Forever my cyar'ika ~~ Tech x OC (book 2)

Chapter 3

A weariness had made itself known in my stomach as I filed out of the Marauder. Normally I would have listened to it, but I shrugged it off this time time. More then likely it was formed by the fact that I was on a planet I had hoped I'd never have to come to.

The minute our ship landed and I caught sight of what awaited us outside, I felt a bit better. Luscious trees in vibrant colors caged us in. It was a breathtaking sight to see. It always made me happy to see beautiful and rare flora like this still existed in the galaxy. So many of them were destroyed. I had lost hope.

"So, where is this palace?" Wrecker asked curiously as he, too, took in the fauna around him. Omega was captured too. A sadness echoed inside at watching them. The revelation that they'd never get to see what Aurora used to be. I brushed it aside. Now wasn't the time.

"The city is on the opposite side of the mountain range". Tech, eyes no longer on his datapad, lifted a hand and pointed towards the assortment of peaks in the distance. Thankfully our path entailed the smaller of the bunch.

Scaling a large mountain was not something I wanted to attempt at the moment. Especially given how the force inside me was not cooperating as of late. I prayed it wouldn't fail me this time.

Tech led us on, explaining more of what he found along the way. Most of the squad tuned him out, but I listened intently. Asking him question after question about his findings. He was more then thrilled to disclose everything to me. Some, like always went beyond my knowledge, but I still nodded.

It wasn't long before we reached the top of the mountain. The city just below. My eyes scanned the side of the mountain, before falling upon the city. Or what was left of it. So much rubble was left over that it made the buildings, or what you could call buildings, worse. It was hard to witness. Given that my planet mirrored it. A wave of of tears threatened to burst out of me, but I pushed them back down.

"That's the city?" Omega asked in disbelief. Tears pricked at her eyes too. "What happened to it?"

When Echo answered her, deep anger laced his tone. "Imperial orbital bombardment. Same as on Kamino". His expression then turned to one of sorrow. "And on Aurora". Omega turned to me. Hunter too. Both of them Noticing the deep emotions within me, beginning to well up to the surface.

Tech, however was the one to act. He reached for me hand and pulled me closer to him. His small gestures, telling me that he got me.

Echo's faltering at mentioning my home was not undetected by the others. It was clear he was still upset about it and what it did to see me that hurt. It was also clear to me, at least, that he was blaming himself for not being around when it happened. I made a mental note to talk with him about it later. He needed to know that it wasn't his fault.

     Going down the other side of the mountain was becoming easier then climbing up it. Though it did come with some challenge. A lack of speed reduction being one of them. At least we had the cover of trees to hide us from the several packs of troopers we spotted.

I scanned the area nearly clocking in at least a hundred crates until my eyes landed on our prize. Bingo. Sitting outside was the war chest. Unfortunately the number of troopers in view was changing. There was no way to get a precise count. Plus more could have been lingering out of view.

    "It appears that they are beginning to transport the war chest off world. Our window of opportunity is quickly closing". He warned us, lowering his binoculars. Standing back up from his kneeling position, he faced his brothers.

Echo sighed. The visor of his helmet scanned the area in front of us. There we're more troopers then we could handle. Even with all of us fighting side by side. We were outnumbered. "Theres over forty troopers down there". He groaned. I was right there with him.