Author's Note: Dearest readers, thank you all so much for your kindness and patience with this story. I still express my deepest apologies for the hiatus as my life continues to throw me curveballs. Still, this story shall prevail. We're going back to every two week postings for the time being. My goal is to have this story go back to daily chapters before we reach the season finale. It'll be here before we know it! Sincerely, thank you all so much for your understanding through this. I also want to thank you all for helping this story now reach 60,000 reads! I didn't get to do a birthday special this year, but as of last week I am now 27! We'll just have to make an even bigger celebration next year! Here's to better times and I hope you enjoy today's installment.
Sincerely,
Michael Gavilán
Chapter: 111 Murder and Mercy (Part I)
"War turns saints into demons."
A dark twist! Jedi Masters Gaston and Gothel went missing in action. Their former Padawans, Rapunzel Crin and Hans Westgard embarked on a daring quest to find them across the stars. But as the suspicious pieces fell into place, Gaston and Gothel's whereabouts became even more questionable. As the investigation led them to Aren, the Jedi made a shocking discovery. Their masters had betrayed the Jedi Order in favor of their own pursuits for power. Manipulated by their wiles, Hans joined their cause and betrayed Rapunzel to her own imprisonment...
The vast and vibrant tunnel of hyperspace had never looked so bleak. Hans Westgard was numbed to it all. While his eyes were unblinking as he gazed outside of the viewport, his mind raced as quickly as the lightspeed vortex. The voices of his past cried out within, all while he stared into the pale...swirling tunnel. The vortex's center was cold and lifeless. Just like her eyes.
"No!" Rapunzel cried out from within Hans' mind. The horrid memory had him wincing and gripping the shuttle's controls. He slouched back into the cushioned seat, still adjusted it to her size. While his reality differed, Hans' flight was anything but silent. He still heard tibanna gas seeping into the chamber. His heart raced at the crude hissing it made before freezing Rapunzel in carbonite. The carbon crackled and crunched at first...just like Welm's neck when Hans ended his life.
"You took my life," Welm had spoken in his nightmare. "Now I'll always be with you. The last thought before you sleep...and the first before you awaken. You will never be free."
Welm wasn't the only figure ravaging Hans' mind. His father's corpse was accompanied by Rapunzel's frozen body, still reaching out for help amid his betrayal. Hans' mind played tricks on him, plaguing with infectious words uttered in Welm and Rapunzel's voices.
Failure...
Coward...
Traitor...
You are
nothing...
Sweat trickled down Hans' temples as a single, deep voice drowned out all others. "Well done, Hans." Master Gaston had said.
"Well done, Hans." The knight stiffened as Gaston guided Rapunzel's frozen capsule over to Gothel.
"Such a shame," she sighed. "I had high hopes for her. Maybe someday she'll understand that this was all for her own good." Gothel eerily ran her fingers along Rapunzel's dark and frozen face. Her silver eyes narrowed on Hans as she uttered, "Can we trust him?"
"But of course," Gaston insisted and firmly rubbed Hans' shoulders. "He made the right choice after all." Hans shuddered as Gaston suddenly tightened his grip, increasing pressure with each word. "Plus, to go back on everything now would be monumentally stupid. Wouldn't it, Hans?" The knight slowly nodded, bringing a grin to Gaston's lips. "Now he's a man," he lauded before staring Hans down. Gaston dropped his jovial tone and issued his heinous instructions. "Now remember, Hans. Before you can join us here on Aren, you need to keep playing the part. Care to tell me what happened?" He raised a dark brow when Hans took too long to answer. "Hm?"
"I-" Hans croaked, still in shock from it all. "We...went looking for you on Mygeeto." He swallowed hard, unfolding the venomous lie rolling within. "And because we didn't heed Master Mundi's warning, we came under attack by Separatist forces. "Rapunzel...didn't-" Gaston and Gothel leaned in as if urging him with their insidious stares. "She didn't make it," Hans spat out the words.
"Good man," Gaston lauded and firmly patted his back. "Return to the council, relay this news, and be our spy on the inside."
"When will I know to come back?" Hans asked.
