Ossus
The gradient was so gradual they hardly noticed they had been gradually going downwards as they walked along the tunnel.
"Looks like it goes into the mountain, sir."
"That's what I hope. Then we can see how near they've got to the Temple, if that's what they are looking for."
He held his closed fist up, signalling for them to stop.
The clones obeyed.
"There's something here but I can't quite sense where or what it is. It's definitely ahead, somewhere. Be vigilant!"
There were murmurs of agreement from the squad, as they moved ahead treading carefully, helmet lamps lighting their way.
Several minutes later, the path narrowed and Mayday stuck his arm out stopping Plug falling over the edge. He scrambled back, sending rocks and sand dropping below; the splashes of water echoed from beneath as they hit the surface. Mayday and Plug peered over the edge of a precipice into a black hole.
"Shh! Can you hear something?" Plug asked, trying to see further into the murky blackness.
Mayday listened, he thought there was something, a low pitched hum but it was just out of his hearing range. He blinked to increase the level of his HUD audio, yes it picked it up.
Plug screamed as he left the ledge; helmet lamps immediately punched through the blackness, punctuated by shots from Plug's blaster.
Baylan's lightsaber lit up the area.
A dark suckered tentacle was wrapped around Plug's waist and squeezing, waving him around like a rag Tooka doll.
Splicer peered into the darkness, illuminating more tentacles, an eyestalk, and a mouth of sharp teeth; and his brother was being pulled down there, despite his struggles.
"It's a Dianoga. Feeds on anything. What's it doing here?"
"Feeding!" Shouted Tank as he and Mayday fired their rappel lines into the ceiling and leapt out after him, their lines screeching as they quickly dropped into the depths.
Baylan stood, his lightsaber lit and his other hand splayed out and down, with the helmet lights, Splicer could see the other tentacles being pushed outwards, not moving but struggling against something to reach his brothers.
"Is that you sir?" He asked, and he received a grunt in reply, "It's working!" He replied as he saw sweat pouring down the Jedi's face.
Tank grabbed hold of Plug's belt attaching him to his, and tried to pull the tentacle away with brute force, whilst Mayday hacked at the Tentacle, with his vibroblade, oblivious to the remaining tentacles struggling against the Force to reach them, an eye stalk rose up from the water, together with a maw full of rows of hooked teeth. Mayday finally succeeded and Tank and Plug shot upwards. He looked down to see the water swirling, and the creature slithering away in the darkness.
He shot back upwards, before it changed its mind.
Baylan staggered back, deactivating his lightsaber and breathing hard; Decs steadied him against the wall.
"Is he okay—Sir?" he managed to ask.
Plug was lying on the floor gasping and holding his midsection.
"Poss- ible cru-sh injuries. In- ternal ble-eding." He diagnosed himself. "Need-tank." Before he slipped into unconsciousness.
Baylan pushed himself away from Decs and knelt over the stricken clone; he put his hands on his torso, "I'm no healer but maybe I can help, a little."
The squad waited, watching, as he knelt there, eyes closed until he slumped forward, face deathly white.
Plug appeared to be breathing better. "I'm sorry. I can't do any more and we need to check the end of the tunnel."
"Decs get him back to the warehouse! Stabilise as much as you can!" Mayday ordered, "Wings you go with him. Then get back to the transport and come back for a pick up."
"Sir?"
"You heard me! If they don't already know we're here, they soon will."
Decs pulled Plug onto his back and they set off back up the tunnel, the others moved forward.
Mayday touched the wall as they walked past; it was smooth, no longer cut by mechanical means, more natural. He still heard the swish of water and suspected the Dianoga was following them.
"It's changed hasn't it!" Baylan observed this too.
"Yes. A few metres back. What if we don't find anything?"
"Then that's what I report back to the Council." He held up his hand, "But I feel we're near the end."
Ten more minutes and their helmet lamps confirmed it, they had reached the end of the tunnel. There was no door but a blockage of smooth molten rock, ripples in the wall like overflowing thickened blue milk cream. Baylan activated his Lightsaber and slashed at the wall. It bounced off, not even leaving a mark.
The clones looked at each other, behind their helmets.
