Shattered Stars (TCW)

Chapter 18 -- Intel

In the field again! Taska Rokanh and clone commander Ace are on a mission in Separatist territory to spy on the droid's sinister plots and battle strategies, hoping to ensure future victories for the Republic.

"Uh, sir?"

"Yes, Habit?" Taska asked, looking into the hallway once more.

"Not all of the information we need is here, General," Habit informed her.

"What? What do you mean?"

"This here is programming, algorithms. Useful, but not without the rest of what we're looking for."

"Do we have any idea where the rest would be?" she said, looking at the rest of her squad.

"There's some strong transmissions coming from the next planet over," Moss informed her.

"Alright, we need to get over there fast," she said. "Finish downloading what we have here, then wipe the console's history. We don't want them to know we're coming. Who wants to come with me to dismantle the tactical droid?"

Ace stepped up beside her. "Ready when you are, sir."

"You know, it's kind of nice getting out in the field again," Ace said as they walked through the halls, watching his General's six.

"Paperwork getting you down?"

"You know it," he grumbled jokingly, and Taska sighed.

"I would love to not have to be in the field," she admitted, a heavy look on her young face. "I don't think it's the life I was meant for. But when you place your trust in me, it makes me feel a little better."

Ace's heart swelled. "My trust is well earned, sir."

* * *

"You fools," the mechanical voice laughed from an unseen speaker. "You will be useless to your Republic when you are nothing but dust."

"We have to go, now!" Taska bellowed, feeling stupid for not noticing the detonators blinking on each load bearing column. Dear Force. She started running, gesturing to her men to follow.

"Blasted clankers knew we were coming!" Zevi yelled, rushing just a few steps behind her.

Ace took up the rear of their group, taking out the few battle droids behind them while Taska sliced through the ones in front. They burst from the basement, only half of the intel they wanted secured.

Once they were outside, Taska stood to the side of the door, ushering everyone out. Ace ran out last. "Was that everyone?"

"Had to be, General," he assured her, breathless.

"Are you sure?" The Force continued to tug her back into the building.

"Yes, sir. That's all of us. The ones who are alive, at least."

A faint groan sounded from the hallway they had emerged from. Taska's eyes widened. "I'm going back in."

"General!"

She bounded back inside, listening carefully. "Can you hear me? I need you to say something so I can find you!"

"General?" A voice called weakly, and she rushed to a shadowy doorway where a clone was laying halfway in the hall.

"Moss! Are you alright? Can you stand?"

"I think so sir," he said before groaning again. "They got me in the shoulder."

"I'll help you up, we have to get out of here, fast," she said, the urgency in her voice moving Moss to gather what little strength he had left.

She managed to help him run, and they both whisked out of the building, Taska staying a few feet behind to check for any other wounded men. As she looked out of the windows in front of her, she could see Moss limping at a steady pace to the safe zone, near A'den and Thread.

Ace still waited for her at the front door. She ran out, but just as she did, they all felt a great shake. Time is up, she thought.

"Get down, General!" Ace yelled, throwing his body over hers as the building's supports rapidly collapsed. Taska placed her hands over her neck as added protection, but she was more worried about her commander.

A few minutes passed before the ground stopped shaking. Taska took a full breath, only to start coughing in the stifling dust. Looking around, they were trapped in a cavern of concrete, and had she been any taller, her legs would be crushed right now.

"We can't just stand here!" she heard Lark shout. "Anyone who can move, start searching the rubble. I'm calling for lifters now!" The commotion was immediate.

Taska managed to shift her body enough so she was out from under Ace—and a few larger pieces of building—but he wasn't responding to anything. "Commander," she shook him. "Ace?" She could hear him breathe, but there was no sound otherwise. A finger to his wrist told her his heart was still beating—for now. She put a hand under his neck to shift him closer. When she removed her hand, a sticky red substance coated it. Her heart raced.

"Concentrate," she told herself, closing her eyes while Ace remained on her lap. She felt the rocks around her begin to shift, and she fought to slowly push them out and away from her. The last thing they wanted was for everything to come crashing down on them. For a second time.

"There!" She heard someone shout. Brick, maybe. There was a series of dull thuds, and she opened her eyes to find herself in a shallow hole of rubble. Sunlight. It hurt her head so badly.

She struggled to rise, hoisting Ace in her arms and passing him to the nearest clone before climbing her own way out. She stumbled as she stood, but Lark caught her by her elbow. "General? Sir? Are you alright?"

She could tell something was very wrong now; everything was blurred, Lark's voice seeming to hit her over the head. A'den seemed to be able to sense it. "Hold onto the General, Commander," he yelled, right before the world went black.