Gaston's gaze wandered as he scratched at his chin. "I know not how, but the galaxy as we know it will end. That's why we need you to be our eyes and ears in the Republic."
"And when the time comes-" Gothel added. "You shall join us here."
Hans' lip quivered as his eyes listed towards Gaston. "What of Anna?"
"What about her?" his old mentor scoffed.
"You said she could join us," Hans uttered. "Did you mean it?"
"Test the waters," Gaston insisted. "See if she's even worthy. And if not..." He trudged up to Hans, letting his piercing blue gaze fall upon him. "Let her burn with the rest. It's eat or be eaten, Hans. And only the strong shall survive."
Hans held his breath while slowly taking one last look at Rapunzel's body.
"Let her burn with the rest."
Gaston's words had Hans death-gripping the shuttle's controls. His heart sank when a sudden call came to his comlink. "Kriff," he whispered sharply. "Kriff...kriff!" His blood ran cold once he realized who was calling him. Hurriedly answering the device, Hans tried to remain resolute and calm. "Yeah?" he murmured.
"Hey Hans," was all Anna had to say to provoke a wave of nausea within. "I wanted to check in."
"Right," he croaked. "How's your um...uh...mission?"
"Haven't left yet," Anna answered casually. "It must be pretty serious for the higher ups to need this much clearance. We're currently fueling up at Starpoint Base."
"That's great," Hans whispered, nearly straining his voice.
"Are you okay?" Anna asked.
"Fine. Just...out on a supply run for the Order."
"Look at you, stepping it up." Anna jested as Hans forced a smile. "Well I just wanted to say I was thinking about you."
"Great," Hans mumbled and started reaching to end the call.
"Oh!" Anna blurted. "Before I forget. Can you do me a favor when you get back to the temple?"
Hans exaggerated a sigh. "What?"
"Relax. No manual labor required, you lazy bum. Can you let Rapunzel know she still needs to visit my island in Jawa Crossing? We always trade resources and it's not like her to be late." Anna could've said anything she wanted to. After speaking Rapunzel's name, Hans had frozen up...much like her body. His eyes reddened as his nostrils flared. "Will you do that?" Anna asked amid the silence. "Hans?" Tears pooled in his eyes as his breaths shortened. "Hello?"
"I need to go," Hans choked.
"What?" Anna asked. "Hans, are you-"
"Just shut up and leave me alone," Hans barked, on the verge of throwing up. "I told you I need to go!" Furious, he cut the transmission and sank into his seat.
Anna gasped at the abrupt conclusion to their call. "Hans?" she beckoned amid the silence. Shaking her head at his behavior, she clipped her comlink to her belt and stormed up to the nearest viewport. Starpoint might've been an eyesore from the ground, but those aboard had a beautiful view of Coruscant. Vibrant, glistening structures stretched on across entire hemispheres as Anna lost herself in their collective glow. A pair of plastoid boots stomped in from behind as she braced herself for a conversation. "I'm fine," she immediately murmured.
"What's wrong?" Sergeant Blazer quickly saw through her facade. Removing his helmet to be personal with her, he continued towards the viewport. "Who were you talking to?"
Anna hated how she loved Hans and what it did to her. She hated feeling like her own emotions were out of her control. This fury carried on into her shaking fists and reddening cheeks. She was embarrassed by it all. Knowing that she could charge into a hundred battlefields, and feel weakened by a single man. She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about how much he distracted her. And yet as Anna turned to Blazer, she was reminded of her best friend. The man who'd embarked on a journey of redemption alongside her, training aboard a frozen ship on Ilum. Struggling yet willing to open up, Anna sighed. "It was just Hans being stupid."
"With all due respect-" Blazer began. "-isn't he always?"
His words coaxed a chuckle out of Anna as she leaned against the glass. "He may be an idiot," she whispered. "But...he's my idiot. Ya know?"
Blazer slowly nodded in subtle realization. "I...think I do, general. But more importantly, are you alright?" Anna craned her neck to the sergeant as he continued. "Let's drop the act here, Anna. We've been through enough together. Hans could be your sun, moon, and everything in between. But that still wouldn't make him more important than you should be to yourself. So I ask again...are you alright?"