"Veetch? What can we use to get through this?" Asked Mayday.
He scanned the rock.
"Solid sir. And I can't determine how far back it goes but it's pretty dense. No air pockets or rocks. So unless you want to bring the whole place down I would advise against it."
"Check the whole area!" Baylan frowned; he was sure something was here.
Veetch came back, "It's the same all along."
"It appears, this is as far as the Seppies got." Confirmed Mayday.
"I concur." Baylan replied, his hand on the wall, "And can report that to the Council. There is no weapon. Good news for …." He turned back towards the water, "once. Don't move."
They all watched as the Dianoga's tentacles rose again from the water; one edged slowly towards Baylan. He held a hand up to keep them back, sensing the creature just wanted him. The tentacle stopped in front of his face. He held out his hand and it dropped a small silver baton into his palm, his hand closed around it. The Dianoga slivered back into the black water, hardly breaking the surface.
Tank broke the silence, "What the fuck was that?"
Baylan's hand was wrapped around the object, "She is Force sensitive."
"She?" Asked Mayday.
"They can choose their gender. But she wanted me to have this. I am not sure why or what it is."
Splicer peered over the edge, "Looks like she's gone."
Baylan stared at the baton, trying to decipher what was written on it.
"Sir? We can check it later." Mayday prompted him.
"Of course. Let's get back and get Plug into a Bacta tank."
.
Mayday and Veetch watched as they rose from the planet.
"1000 metres, sir." Wings advised him.
Veetch pressed the detonator.
The warehouse exploded sending a cloud of dust skywards. There would be nothing left.
Mayday checked in on Plug; He was linked up to the med scanner and it confirmed crush injuries but he was stable so far. He needed to be in a Bacta tank asap, and there was no tank on their transport.
They were in hyperspace on course back to Coruscant.
Mayday walked back to the crew area to see Baylan sitting staring at the Artefact he had managed to secure, despite the molten rock at the end. He was twisting the silver baton around in his hand, frowning at the language and symbols etched into its shiny metallic casing.
"What is it?" Asked Mayday, wondering what they had nearly lost their lives for.
"I'm not sure. It's not like anything I've seen before. At first I thought it was a Star Map but I'm not sure. I can't feel anything from it now, although I was drawn to it when we were in the ruins of the Temple." He placed it back in his pack. "I'll consult one of the historians at the Temple Archives, perhaps they can shed some light on it."
"Yes sir."
"And what are you going to do, back on Coruscant?" Baylan effortlessly changed the subject.
"Report in and wait for the next mission."
"Sit!"
Mayday parked himself on the bunk next to the Jedi.
"Do you have anyone, other than your brothers, to meet on Coruscant? I've seen Plug looking at a picture obviously drawn by a youngling."
Mayday looked at the Jedi, undecided how much to tell him.
"I have no problem with you having relationships, in fact it probably makes more rounded people. I have no intention of reporting it."
"There is someone but I'm still not sure what I can offer her."
"Perhaps she is simply content finding you and being with you."
"Is that enough?"
"For many people."
"But not Jedi?" Mayday knew of their non attachment rule.
"Not Jedi." He went back to studying the baton.
.
"Tank says you used General Baylan's lightsaber to kill one of the mercs," said Decs as he walked with Mayday from their shuttle back at GAR HQ.
"Yes. Do you want to see?"
His helmet cam had been recording; he transferred it to the younger clone.
"How'd it handle?" Decs asked, watching the feed.
"Okay but I prefer my DC15s or 17s at a pinch any day."
"Baylan's all right, isn't he?"
"He is—for a Jedi."
.
Hela's
Mayday let himself in to Hela's, not surprised it was in darkness; he had not commed Hela to say he was returning, as it was late and he knew she would wait up for him, if he did. He'd had reports to write, so many reports and Baylan had to report back to the Council, apparently what they had found on Ossus, was still 'disturbing' in Master Windu's words.
He couldn't even think about what that meant or rather didn't want to; he was here to see Hela to forget the war for a few hours.
He'd given Cody a quick mission report, just to keep him up to speed. But after they had finished no one was going to access that building, whatever it was for a good long time. It would give the Republic time to act.
