the clone's words.
Cooper flinched as the medic applied an ice pack to his forehead, silently grateful that the long-necks had engineered him and his fellow clones with thick skulls. As much as he understood the necessity of the medic's care, that didn't exactly mean he enjoyed it. The fact that his headache hadn't fully gone away didn't help, either. The teen glanced across to where Lyra lay, the look on his face reflecting his concern for his friend. The skin surrounding the charred hole in Lyra's side was an angry shade of scarlet, blood staining the rag she had been keeping pressed against the wound. Stupid. You shouldn't have sent her off alone. It's your fault.
Focused as he was on his self-loathing, Cooper could just make out Silas as he rushed to Lyra's side. The older man's face was marred with dirt. Cooper easily recognized the panicked look on Silas' face. It was the same face Sawyer would show whenever Cooper or Jackal got hurt during training.
"Let me see it," Silas told Lyra. Cooper couldn't hide the remorseful look on his face as Silas' eyes bulged out of his head.
"It's not bad," Lyra bit out with a wince.
"Not bad?!" Silas stammered, running his hands through his hair in disbelief. "This could've…I should've done more…"
"You did—"
"Maybe if I had—"
"Look at me," the woman spoke, her worried eyes gazing into Silas' own. "I'm still here. We both are."
"We're all safe now," Cooper piped up, managing a smile despite his lingering headache. "It's all right."
Silas slowly turned his gaze to Cooper, a sneer forming on the mechanic's face. The young clone's smile waned, turning to a confused frown as he wondered what he said wrong.
"This is all your fault," Silas grumbled, swiftly turning on his heels and beginning to stomp towards the door. The clone quickly hopped off the table and strolled after his friend, ignoring the concerned voice of the medic telling him to be careful.
"Silas, wait," Cooper called out, the guilt inside his chest growing as Silas showed no intentions of slowing down. "Look, I know I screwed up, and I'm scared for her as much as you are. Can't we just—"
The sudden blow to the teen's cheekbone sent him reeling. Cooper barely managed to regain his footing as he stared at Silas, fury shining in the Tethan's eyes.
"Silas!" Lyra sharply scolded, her eyes mirroring Cooper's shock.
"You think you're scared?!" Silas roared, his raised voice attracting the attention of the insurgents around them. "She might be your friend, boy, but I've known her a hell of a lot longer than you have. My wife is hurt because of your screwed up idea to come here!"
The young clone instinctively stepped back. "Please—"
"I was this close!" the older man sharply interrupted, placing his index finger and thumb within mere centimeters of each other. "This close to losing the only family I have left! Do you even understand that?! Do you even care?!"
Cooper could tell that his friend's temper was increasing with each syllable. The clone rubbed the sore area where Silas had punched him, but otherwise remained silent. I don't know what to say that won't piss him off even more.
The Tethan scoffed, eyes narrowing into slits. "Course you don't," he mocked, beginning to step backward toward the hideout entrance. "All you give a damn about is this Jedi friend of yours!"
"Silas, listen to me," the teen carefully spoke, raising his hands in a nonthreatening manner. "People are staring at us. Let's just talk this out. I can help you."
"You wanna help us?" Silas snapped back, snatching his scatterblaster so quickly that Cooper flinched. "Keep me and my wife out of your fucking crusade!" With that, Silas stomped out of the command center, ignoring the shocked glares from the clone and the insurgents as he disappeared out the door.
Cooper's eye twitched with irritation, and it took everything he had to keep his mouth shut, lest he say something he'd regret. He wants to be left alone, huh? Fine! I've got bigger problems to worry about than his attitude. The young clone allowed the insurgent medic to guide him back to the makeshift medbay, where Lyra sat waiting.
"I wish your husband wouldn't hit so hard," Cooper grumbled, pressing the ice pack he'd received earlier to his cheekbone. He turned to the medic. "Is she gonna be okay?"
"She's lucky, I'll tell you that much," the medic confidently answered. "The blaster bolt didn't hit anything too vital. We're giving her some antibiotics, though, just to be safe."
"Thanks," the clone replied, turning his gaze back to Lyra. "You sure you're doing all right?"
"I'm alive, aren't I?" she countered, wincing as the medic applied a bandage to her injury.
"Then what's bothering you?"
Lyra let out a stressed huff before turning to face the clone. "Silas had no reason to throw a punch at you, but…he's got a small point. He only wants me safe."
Cooper's face contorted into a scowl as he took in what Lyra was saying. Well I want to keep her safe, too. You don't see me getting all territorial about it. "Lyra, c'mon," he nonchalantly spoke up. "I said I'd watch your backs, didn't I?"