Anna took a deep breath, yet averted her gaze from Blazer. "I...don't know. I will be," she corrected when his dark brows furrowed. Anna's eyes lit up as she noticed a distinct Venator pulling in to Starpoint for refueling. Its turquoise streaks had her saying, "Hey! That's the Deliverance. I'll be back," she assured. "I'm gonna pay my sis a quick visit."
Blazer sighed as his general departed from the station platform. Returning to a bench, he found the other Deathchasers waiting for him. "Well?" Lieutenant Sparx inquired.
"What's going on?" Speedy worried.
Blazer softly shook his head. "There's a lot more at stake here than any of us realize," he said as his brothers raised their heads. "At the end of the day, Anna's just a kid. And this war is taking a larger toll on her and so many others than we're willing to acknowledge. Jedi or not, she doesn't get to live a normal life."
"Do any of us?" Sparx considered.
"I don't know," Blazer lamented. "But I think it'll take winning this war for any of us to find out."
"If it wasn't for Anna-" Speedy began while looking at his cybernetic legs. "-we wouldn't even be a squad. If anyone deserves a happy ending through this, it's her. And I'll fight to make that so. Whatever it takes."
Blazer slowly nodded in agreement. "Whatever it takes."
On Starpoint's lower level, Elsa Dellian stood on a platform overlooking her Star Destroyer. She was happy to stretch her legs and observe the Republic's newest space station. On the stairwell below, her Padawan could be seen arm-wrestling with Commander Frost. "You're not gonna let me win, are you?" young Stel's voice echoed up to Elsa.
"Of course not," Frost jested.
"I don't believe you!"
Elsa smirked at their banter until a familiar presence reached her senses. It was enough to have her releasing the platform's rails and turning in astonishment. "Anna?" she called as the redhead stepped out from a shadowy corridor.
"Heya sis," Anna greeted. "You've gotta teach me how to do that sensing thing so quickly."
"All I do is open my mind to the connections around me," Elsa explained. "The rest flows easily."
"For you, maybe." Anna teased and leaned against the railing with her. "Refueling too? Where are they sending you?"
"Naboo needs a Rhydonium restock," Elsa explained. "Apparently they emptied their reserves to other battlefronts. What about you?"
"I have yet to be fully briefed-" Anna replied. "-but it looks like an insurrection's sparked up in the Outer Rim."
"Just when I thought there couldn't be any more unrest," Elsa grieved.
"I like to think that this full-scale conflict was always inevitable," Anna professed. "It was just a matter of who would pick what side and when."
Elsa paused, taking a moment to bring her hands together. She hung her head and let each pale finger nestle in the other's embrace. "I hate to admit it, but you're right in this case. It shouldn't have come down to sides, but history shows us that it always does."
"You know," Anna huffed. "You haven't necessarily been wrong either." Elsa lifted her head as Anna continued. "Maybe a lot of death would be avoided if people would just talk to each other. Perhaps my boys and I wouldn't be getting sent to put down insurrections if a good conversation had happened in between. But alas." Anna playfully nudged her. "You're the scholar, I'm the soldier...right?"
"By the Force," Elsa said. "I hate all of this fighting. I loathe what it's done to those closest to us...especially you and I. If it was up to me, I'd wish for us to never fight again."
"I know," Anna sighed. "We're stronger together after all. Plus, Master Adersen wouldn't want us to fight so much." Elsa smiled gently as Anna's vambrace blipped. "Blast," Anna snapped. "The Legacy's refueled and ready. I gotta get going, but it was nice to-"
"Sis," Elsa interrupted, freezing Anna in her tracks. "No matter where they send you...please be safe."
"I promise," Anna insisted. "And the same to you."
"I know we have our disagreements and squabbles, but at the end of the day...you're still my sister. The war has already taken so much away from us. And through all of the scares and close calls...I can't lose you."
Anna simpered and pulled Elsa into a tight embrace. It mattered not if her little sister was wearing armor, for in that moment they both felt as light as feathers. Pressing her cheek into Elsa's shoulder, Anna sank into her sister's warmth and whispered, "You'll always have me."