"Lights—dim." He said, as he walked to the kitchen he needed a drink and some food.
He stood at the counter drinking his water, when he picked up a noise.
"You're very good at that!" He turned to face Zur pointing a blaster in his face.
The Falleen lowered it, with that trademark smile that almost looked like a snarl.
"Can't be too careful."
"I agree."
"She's not here. She's on Naboo."
"Why?"
She hadn't indicated in their last message she was going there but it had been a number of rotations ago, when they last spoke.
"For the Chancellor, The Festival of Light."
He was beginning to panic, he'd heard what happened. The Clone grapevine was as efficient as the Holonet.
"She's fine. It's all over but she's staying there for a few weeks. The show is taking a break and she thought she ought to relax. There might be a few things for her to do there. Catch up with people she knows."
She had never spoken much about Naboo but he knew her background.
"She never said anything."
"You're not the easiest person to get hold of. She'll be fine, she's in good hands."
"Who?"
"The crone."
Mayday crossed his arms, "More specific."
"Nola, a distant relative."
"You said crone."
"Yeah. She's old."
Mayday paced "So she's only got an old woman with her?"
"Naboo's peaceful."
"It wasn't a few days ago. Or when that maniac let that virus out."
"No. I suppose not, the war gets everywhere, but she'll be fine."
Mayday was already going out of the door, a plan forming. He just needed to check on a few things.
"What are you going to do?" Zur shouted after him.
"Go to Naboo!"
.
Mayday was already on his com as he left the building, nodding to Retired Admiral Rys on his way out. He felt a little churlish at the way he rushed past her but he did not have time to chat.
"Hexx! Any chance of borrowing a civilian shuttle."
"Boss?"
"We need to do some training, as a squad."
"We do Boss?" Veetch interrupted on the same channel; he had been planning on going to 79's but the Commander said they needed more training.
"Yes! I found there were some deficiencies on our last mission with Jedi Knight Skoll."
"There were?" Veetch asked, a little surprised.
"Yes, covert operations?"
"Covert operations, yes Boss."
"Yes. We need to blend in better."
"As you say Boss. Just your personal squad?" He asked.
"Yes! For the moment."
"And where would we be going?"
"I thought Naboo."
"Yes Boss!"
Why? Thought Veetch. Then it made sense, I should have known.
.
Cody's Office
Cody leaned back in his chair; one day it was going to break, between Rex, Mayday and the General, he was leaning back in it a great deal recently. He still had to bring Kenobi fully up to speed. He had spent a lot of the time at the Jedi Council on his return.
"Squad training?"
"Yes sir."
"On Naboo?"
"Yes sir. Our covert operations can be improved, especially if Knight Skoll needs us again, sir. His missions seem more covert than most. "
"You get on well with him?"
"Yes sir, he's a good fighter—pragmatic."
"You like him!" Cody grinned, "He has started to ask for you when he needs troopers. Is this why—"
The chair snapped back upright.
"She's on Naboo isn't she?"
"You're welcome to accompany us." Mayday replied, avoiding the question.
"I have my own squad and there are things I need to catch the General up on. How's Plug?"
"Getting there. Just as he diagnosed - crush injuries."
He studied his Commander for a good fifteen seconds. That always felt like an eternity; Mayday didn't squirm but then he is a Commander.
"Squad training approved!" he grinned.
"Sir!" Mayday saluted.
.
Naboo
Lake Area
The shuttle dropped gently onto the ground; Wings was with them this time, although they were missing Plug, still recovering from his injuries — with Cara.
"All secure Boss." He confirmed, fidgeting in the civilian clothes that Mayday had given him, telling him he needed to blend in.
Hela had bought so many clothes for him, his eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw them, bag after bag. So he'd divided them up and she was okay with his brothers having the ones he didn't want.
"Right lads! Best behaviour. I understand that it's not just Hela here but also another older woman."
Zur had brought him up to speed on the layout here.
The ramp slowly lowered onto the grassy field they had landed in. It was the nearest to the Cabin, as Zur called it when he gave him the coordinates. The men grabbed their packs and chatted as they headed down the ramp.
