Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Forty Three: Vanish

The caves were... unsettling. That was for sure. They were cold too, for all of Geonosis' heat. Kaar couldn't help his raised hackles. He had no idea why, but this felt like a trap.

He felt Droidbait place a hand just above his tail, hackles lowering as he shook his head and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"You alright sir?" He asked softly.

"Yes, I just feel uneasy." Kaar mumbled in response.

"I got a bad feeling about this..." they heard behind them.

Judging by the lilt, emphasis, and drops in the voice? It was probably Fives.

At the last moment, he heard a crack. The ceiling caved in as he yanked himself and Droidbait forward. The trooper between them and Fives was crushed, scream cut off as rock crushed his lungs. He was barely alive, but suffocating. Thinking fast, Droidbait fired off a single bolt, sparing his brother from the misery of the death he would've had.

"Fives?!" Droidbait shouted.

He heard a muffled scream that slowly faded.

Droidbait's visor was fixed at the rock, trembling in horror. His voice came out a fearful whisper. "Fives?"

Kaar dropped his head, ears falling from their attentive position, to a solemn droop. He couldn't sense Fives. He was having trouble with Sparkler as it was but Fives?

Droidbait looked over at him and he slowly shook his head. "I can't feel him Droidbait... I'm so sorry..."

They both fell silent.

Sat quietly for about five minutes, before Droidbait finally found words to say.

"Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum... Trigger..."

He let out a choked sob as he whispered,

"Fives."

Kaar gently tugged Droidbait to his feet. He rubbed his shoulder, gently pressing his forehead against Droidbait's helmet.

"Gar shuk meh kyrayc, Droidbait." He said gently, hooking his fingers on the rim of the clone's helmet and pulling it off. He wiped away some of Droidbait's tears, letting him nestle his head in the crook of his neck. Kaar stood there and held Droidbait.

"It's alright, let it all out, cyare ruus'alor." He whispered, letting Droidbait sob into his robes. Normally, Kaar would coax Droidbait into moving forward, but he just couldn't.

Kaar was crying too.

Kaar slowly pulled away, resting his hand on Droidbait's cheek. The clone shut his eyes and leaned into it. He took in a shaky breath, then stepped away. "T— Thank you, sir. W— We should go."

They trudged deeper into the cave, not knowing if they were getting closer to freedom or further into darkness.

Again, the ceiling cracked, and they barely get out of the way in time. Kaar let out a hiss of pain when a sharp rock left a cut on his tail. "Fuck." He hissed turning down the power on his lightsaber and pressing it to the bleeding cut. He grunted a little, turning the power back up and furrowing his eyebrows.