There was a spring in Elsa's heart as the Dellian sisters held each other close. Parting from their embrace, Anna made her way back into the shadowy corridor. She took one last look at her sister, bathed in the glow of industrial spotlights from overhead. "May the Force be with-" the sisters jinxed one another. It was enough to have them sharing a laugh before Anna departed down the dark hall.
As Elsa returned her focus to the refueling process, she found herself staring out of the nearest viewport. Her gaze traveled beyond Coruscant and towards the starry void above. She searched that endless trail of stars for meaning, contemplating who she was and the path she should take in honor of that revelation.
Meanwhile, a uniformed man marched up to Frost. With a jovial grin and firm salute, he was happy to bestow greetings. "Well, well. Commander! Good to see you again."
Although it took Frost a moment while saluting, he soon recognized the man from their wild endeavor back on Naboo. "Colonel Roze," he answered. "The pleasure is mine."
"I understand that you'll be shipping Rhydonium back to my homeworld," Semaj Roze said. "I thank you for your service as we continue to aid the war effort."
"Is that why you're here, sir?" Frost questioned. "I assure you that we're right on schedule."
"No no no," Semaj insisted. "At ease, commander. I'm no longer stationed on Naboo. With everything going on, the Supreme Chancellor has asked for me to take command of Starpoint Base instead. I will be giving my all to watch over the heart of the Republic."
"It's an honor to have you with us," Frost said calmly before looking up. "Elsa!" he beckoned. "Look who's here!" To Frost's confusion, Elsa didn't answer. Instead, she continued to peer out of the viewport. "Elsa?"
Even Semaj appeared concerned as Stel added, "She's been doing that a lot lately." The trio continued to stare up at Elsa...wondering what was going through her head.
Refueled and soaring through hyperspace, the Legacy and its crew were prepared for anything the war would send their way. Admiral Shang dutifully manned the bridge while Anna and her Deathchasers mustered at the holotable. They stood at attention as Watcher's tired projection flickered into view. "General Dellian," she greeted, staving off a yawn. Frustration flowed across her glower, for she loathed displaying any form of weakness. Still, the war was taking its toll on even the highest-ranking officials.
"What've you got for us?" Anna asked, choosing to stay focused.
Watcher's squint was hardly visible behind her sharp glasses. "Deathchasers," she began. "As we speak, Admiral Shang has you routed for Yalbec Prime. The rocky world lays situated in the Outer Rim."
"Another Grievous attack?" Anna inquired.
"Not this time," Watcher denied. "I'm afraid we have a greater insurrection on our hands. For years, the Republic's presence on Yalbec Prime had gone unhindered. In fact, we'd been able to assist and improve the pitiful Yalbec quality of life. Sadly, they've bitten the hand that's fed them. Hostilities have erupted between us and the insectoids." Several projections emerged, displaying various burning structures across Yalbec Prime's surface. "I'm afraid we are past the point of negotiation."
"Respectfully-" Anna interjected. "If you're going to clash with these Yalbec, you're gonna need more than a squad of four soldiers. I presume we're linking up with a larger unit?"
Watcher shook her head. "The Yalbec see themselves as the superiors in this instance. They believe that they actually hold any power in the Republic's influence. In reality, they are nothing more than stumbles in our glorious road. I am sending you in because the Republic Embassy on Yalbec Prime is under attack. The distress signal reached us shortly before we lost contact with the troops stationed there."
"So much for not having any power," Blazer mumbled.
"Do not mistake this feeble attempt at an uprising to be a bigger threat than it really is," Watcher asserted. "Because a standard brigade seems to have their hands full, this will be a joint operation with Clone Force 99."
Anna's eyes widened at the unique unit's mention. "Wait, what?" she blurted as Watcher carried on.
"Save your gripes," she intoned. "Republic lives are at stake and we need the most elite squads we have to get this done. We'll drop you at the embassy, where you will safely secure and extract all survivors. Once they're clear, we will exterminate all opposition within range."
