Commander Tano Meets Commanders

Ponds 2

Co-written with the_lonely_moon (AO3)

Warning: strong language

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Commander Ponds, before 'Death Trap'

There are no prizes for runners-up.

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The dark walls of the compound are suffocating, to say the least.

Ponds can tell this is the internment camp they've been looking for. There are bars on every door and window, ray shields surrounding the broken-down compound, and the stench . . .

Force, it's awful.

The filters in his helmet are supposed to filter out toxic gases and the heaviest pollution in the galaxy, and yet the smell of rotting flesh, urine, vomit, and faeces is making him gag. His stomach tightens as a draft moves towards them, pushing the smell further up his nose.

He spares a glance at his partner to see she's not faring any better.

Without a helmet, Ahsoka has resorted to covering her nose with the sleeve of her cloak, which he doubts smells any better, given they've been on this planet for Force-knows-how-long without proper sanitation supplies.

"I thought internment camps were supposed to have standards," Ahsoka mutters, her voice muffled by the fabric.

Ponds snorts, which is a mistake because he just inhales more of the vile stench. "The Seps don't care for standards when it comes to war prisoners, Tooka. I would know."

He feels Ahsoka look at him, but he keeps on staring straight ahead. Being in a Separatist compound brings back a lot of memories, none of them pleasant by any means.

"I'll be glad to get out of here," Ahsoka says after the quiet stretches for too long, fidgeting at the lack of noise. Ponds is surprised she can stand this hellish place. The eerie silence, the debris . . . this is certainly not a job for the faint of heart.

Why Windu decided to send the Jedi Padawan along on Ponds' scouting mission to search an abandoned prisoner of war camp for survivors is beyond him.

They walk on for a little longer, careful not to make too much noise. They'll have to enter the cells soon, but for now, Ponds is more than happy to stick with the more tolerable (though not by much) halls.

"What's that?" Ahsoka points to a courtyard where the southern wall is adorned with scorch marks.

Ready-

Ponds swallows hard, fighting the urge to grab the kid and bolt out of there before it seems too similar to his own experience.

Take aim-

"That's where they do the executions."

Fire.

"Oh." The Togruta frowns, "I thought they hung people."

He shakes his head, "Firing squad is far more efficient."

They follow the building's many twists and turns. Every corridor is dark, illuminated only by the flashlight on Ponds' helmet and the green glow of Ahsoka's lightsaber. Ponds' breaths become shallower the deeper they walk.

Eventually, Ahsoka stops in front of a door, cocking her head and staring intently for a few tense moments. "Here," she says after a few seconds pass.

Ponds doesn't bother asking how she knows.

They don't know the codes to open the door, nor do they have the time to find out, so the Padawan simply gathers her hands closer to her body and pushes, the sheet of metal standing in their way crumpling in on itself and falling down with a loud clang. Ponds winces.