"I remember," Lyra solemnly nodded. "I also remember a certain message of yours sending us all on this crazy ride to begin with. Now, I'm sorry about Silas. He had no right to do what he did, but…the longer we draw out the search for Harlow, the more likely someone is going to get killed. I don't want that happening to any of us."
"Lyra…" the teen stammered, struggling to suppress the frustration in his tone. "Let me ask you this. Do you trust me?"
Lyra opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again, her eyes contemplating the question.
The lack of an answer only fueled Cooper's temper further. "It's a simple yes or no question. Do you trust me?"
"I want to trust you," Lyra defended, brows furrowing to match her rising frustration. "I do. It's hard to trust you, though when you throw us into danger every now and then. What do you want me to say?"
"Oh, I don't know," the former cadet snarked back. "How bout, 'Hey, Cooper, I know killing a fellow clone was tough, but it needed to be done. I appreciate your help.' You know, something along those lines would've been nice."
"Glad to see you two are working things out." The optimistic voice of General Sekel derailed the argument. The Umbaran didn't look the fugitives in the eye at first, instead patting the medic on the back and offering a warm smile. "I can take it from here."
The medic raised his eyebrow skeptically. "Are you sure, General?"
"Of course I'm sure," Tay confidently replied. "Get some rest while you can. I need to talk with these two." A grateful smile lit up the medic's face before he departed, leaving the general alone with the fugitives.
"First and foremost," the Umbaran started, the warm gaze waning. "I guarantee you I will be having words with my men about that ambush. I specifically ordered them to do recon, nothing more."
Lyra let out a disbelieving huff. "And we're supposed to be grateful for your good intentions?" she snarked back, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I specifically asked you not to send any soldiers. What made you think doing what I asked you not to do was a good idea?"
"I had a hunch," Sekel deadpanned. "You know how the Empire is. My only priority is to keep the people of this city safe, and that extends to visitors like you and your friends."
"I'll believe the part about keeping us safe when I actually see it," Lyra bit out, suppressing a painful grimace. "Now, if you could go on back to your commanding business, that would be great."
"Really?" the general snarked, raising a surprised eyebrow. "No 'thank you?'"
"You got the second word of that two-word phrase right," Lyra spat, looking the general dead in the eye. "First word's a bit off, though, and I'd rather not say it while Cooper's in the room."
"I'm with Lyra on this one," Cooper added, hoping his serious expression could show the Umbaran just how close he and Lyra came to dying. "You missed the part where her husband punched me in the face. That's how worried he was for his wife, and I honestly don't blame him."
Sekel's somber look showed his understanding of the situation. "I get it," he sincerely replied. "I still have my hands full right now, but we can all certainly talk over dinner. I can help you with your missing friend problem as well."
"I'll be there." With that, Cooper hopped off the exam table, and reached for his jacket and weapons. I'm sure the good general will want to hear everything I've been through. But first, I have a friend I need to apologize to.
Never should've trusted that kriffing kid.
Silas swiped the bottle of whisky, pouring himself another glass to replace the one he downed moments before. He had hoped that a strong drink would distract himself from thoughts of his wife and Cooper, but the drink could only do so much to help his woes. He grimaced, gripping his glass so tightly he feared it would shatter and cut his hand open. How much has this kid screwed us over? The Empire was after him and his wife. He'd been forced to leave his home behind and go on some trip with a renegade clone he barely even knew. And now, Lyra was currently back at the insurgents' hideout, getting treated for a blaster wound she never should have gotten to begin with.
Lost as he was in the alcohol, Silas barely registered the sound of footsteps in the freighter's corridors. He turned to find Cooper cautiously walking towards him, the teen's worried eyes staring into Silas' own. "Hey, you got a minute?" the clone asked, shifting from side to side nervously.
The mechanic let out a stress-filled sigh before turning around completely, downing the remainder of his drink in one swallow. "I do now," he bluntly answered, setting down the glass. "What do you want?"
"Lyra's gonna be fine," Cooper reassured, slowly closing the distance between them and taking a seat beside the Tethan. "The bolt was just a flesh wound, and she didn't lose much blood. She'll be okay."
Silas ran his hands through his hair, letting out a relieved sigh at the news. She's safe. You've got nothing to be mad about no more. She's safe. As much as Silas tried to reassure himself that Lyra was all right, part of him still resented that Cooper was the one to tell him. If she's safe, then why the hell isn't she here to tell me? It beats sending the kid who put us both through hell to begin with. He narrowed his eyes at the clone. "You think that'll make up for what you did to my family?"
The shock on Cooper's face registered almost immediately, his muscles tensing at the blunt statement. "I'm not trying to make up for anything," he shot back defensively. "All I'm trying to do is save a friend."