"Respectfully, Watcher..." Speedy spoke up. "All opposition? What if there are demonstrators? Families? What if they aren't all hostile?"
Watcher's glower deepened. "Then those demonstrators will know to run when they hear us opening fire on the hostiles." Speedy stepped back into line as Anna took in all of Watcher's words. She glanced up as her superior concluded. "You'll arrive on Yalbec Prime within the hour. So gear up and prepare extraction procedures. The eyes of the Republic are upon us all." Watcher's hologram leaned across the table and shifted directly toward Anna. "There can be no mistakes."
Anna responded with a swift salute. "We'll get this done," she affirmed as her clones followed suit. As Watcher's transmission ended, the Deathchasers marched off for mission prep.
Anna never tired of the rush she felt with each mission. From traveling as Master Mattias' Padawan, to serving as a soldier in the Grand Army, preparing for war was always exhilarating. She could feel her blood pumping as she fiercely fastened her gear. She took pride in each crimson streak across her plastoid armor as she stood in solidarity with her brothers. Anna had heard the stories of soldiers...and even Jedi...being traumatized by the war. Of the nightmares that would plague some of them past the point of functioning. Anna considered herself to be one of the lucky ones. Such trauma in combat rarely reached her heart nor her mind. It kept her on her toes. In Anna's eyes, she was a symbol to both her squad and everyone they saved. Knowing that the clones would be looking to her to lead, Anna revved herself up.
"Deathchasers!" she roared from the Legacy's loading station. Her voice was as bold as it was ferocious. It was a flare, sparking infernos in the hearts of all who heard it. "Final check!" she bellowed. "Blasters!"
"Blasters!" Blazer hollered back and raised the Onasi pistol. Sparx and Speedy clicked their rifles into place. "Energized!"
Her men stood at attention as Anna slowly approached. The Legacy lulled before thundering out of lightspeed. "We're here, brothers." Anna said. "It's do or die. But do the Deathchasers fear death?"
"No!" Blazer, Sparx, and Speedy barked in unison.
"That's right! Because it is our enemies who will be backing down!" Anna roared. "When they see the streaks on our armor and experience the fury of our resolve...they will witness us. For the Republic!"
"For the Republic!" her clones shouted.
The ventral hatch's locks came undone. "This is it!" Anna shouted as the Legacy breached Yalbec Prime's atmosphere. "Stay together and we'll get through this!" Anna lunged at her clones, giving each man's helmet a firm knock as she always had. "Let's go Sparx! Come on, Speedy! Bring it, Blazer! Together now!" The winds picked up with the Legacy's swift descent. Several clamps hissed together before hastily coming undone. Yalbec Prime's evening sun was as blinding as it was fiery. Bold beams streaked against rising smoke clouds, all leading down to an infernal sight.
Charred and tattered, a Republic banner tilted in the wind. Its bold colors faded under a tremendous ash cloud. Its rickety flagstaff rattled above a battered and bloodied, durasteel wall. For any survivors within the embassy, such a sight would be as patriotic as it was resilient. That was until a hard-shelled, scythe-like appendage sliced across the staff. The severed pole plummeted below the wall while a slight gust captured the banner. It sent the Republic colors swirling towards an ongoing inferno. The flames stretched out like violent hands and engulfed the banner, setting it ablaze amidst a cacophony of laserfire. Yet despite how loud such lasers were, they still could not deafen the ongoing chitters. Wild, frantic, and copious clicks rang throughout the ravaged embassy. The Yalbec themselves had amassed in a furious swarm, clicking their mandibles in protest. Their amber-colored exoskeletons reflected flames while some crawled beyond the smoke. Antennae darted forward while others had been completely shot off.
The massive insectoids dropped into the embassy's central compound. While some Yalbec smashed windows, others dragged furniture out to feed the flames. Only a spaceship's tumultuous whir could have Yalbec craning their necks upward. As the Legacy's bold silhouette loomed over the embassy, those within were soon met with ferocious opposition. At Admiral Shang's command, the Hammerhead launched a volley of explosive lasers to scatter those entering from outside. Each high-powered, indigo blast sent screeching bodies and shelled limbs tumbling through the air.
