When the Cavalry Comes.

XII

Spider droids were a problem. They were definitely a problem. Cav was struggling to deliver the rocket launchers to the clones, and being shot at while dodging mortars on a broken foot is not fun. she was definitely going to be sore tomorrow, that is, if she survives today. Or is it already tomorrow? She had lost track.

She hoped Fives came back soon. Him and Hardcase had been sent on some sort of mission to supposedly help them against these monstrosities. Kix was furious, shooting at the fauna that tried to swarm the body of a clone.

Another explosion rocked the earth. Cavalry's head ached. Dehydration and loss of sleep gave her a double whammy as she tried to focus. She dropped off another launcher and retreated once more.

She caught a glimpse of the captain in doing so. Her breath caught as she watched. He was cornered by two droids. A dodge at the last second followed by a shot from a rocket launcher to knock out the canon on one. He slid underneath the disabled one as the other tried to lock it's sights on him.

He had an edge to him that Cavalry had yet to see. She'd seen some impressive stuff but his grace and skill in battle made nearly everything else look like bumbling toddlers with blasters.

"Somebody made him right." She mumbled before retreating back to Kix.

Things were not looking good. Kix forced her to fall back after she collapsed for the second time on her broken ankle. She stumbled away from the fray, risking lifting her helmet off partially to take a couple of drinks of water. This was almost to the third hour of constant fighting and it was showing.

There were more explosions from the fighting and Cav flinched to the ready, her rifle aimed at the forrest around her and a few of the other wounded.

She hit the deck as an Umbaran starfighter flew erratically over head, dive bombing them and spinning drunkenly in the air over head.

"Take that ya clankers!" A voice crackled in her ear. Fives. She looked back up to the fighters and blinked a couple times, her HUD zooming in on the crafts as best it could without a set of macrobinoculars or a range fighter.

Yeah, those were clones in the cockpits alright. Fives and Hardcase were crazily spinning off of the direction of the airbase.

"Ev- Everyone get ready to move out." The captain panted over the comms. "The airbase is ours."

The last stretch of marching before they arrived was torturous. Cav's leg ached with every step and she wanted nothing more than to sink to the ground and sleep for a week.

As they got to the airbase, Krell and the other platoon of men were already there. Despite her want to be grateful that they were alive with minimal casualties, she found herself despising the clones with sparkly clean armor. She bet they haven't even fired a single shot during the three days they had been split up.

She stumbled to the barracks with a ration bar and a double ration of water. The barracks were surprisingly comfortable, much better than the ones on the resolute. Umbarans knew how to make stuff well.

There was a bunk by the door where she dropped her stuff. A quick trip to the showers and back and she plonked onto her bed and fell over. Her ankle throbbed and she flung an arm over her eyes to keep the light out.

She heard the doors hiss open and closed, and footsteps in. She ignored the brother, probably some other poor soul like her looking for actual sleep. Maybe Neon would come and talk with her before lights out.

"Cavalry?" A hoarse voice asked. She removed her arm from her eyes and blinked the blurriness away to look at the figure.

Clean white armor, despite this being obviously designated as Torrent's barracks. Her eyes traveled upwards. The unnatural stiffness in one arm, helmet tucked under another. Pale skin, ice blue eyes and light hair. Whiteout's face and neck were now partially covered in blast scars.

"Whaddaya want? I'm tired." She hissed at him angrily, already annoyed and they haven't even started fighting yet.

"I know." He said quietly, looking uncomfortable. "Fives and Hardcase and Jesse broke open a couple of flasks and are celebrating the capture. They wanted to know if you would join us." He said.

"Will you let me sleep afterwards?" She asked, kicking her feet over the edge of the bed.

"Yeah. You can."

She grunted tiredly, glancing at him. Something about his normally cocky attitude had changed.

"How's the arm?" She asked eventually. Whiteout shrugged.

"They gave me a metal one. It... it feels like the first one is still there and hurting." He said after a moment. "They gave me crutches for some reason. Don't need 'em. Kix told me to give 'em to you." He muttered on. Cav winced as she limped after him.

"Crutches would be welcome." She supplied.

They made their way to the courtyard where Fives and Jesse and Hardcase were drinking out of a silver flask. Cav sat with them and made small talk, Neon eventually drifting over. The captain was there too.

"Nevermind Hardcase's flying, I guess I owe you thanks for saving us." Neon said, shaking Hardcase and Fives's hands. Cav snickered next to Whiteout.

"Awe, That wasn't so tough." Hardcase said, taking a swig from a silver canteen.

"You sure?" Jesse elbowed him. "You looked a little green when you crawled out of that fighter." They all chuckled. Cavalry reached for the flack, but Neon slapped her hand away.

"Uh-uh. No liquor for you. You're too young." He admonished. Cav shot him a dirty look.

"Too young? I'm the oldest one here thank you very much." She scoffed, but she was smiling.

"She's got a point." Whiteout gave her a half smile, to which she rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure where this polite and respectful person came from, but it wasn't the Whiteout she knew and disliked. Their conversation was cut off as Krell marched into the courtyard

"Captain, Report." He growled, getting in the captain's face and ignoring the other six.  "What is our situation?"

"General, We have taken the base and cut off enemy supply lines from the capitol." He said, coming to attention smartly. Cav forced herself not to pull a face, slightly torn between her trust in the general and her anger for how he disrespected her captain and brother.

"Luck has smiled on you today captain. Consider yourself... Fortunate." He sneered.

"It... Wasn't all luck sir. A lot of men died to take this base." Rex said somberly. Krell raised an eyebrow.

"That is the price for such a victory." A hint of amusement crept into his voice."Perhaps one day you'll realize this."

Cav desperately wishes real life had a mute. Even for a general like Krell, that was a bit much.

"Dismissed, captain." Krell said, walking away. Cav took the flask from a stunned Neon and stole a drink, cringing a bit as the alcohol left an unpleasant burning feel in her mouth and throat. There was a line of frustration in the Captain's shoulders. For a moment, the two met eyes.

Cav tipped her head to the side a bit, silently asking what he was going to do about the general.

Captain Rex just shook his head, staring at the floor. The message was clear.

He couldn't do anything to make this better. Cav shivered.

Krell was a mastermind. She just hoped he was really on their side.