Star Wars: A Lost Trooper

C8

It has been five months since that fateful day, and we set up a small outpost like thing. We do small raids on CIS camps rarely, and sometimes attack CIS patrols. We saved a few other clones from the Seps. One named D, another named Blast, and another named Angel. D is a combat medic, Blast is demolition, and Angel is a regular trooper. They are all talking in the other room, not me, not Chuck. It is the 17th day of the month. Every 17th day of the month we mourn. It was the 17th day of the month that we gained freedom, but it was the day that we lost a good friend. I decide to read the holo-message that he sent Cody.

Hello, sir

This is LT-6666, you might not remember me, but I was a member of the 212th Attack Battalion. I am sending this message to you as I am dead, and in my last moments in existence I have sent this. I wish to pass on my rank to another trooper in the 212th. One in particular. A trooper that was recently labeled MIA has been in captivity with me, two actually. I wish to pass my power down to CT-1209. I have trained him to be a leader, I have taught him standard tactics, and he is now a battle hardened trooper. He is well alive, and probably free. I also wish to promote CT-2369 to sergeant. He is very worthy of this rank, and I wish for him to obtain said rank. They both have shown outstanding performances, and have decided to let themselves get tortured, and nearly killed to keep republican troop positions secret. In my opinion they have done more than enough to earn these promotions.

Your forgotten trooper,
CT-6666

I tear up remembering that day, that damn day. He died right in front of my eyes, he died in my arms, and I couldn't say goodbye. Surely Cody wouldn't give me the promotion simply because he wanted me to have it. I forget it. I walk into the barracks that we dug out after stealing some entrenching equipment, and wooden beams. I've been leading this group for almost half a year, and it will be in a few days. We've stolen stuff like flares, food, weapons, tools, drinks, multiple other things too. All from the CIS. I see the others walk in, and they look at me with worry. I ignore it, and keep looking forward. I see his face every time I go to sleep, I see the spark of life fade away from his eyes, I have nightmares of the long march to find a suitable spot for a grave. I remember taking his helmet off again to see him one last time, and seeing pale white, with no emotion, no soul, an empty husk. I keep thinking about that, and I eventually start to think of the torture, and the true brutality of war. The simulations never prepare you for that. I eventually snap, and break down crying. I sob into my hands, mumbling something that even I don't know. I shake and scream. This is why the kaminoans didn't want to send me to the front. I see the others run to me, Angle looks on in horror not knowing what to do. She quickly rushes over to the medical tent that we have set up outside. She returns in a few minutes with D. D runs to me and he starts saying something, and I hear myself.
Me: It's my fault! It's my fault! I wasn't fast enough, and he had to just save me from that damn grenade! He died because I wasn't fast enough!
I continue crying, and they look at me, shock, and fear present on all of their faces.
D: W-What are you talking about. Who died?
I just start bawling harder. Angel, and Chuck rush to my aid. Blast is still thinking about what was said. Angel comes up to me and hugs me tight, and tries to comfort me. Chuck does the same. After about an hour I finally calm down. They decided to ask about him.
Blast: So, who were you talking about?
Me: I-I thi-
Chuck: I think that it's best that we show you.
They look at each other and back at us.
D: Lead the way sir.
We walk down the trail. A trail of tears. I had to use every single muscle in my body to prevent myself from breaking down and crying. I look on. As I remember walking down this exact trail.

"My body aches as I walked, my arms are tired. I must stay strong, for Devil. I walk and you could see the silhouette of a trooper carrying the body of a dead brother in arms over his shoulder. I reach the area. It was a green clearing with a waterfall, flowers, and nice green grass. I see a hole dug in the flat terrain, and I see another trooper standing. It was Chuck. He had dug a grave with an entrenching tool that we stole from the CIS. I go over and lay the body down. I decide to have one last look at my brother before we put him six feet into the ground. I take off his helmet, and I see a pale white figure with his eyes closed. I try not to cry. I succeeded, even if it was just for that little bit. I took his blaster and shoved the barrel into the ground above where the head would be. I put the helmet on the stock of the weapon, and step back. Chuck falls in beside me, and we take one step back, and give a ceremonial solute to our fallen CO. We fall out, and I go to a tree and sit down and cry."

I still remember that day. It haunts every one of my dreams. We make our way to the familiar clearing, and I see the updated grave. It now has a stone with writing engraved on it. We did this a while back. The other three look around.
Blast: What is this place, I don't see anything out of the ord-
He is cut off by the sight of the grave.
Blast: O-Oh, I see...
The others follow his eyes and see the grave. D gasps, and Angel takes off her helmet and puts her hand to her mouth. They walk up to the grave and read the markings.

Here lies LT-6666 "Devil"

An outstanding soldier, and even better friend who gave his life to save another's.

They look at us in surprise as we new a living legend. Or did.
Angel: What happened?
Chuck: The same as you. We were captured and so was Demon. We became friends, and he-
Me: W-We got into a firefight when we were escaping. A grenade was thrown and I couldn't get away, a-and he-he...
I start crying as I cannot take it anymore. D walks up to me with Angel. Angel calms me down again, and I start to notice why she was called Angel, she was able to calm people down extremely quickly, because of her personality. D asks me some questions. About night sweats, night terrors, loss of sleep, mood swings, and multiple other things. As he goes on realization hit me, Angel, and Chuck. Angel was so hopeful that it wasn't true, mostly Chuck and Angel.
D: I'm sorry to tell you but you have many symptoms of something called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or more commonly known as PTSD. I might be incorrect, but if I am correct this will change your life dramatically, and it is recommended that you find someone to talk too.
I look on, not knowing what to say, or do. For the first time in my life I saw another trooper cry, Angel hugged me tight and cried into my shoulder. We eventually get back to the cave, and we get to sleep. I can't.