And betwixt the ensuing sounds of death and agony, a sudden hiss echoed from above. Those who'd survived peered up to see a green beam swaying from the ship. This vibrant lightsaber flourished from the Legacy's lower ramp. Anna stepped toward the edge, letting her auburn tresses sway valiantly. With a firm thrust of her blade, she shouted "Take it to 'em!"
The Legacy performed a low-level flyby. Its high-powered engines produced gusts capable of extinguishing upper flames. Dust clouds puffed across the walls and shrouded the Deathchasers' descent. Anna sprung first and immediately swung rightward. Yalbec screeches echoed through the dust as her saber hummed with each strike. The rest of the insectoids backed away as one of their own came flailing out. Its spiny legs twitched above its writhing head while pure plasma emerged from its back. Anna dug her lightsaber deeper into the Yalbec's chest, cracking and scorching its shell before she flung the corpse toward the others. Her clones formed up alongside her and were quick to open fire. Bright blaster bolts darted towards the insectoids, piercing their bodies and causing others to flee.
Despite the arrival of Republic reinforcements, many Yalbec welcomed the challenge and charged into the fray. Anna couldn't help but wonder if some had never encountered a lightsaber before, as they repeatedly tried to charge at her. While she cut them down, Blazer and the other Deathchasers cleared the inner perimeter. Without high-powered weapons, the Yalbec were at a technological disadvantage. However, they used numbers and surreal agility to try and flank the Deathchasers. One of the Yalbec skittered across the inner wall and pounced on Speedy. His armor scraped along the ground as he fired into his foe's torso. Still, the insectoid didn't let up. Its spiked, mantis-like forelegs swiped down at him. With a bold kick, Speedy's cybernetic legs hit with enough force to dislocate one of the Yalbec's back limbs. His assailant screeched in pain, and gave Speedy just enough time to crawl out and properly aim his rifle. Before he could fire, a well-placed laser struck the Yalbec in its head. Scorched flesh and shelled skin plopped against Speedy's armor as he rolled to evade the plummeting corpse. Wondering who had taken such a precise shot, he peered up beyond the smoke clouds and observed a dark shuttle.
The modified, Republic vehicle glided along the dark clouds like a reaper stalking its victims. An occasional sniper bolt beamed from its ramp and met another Yalbec's cranium. As the ship moved closer into position, Anna glimpsed its similar ramp. She recalled the desperation she'd felt at the Battle of Eshan and how such a shuttle had come swooping in at their darkest hour. Knowing whom had arrived, Anna fought even harder...before Clone Force 99 could take all of the credit.
With armor as dark as shadow, Clone Force 99 prepared for battle. "We're in position!" a clone hollered from the shuttle's controls.
"Well done, Tech." the squad's leader grunted. "Drop us off and give the outer hostiles a laser barrage." There was no such thing as rest for Clone Force 99. So much so, that there were those in the Republic who believed the 'Bad Batch' was genetically engineered not to sleep. Their persistent service had them leading in most solo missions, with the Deathchasers falling second behind them. Hunter had no plans of letting his squad's record fall as he approached the ramp. His sniper, Crosshair, was still taking out priority Yalbec. "How are we looking down there?" he asked.
"Abysmal," Crosshair hissed ever so casually. "For what we have to work with anyway." He nonchalantly swayed his rifle and blasted another Yalbec off of the wall. "The regs have a Jedi with them. You'd think they'd be doing better."
Hunter smirked beneath his helmet as their shuttle descended towards a cleared space on the wall. "Well that's where we come in," he murmured before getting back to orders. "Crosshair, post up along the wall and box in any stragglers. Wrecker, you-"
"Way ahead of you, Hunter!" a deep voice bellowed. Hunter spun, only to see his massive counterpart launching himself out of the shuttle's hold. Armored and battle-hungry, Wrecker sprung from the wall to immediately crash into a Yalbec. His raucous battle cries struck fear in the insectoids as he blasted their torsos to pieces. All Hunter could do was sigh and leap down as well.