"That's as far as you go boyo!" An enhanced female voice rang out.
They all stopped dead, on alert.
Mayday looked around, searching the surrounding area but could see no one, despite there being little to no cover for whoever it was. He wished he had his helmet right now.
"Hands up boyo!"
He dropped his pack, "Hands up boys." He lowered his voice, "Let's see what we're up against first." He didn't want to kill any locals, not here.
"Walk slowly down the ramp, keeping your hands up. How many are you? And don't lie or there'll be one less quickly enough."
"I wouldn't dream of it Ma'am." Unsure where to direct his voice but hopefully loud enough so that she could hear him, as he walked slowly down the ramp. He stopped at the end.
"Keep on coming boyo! Straight ahead. All of you!"
His squad followed him out.
.
Hela switched off the new piece from the Theed Academy Alumni, she had been listening to, when she heard the noise of a shuttle flying overhead. The composition was from one of the people she studied with. It was beautiful and haunting and she would have loved to have lyrics to go with it, unless she could sing it with the notes alone; the noise from the shuttle engines spoiled her enjoyment of it.
"I need to contact him, enquire." She said to Nola; looking around she realised Nola was no longer in the room with her. She pulled the headphones off.
"Nola!" She shouted and walked around the cabin looking for her; she racked her brain to try and remember what she said she was going to do but being distracted she hadn't listened properly.
"The Hives! Collect and pot the Honey!"
Hela set off after her, towards the meadows, grabbing a pair of gloves and a Bee keepers hat as a precaution. The bees could be temperamental when disturbed and she had promised to help collect the latest batch of honey.
The sun was bright and warm on her face; she was glad she wore the thin dress. The meadows were full of wildflowers; it would be a good honey season with so much pollen and probably an even better harvest later.
She stopped, stood and took a deep breath, as much as she liked living in Coruscant, with its vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere, the air here was divine, clean, unspoiled and she missed it. Her voice was better here, clearer, stronger. Striding out she reached the brow of the hill. She looked down into the valley, there was a shuttle down there. Squinting in the sun, although she didn't recognise the civilian shuttle, she recognised the clones and their clothes.
"Mayday!" She shouted, grabbing her dress with one hand to hitch it up, and running down the hill, waving. The hat and gloves had dropped out of her hands, she didn't care now, this was a welcome surprise. She ran faster.
Mayday turned at the sound of his name being called, recognising the voice, he couldn't help but smile.
"Hela!" Nola's voice rang out, as she rose from her hiding place in the long meadow grass, a Verpine sniper rifle in her hand and grass tucked into her clothes and hair.
Six pairs of clone eyes swivelled around to her, except Mayday his was on Hela running full pelt down the hill towards him.
The men looked like brothers wearing civilian clothes. She put her Verpine to safety and lowered it. Then she watched as Hela leapt at the first one; a clone with the beginnings of a beard, who swung her around, then gently put her down on her feet and kissed her, hard.
"So this is the one?" She muttered to herself, as she waited for them to finish.
She looked around the men assembled in front of the civilian shuttle.
Yes they were all clones, she could see that now but from afar and if you didn't know better, they could just be brothers.
She glanced back at Hela, the clone had his forehead resting against hers now and he was saying something to her, she could not quite lip read it. The others hung back, waiting for his orders she assumed.
Mayday peeled himself from Hela, grabbed her hand and turned to the older woman.
"Commander Mayday, at your service Ma'am." He gave her the honour of saluting her.
She could see what Hela saw in him.
"Welcome to Naboo, Commander! I apologise for the misunderstanding." She nodded to her Verpine."
"Nice weapon ma'am."
She smiled, "Follow me. Let's get back to The Cabin."
.
The men secured the shuttle and followed Nola, Hela and their Commander up the hill to The Cabin; they had flown over it just prior to landing and the name cabin didn't quite do it justice.
Decs stopped before they reached the front door and stared at the imposing building in front of him, "I thought she said this was a Cabin?"
"I think she said The Cabin." Splicer corrected him, his gaze following his brother's. The building was all wood and stone and large, "It must be a Naboo thing."
"Yeah." Decs answered, as he followed his brothers up the front steps to something else new.
.