The Varactyl Squadron Commander (A Star Wars: The Clone Wars Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Forty-Eight

"We can't just leave them! Our sister needs us!" Jordae urged desperately over the sound of the wind as Risk drove the speeder from the arena, Breaks held Nata, and Tyson made sure Cyndea didn't fall off the fast-moving vehicle. She could feel the man's hesitation and want to turn back around, but his resolve to stay headed for their predetermined destination was too strong for her to sway. He'd been given an order, and no matter how badly any of them wanted him to turn the speeder around, he wouldn't disobey what his leader had told him to do. No matter how much he'd hate himself if something were to happen to the woman they left behind.

"At least go back for her after dropping us off!" She begged, grabbing onto the side of his armor for support as the speeder took a hard turn and dipped sideways to avoid hitting one of the tall spires that lined the city rooftops. He remained silent; she could sense his consideration, how his strength in his decision began to waver. But as the wind zipped past them and they grew closer to the hangar, it became a fruitless task.

They were going to leave the planet without Aveline.

When they reached the ship Aveline had used to arrive back home, an overwhelming sense of fear washed over the triplets, but it wasn't their own. As the speeder got closer and closer to the ship, Jordae caught sight of a few familiar figures, some being those of Aveline's guard and the other being the individuals they'd seen at that morning's execution- the traitors of Twar. Though the triplets had no place to judge; they were traitors now too.

The speeder came to a stop at the boarding ramp of the Twaran vessel where the young men and elderly woman were quickly making their way into the ship, two of Aveline's guards remaining outside while the other duo must've been starting up the space vehicle's engine.

"We have to get you three and the others out of here," Risk began as he and the two other guards loaded Nata and Cyndea onto the ship as well. Though Jordae was hesitant, she knew the guard was doing the right thing when it came to the greater good. Aveline would've wanted the triplets safe too, so the girls boarded the ship, despite feeling their hearts shatter as the doors shut behind them and the vessel began to hover off the ground, then proceeded to enter the atmosphere.

With no one left in their lives to trust beside the people flying with them, the triplets gave in and prepared for the jump to light speed.

***

She couldn't explain it- the warm, bubbly sensation that seemed to take over herself whenever in the presence of Rex. Maybe he was the most fun to tease out of all the clones she'd met and his ability to tease right back was a rare trait she admired. Or it could've been the genuine friendship they'd started to form over the course of this mission, how the lead up to their conversations always sent nervous shivers through her body but completely dissipated the moment their words left their lips.

It was a feeling she hadn't encountered for a long time, not since...

Molindi shook the thought from her head, thankful for the darkness to hide her small movements, and continued with their walk. Now was not the time to bring up the past, but it was most definitely a topic she'd bring up to JC once they got back home. Talking things through with her robot companion almost always made her feel better. She made a mental note and stored it in the back of her mind for later.

As the duo kept their trek through the sewer towards the glowing light at the end of the tunnel, the woman noticed something strange- the luminescent light began to fracture, spreading out along the walls as stalactites became prominent from the ceiling above and jutted up from the sewer floor. The tips of each cone-shaped rock were coated in the blue light like jagged teeth dripping blood the color of the general's lightsaber.