"Don't worry, regs!" Wrecker declared. "I'll save you!" He punched a Yalbec out and quite literally threw it into several who were attacking Blazer.
"I had those!" the sergeant growled.
Wrecker loosed a haughty chuckle. "Sure you did." He pat Blazer's head as one would a child, and the sergeant looked as though he could fight Wrecker then and there. Meanwhile, Anna and Lieutenant Sparx went back to back. The duo kept revolving, adapting their maneuvers to the incoming Yalbec. Anna played defense while Sparx snuck in any shots he could. While they covered each other's backs, another Yalbec sprung from above. Before it could strike them, Hunter intercepted it in midair. Anna and Sparx watched as he pinned the creature to the ground and unsheathed his vibro-knife. The insectoid's screeches came to a squelching halt once Hunter precisely jammed the blade into its neck.
"Impressive," Sparx muttered.
"Oh please," Anna whispered as a shadow loomed behind her. "What a kriffing diva."
It wasn't long before the rising shadow darkened Anna and Sparx's path. They turned to see a Yalbec raising its forelegs to attack. "Look out!" Sparx warned and raised his blaster. His warning sufficed as Anna acted quicker, swiping her blade across the insectoid's limbs. Both sizzling appendages fell, leaving the Yalbec to wail in agony before stumbling back. It collapsed against the ground, kicking up its legs in desperation. The Yalbec flailed its cauterized nubs as Anna closed in to finish it off. While she stomped over, a series of high-pitched shrieks echoed amid the chaos. As Anna raised her blade, a juvenile Yalbec skittered between both her and its injured kin. And while she couldn't understand a word out of the Yalbec's mandibles, she could make out the desperation in its gestures.
Its antennae twitched and swirled frantically while its mandibles continued to click. Beyond its screeches came a series of mewls and whimpers. It was pleading...begging for mercy. In that moment, Anna didn't see a disgusting insectoid foaming at the mouth. She saw Aveni the Mirialan. She heard that little boy's cries in her head.
"Leave my mommy alone!"
Anna felt like she was back on that Coruscant street instead of on a heated battlefield. Slowly lowering her lightsaber, she watched as the juvenile and an older Yalbec dragged away their injured companion. In fact, the entire insectoid force had gone into retreat. Anna's heart sank when she noticed Crosshair on the wall, aiming his rifle towards the injured Yalbec's group. "Wait," she uttered. "What is he doing?"
"Following my orders," Hunter affirmed. "Clearing and scattering hostiles."
"We won," Anna insisted. "Call him off." Her desperate eyes widened with each passing moment as Crosshair steadied his rifle. "I am the highest kriffing rank here!" Anna roared in Hunter's face. "Now stand down! That is an order!"
Stern-faced yet dutiful, Hunter called it in. "Crosshair," he said via comlink. "Disengage." The sniper reluctantly lowered his rifle and glared at Anna from above. The young Dellian watched as the remaining Yalbec fled through the breach and across their planet's barren terrain.
An eerie silence filled the air as Anna caught her breath. "General?" Blazer inquired. When she didn't answer, he closed in and brought his voice down to a whisper. "Anna...you alright?"
"Fine," she uttered and swallowed hard. With each hastened breath, images of that Mirialan boy faded once more and granted her clear sight. She snapped back into the moment just to get a query from Hunter.
"So what are your new orders, then?" he murmured.
"Get this debris cleared," Anna commanded. "And search for survivors."
Both the Deathchasers and Clone Force 99 fanned out, scouring the area for any signs of life. Corpses of Yalbec and the stationed clones alike lay strewn across the ground. After fruitless searches, both groups converged on the main embassy compound itself. The doors had been smashed open, leading both squads in to a grim scene. The Yalbec had clawed their way through the walls and smashed every datascreen in their path. Oils leaked from malfunctioned terminals and puddled alongside trails of blood. And yet this massacre did not consist of solely clones. As Anna stepped forward, she observed the bodies of countless Republic staff members. Officers, secretaries, and technicians...men and women who'd aspired to make a difference for their Republic beyond the safety of the Core Worlds. Now it mattered not how pretty nor polished their holobadges were. Their pressed uniforms were reduced to wrinkled, shredded messes soaked in their own blood. Lacerations lined their youthful faces while others had been completed gutted. Mangled limbs still lay on top of one another, as some staff embraced each other before embracing death.