"Did it ever occur to you that your friend's life isn't the only one that matters here?" Silas rudely pointed out. "Because I have, and I'm starting to think my family is a lot more important than your mission. Have you even looked at things from my perspective, boy? Do you even want to?"
The clone remained silent, his gaze cast down toward the table as he pondered the question. Silas' eyes narrowed. Guess that's all the answer I need. "Yeah, I didn't think so, either." He stood up, letting out a mild groan as he stretched his limbs and prepared to make his way back to the bar for another drink.
"How much of your soul did you lose with your son?"
The mechanic's form contorted as if the sentence had stabbed him in the gut. His eyes began to well up with tears, though he stubbornly held them back as he sharply turned back to the clone. "Excuse me?!" he challenged, the venom in his tone just enough to make the teen flinch.
"Something happened to Torvald, something bad," Cooper said matter-of-factly. "I don't know if he died, or what the deal is, but you won't talk to me about it. Lyra won't talk to me about it. Hell, you even gave me your son's clothes without a second thought." He slowly stood up and approached the mechanic with cautious eyes.
"Lyra doesn't entirely trust me, and I don't know why," the boy continued. "You're extremely protective of her, and I don't know why. What I do know is that there's more to that story about Torvald than you want to let on. Look, I just want to know what happened to him. That's all."
Silas let out a shuddering breath, quickly wiping his eyes as best as he could. Can't believe I'm actually about to tell this story. "Back when Torvald burned down that warehouse…Taddeo wasn't the one who caught him," he started, his voice straining as his thoughts drifted to his son. "Some Republic clone soldiers saw the fire, and they were the ones who dragged him out."
Cooper's eyes widened at Silas' choice of words. "Oh."
"He'd breathed in a lot of smoke and drugs by the time the clones got there," Silas continued, his voice threatening to break then and there. "They couldn't save him."
The mechanic wearily sat down on the nearest bar stool, his breath coming out in shuddering gasps. His memory cruelly reminded him of that day. How Silas and Lyra had spotted the inferno miles away that morning. How he had been put at a loss for words upon discovering a clone officer on his doorstep. How his wife had collapsed into his arms, shaking her head in denial, when the officer delivered the news that Silas' only son was dead.
"I'm sorry."
Cooper's sympathetic voice thankfully snapped Silas out of his painful memories. The Tethan took in breath after breath to drive the panic away as he turned his head toward the clone.
"That's why you're so protective of Lyra, isn't it?" Cooper somberly guessed. "Why Lyra doesn't trust me?"
Silas nodded his head, the lump in his throat preventing him from using his words. "Yeah," he said, taking a deep breath to suppress his growing sorrow. "Lyra felt those clone soldiers should've done more. It's been three years and I honestly doubt she's forgiven them for what happened. Me, I grew scared. Scared of something like that happening to Lyra."
"I understand."
"Like hell you understand."
"I do," Cooper insisted, looking the mechanic in the eye. "I know it might not seem like it, but I get scared too. When I left Kamino, I'd never been more scared in my life. I had no one to help me through that fear until you two came along. And then this Third Brother demagolka showed up, and I knew that if he finds Harlow before we do, he won't think twice about killing her." He climbed onto the bar stool, placing a hand on Silas' own. "Nearly everyone I knew back on Kamino has either died or tried to hurt or kill me, everyone except for Harlow. She's the only family I have left from before all of this, and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to her."
"Yeah, well what about us?" the mechanic changed the subject, his own worry threatening to come back from the grave to haunt him. "All it takes is one slip up, one, and I wind up alone like I was before. How can you be certain that the next dance with the devil won't be our last?"
Silas tried his best to remain optimistic at the hesitation from Cooper. The clone kept his eyes lowered to his boots, letting out a weary sigh before returning his gaze to his friend. "I guess you and Lyra are gonna have to trust me."
Trust. As Silas' shaking hands reached for the cheap whisky, he couldn't help but ponder how everything he knew revolved around that singular word. Trust. For so long, Silas had found many reasons to believe trust was nonexistent. He couldn't recall the number of times he had let his paranoia get the better of him when Taddeo came to collect payments. Cooper's terrified face in the barn flashed in Silas' mind, reminding the Tethan of how wary he had been when the two had first met.
"Are you ready to come back now?" Cooper asked, a small hint of worry showing in his tone. "I'm sure Lyra's probably wanting to see you."
Silas sighed and set down the whisky bottle. As much as I'm enjoying the silence…he's right. I shouldn't be worrying Lyra like this. He nodded his head in reply, and hopped off the bar stool, allowing Cooper to lead the way back.