When the Cavalry Comes.

XXXI

The short flight to the moon was a quiet one. As soon as they touched down, they would have to move fast. Cav checked her blaster again, wishing for the DC17s Fives had given her. Unfortunately, only officers could use them. So until she made Sargent or ARC, they stayed in her locker on Corascant or the Resolute.

It was fine though. She had her knives and her blaster from Jango. It would all be fine.

Except that Neon's killer was down there. And while she couldn't force herself to hate Whiteout for his death, she wanted Bane dead.

"We hit the ground we split up. Cav you cover their ship while me and Fives surround them. Be warned they will most likely go for you because you're the smallest." Skywalker said.

"Got it."

"Rako Hardeen must be brought back to Corascant alive. Do what you want with the others." Skywalker finished. "Taking us down."

Fives put his helmet on and Cav followed suit, sealing her armor and blinking a couple times to activate her HUD.

The familiar lights around her eyes were a stark comfort. Fives's voice crackled in her ear over a private channel.

"We've got this."

"Dang right we do." She said back.

The ship hit the ground and the two took off, Skywalker close behind. Cav looped around towards the other ship, looking for the trio they were hunting.

She saw the three escapees leave the ship and begin refueling it.

"On my signal move in." Skywalker's voice crackled over the comms. Cav nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Now."

Cav crept forward, seeing the General ignite his lightsaber and take off, Fives following from another angle. Cad Bane had his blaster drawn and began firing at the jedi. Moralo Eval took off towards the ship, on the other side of Cavalry. She took a few shots at him and ultimately missed, but remained unnoticed.

Hardeen seemed to have vanished into thin air. Just Bane was left, Fives now taking off after Eval.

Before Cav could react, Hardeen seemed to melt out of shadows from behind Skywalker and put him in a choke hold.

She ran forward, firing at Hardeen as the General lost consciousness. Hardeen dropped him and fled to the ship, where Fives was waiting now that Eval had been caught and was unconscious at his feet.

That left Bane.

Cav wanted him dead. She took off at a dead sprint kicking off at the last minute in a full body tackle. Drawing a knife she collided with Bane and sent them both to the dust. Bane was excellent at combat but he wasn't expecting to be tackled from behind by a fourteen year old girl in full plastiod armor.

She managed to kick his blaster out of the way and stab blindly downwards before he threw her off. There was a hiss of rushing air and a wheeze from Cad Bane.

She fell back as he grabbed his blaster and leveled it at her. Reacting, she brought her own up to bear and fired. Her bolt knocked the wide brimmed hat from his head, and he didn't so much as flinch.

"I liked that hat." He said, firing a shot at her head. She yelped as it hit the dirt by her head. "Maybe I'll take your head as payment." Cav scuttled back on her hands and feet, knowing the first shot was only a warning.

"Bane! We need to leave!" Hardeen yelled.

"In a minute." Bane called back coolly. Cav managed to get to her knees and fire another shot, this one hitting the tube at the side of his head and cutting it off completely, something she had started when she stabbed earlier. Bane swore as the tube disconnected. "You son of a hutt!" He roared.

"Bane! Now! Before the jedi wakes up!" Hardeen materialized next to Bane and grabbed his shoulder. He looked at Cavalry. "Leave her." Bane scooped his hat off the ground and followed him back to the ship.

And then they were gone.

Cav panted slightly as she rose shakily to her feet, watching the ship take off. The first thing she did was mute her external microphone and let out a frustrated scream.

"Cav, what's Skywalker's status?" Fives's voice broke in over her tantrum. She marched over to the fallen general on stiff legs and knelt next to him.

"He's alive. Unconscious. What about you?" She asked.

"I'll live, Vod'ika. Stay with the General. If he comes to check him for a concussion and get him back to the ship."

"Yes sir."

The general let out a weak groan, as if hearing Fives's instructions. He gingerly sat up, looking around.

"Sir?" Cav asked out loud.

"I'm alright. Hardeen?"

"Gone, sir. They all are."

"Tah karkina bioo." He smacked his first into the dirt before giving her a sidelong glance. "Don't repeat that."

"Understood. Can you walk, sir?" She stood and offered him her hand. He took it and let her pull him to his feet.

"I think so. Where's Fives?" Skywalker looked around.

"I'm right here." Fives said, limping up behind them. There was black on his armor around his left knee.

"You're hurt." Cav said, moving to her brother's side once she was sure the general was alright.

"I'll live." Fives reassured her. "It's just a scratch."

Skywalker swore again in huttese. "We lost our leads. Time to head back to Corascant. This is going to be a lot of paperwork."

They followed him back onto the ship, where Cav insisted at looking at Fives's leg. It proved to be just what he said, a graze from a blaster bolt. She still disinfected it and wrapped it up for him before settling next to him. Fives wrapped an arm around her she let herself lean against him, suddenly realizing how tired she was. Fives chuckled and helped her take off her helmet.

"You can take a nap, Cav'ika. Post mission crashes always hit hard on the first one." He said quietly.

Cav did just that, letting herself nap on Fives's shoulder. It was only just before her eyes closed did she remember something odd.

How had Hardeen known she was a girl?