"Karabast," Speedy uttered and Crosshair scoffed. He glanced over at the sniper as the snide gesture became a chuckle. "Something funny?" Speedy inquired.
Crosshair shook his head. "Mercy," he answered. "Those bugs did-" he gestured to the slaughtered bodies. "-this...and your general shows them mercy."
"Hey," Speedy growled. "They were retreating. And she's your general too."
"She's not my anything," Crosshair groused, infuriating Speedy further. With clenched fists and a deepening scowl, he marched up to the enhanced clone.
Speedy would've kept going if Blazer hadn't held him back. "Easy, brother." the sergeant said and then looked at Crosshair. "How about you keep your thoughts to yourself?"
"What the hell's going on here?" Anna asked, interposing herself between the clones. "It's okay," she assured Blazer before addressing Crosshair. "Do you have a problem with me, trooper?"
Crosshair glanced at Hunter amid the heavy silence. "She asked you a question," his leader responded.
Crosshair's faceless helmet tilted towards Anna. "You let those insects go," he said. "You call it a victory because they fled, but do you not think they'll regroup? Do you not think that those who survived this will be angrier than ever? They attacked a Republic embassy without a single weapon to match ours." Crosshair walked among the corpses while continuing. "It doesn't matter if the Yalbec brought juveniles. This wasn't some demonstration. Some...protest. No. This was hatred." He calmly gestured to a heavily lacerated secretary. "They hate the Republic. The only reason they didn't fully succeed is because we pushed them back. We made them afraid. But the second they regain power, they'll gladly finish what they started." Crosshair stepped up to Anna and lowered his voice to an ominous hiss. "Think about that the next time you give the order to stand down."
Anna stared Crosshair down until Blazer intervened. "Alright," the sergeant said. "That's enough." Their debate was cut short by a sudden shuffling down the hall. It was enough to have both squads readying their weapons and aiming towards an unknown threat. A brief glimpse of shifting plastoid had the men lowering their blasters.
"Kriff," Anna uttered. "It's one of ours." She deactivated her lightsaber and dashed towards the grunting clone. Dropping to her knees and sliding to his side, she observed a gash across his hip. One of the Yalbec had struck with enough force to crack through his armored plating. Blood from his aching wound dripped across his armor's purple accents. Gently removing his helmet, Anna glimpsed a youthful clone. With neatly trimmed hair and a sweaty visage, the clone desperately tried to catch his breath. "It's alright, trooper-" Anna paused and noticed the clone's ranked pauldron. "-captain?" she inquired. He nodded through his winces. "You're gonna be alright," Anna assured before turning to her men. "Sparx, signal the Legacy for a pickup. We need to get this man to a bacta tank. Blazer and Speedy, help me lift him."
"Are there any other survivors?" Hunter inquired. The captain took a while to answer. Even as Blazer helped haul him up, all he could do was painfully shake his head and observe the surrounding corpses. Before the rescue teams could accept his answer, the captain spoke up.
"Not...here," he croaked.
"Not here?" Anna mumbled. "What do you mean?"
Getting weaker with each passing second, the captain reached for Anna's palm and squeezed. Blood from his scraped hand seeped from his tattered glove and stained Anna's. "They took him," he coughed and buckled forward. Anna and the surrounding clones exchanged perplexed stares until the captain continued. "The...engineer. We tried to stop them, but there were too many."
"Captain..." Anna inquired and stepped closer. "What engineer?"
The clone caught his breath while clinging to Blazer and Speedy for support. "G-Galen," the captain recalled. "Galen Erso."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this comeback chapter for "The Frozen Force!" Your ongoing support and love for this story has been very much appreciated. My life has never been this busy between family, career, and personal time. Yet through it all, we will make this story prevail. I will see you in two weeks on Friday, August 19th for Chapter: 112 - Murder and Mercy (Part II)
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you!
~ Michael Gavilán