Cad Bane's Apprentice

The Deserter

"Instead of scattering our troops looking for all the escape pods, we shall head towards the wreckage of the landing transport first," Master Kenobi explained to Captain Rex and me.

***

"General Kenobi!" Rex shouted as he drove up in a speeder "Sir, the cruiser's returned to orbit. Any sign of Grievous?"

"I believe we've found Grievous's ship,"

***

"Thermal housing intakes are still warm," a trooper explained to Kenobi as we observed the wreckage. "This couldn't have happened too long ago,"

"The crew compartment's almost entirely destroyed," Rex explained as he walked up.

"We'll split into teams. Rex, take Jess, Hardcase, Kix, and Skysati and search those wetlands,"

"Yes, sir,"

"As you wish Master Kenobi," I said as I followed after Rex.

"And, Rex, if you get a visual on Grievous, contact us before you engage,"

I got on the speeder behind Rex and we took off.

After riding for a while Rex fell off the speeder, I jumped off the speeder and ignited my lightsaber.

"Protect the captain," a trooper ordered another as he sped back over to where Rex and I were.

I shook my head "I didn't sense anything..."

"Commando droids, sir. There was nothing you could've done,"

I nodded and looked down at Rex as the trooper took off Rex's helmet "Jesse, you better get back here,"

"How bad?" Jesse asked as he an the trooper returned.

"Pretty bad," The trooper said "I need to remove his armor to see the full extent of the damage,"

"Those snipers might have called for backup," A trooper said "Unless we want to start getting picked off one by one, we should find better cover first,"

I looked up as some creatures came towards us "Wait a minute. Those creatures are domesticated,"

"Sir?"

"I think we're on farmland, and where there's a farm, there's usually a farmer." I looked at the troopers "Let's find his homestead,"

The troopers picked Rex up and put him on a stretcher as we took off once more on the speeders.

***

A gun cocked once we approached a housing settlement.

"We want no trouble here," the woman said

"Easy with that weapon, ma'am," I said as I stepped off the speeder and looked at the troopers "We're here as friends,"

"State your business,"

"Our captain's been hurt. We need-"

"I'm no doctor, so just-"

"We have a medic, ma'am. We just need a place to tend him overnight,"

"Mommy, who's-" a girl asked as she and a young boy came outside.

"Get back inside, both you," the woman scolded

"Oh, Mom," the boy whined

"Look, there are some benches out back in the barn. It's the best I can do,"

I looked back at the medic trooper.

"That'll be fine, ma'am. Thank you," the medic replied

***