Worth: A Star Wars Story

34. Missing in Action

Almost the second I stepped off the shuttle, Red had me by the shoulders with Grek as Tor trotted up hot on their heels. "Cap! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Red," I shook my head and laughed as Grek practically elbowed him aside to look me over. "Gonna need a new helmet." Tor came up next and started running his usual checkup as Hex practically bowled Grek over to do the same, "Boys..."

"Hold still..." Hex chided, brow furrowing. "You've got a minor concussion, Cap. Nothing some bacta and a bit of rest won't solve, but as the medic, I'm giving you orders to take it easy."

"We don't have a lot of time for that," Ryder strode up, datapad in hand. "Dray's ship escaped with a whole refinery's worth of Isotope-5. The Beroyas are going to put feelers out through the Mandalorians and see if anyone gets wind of wherever this stuff is going. Apparently, Bev got us a contact with a guy on Tatooine who might know where it's going and while you were gone. All we need is an excuse to get there."

"Us?" Tor paused and turned to him. "Sergeant, as much as your enthusiasm is admirable... I doubt that Fox would allow us to join any more expeditions like this one. He was already annoyed enough sending us here as it was."

"Kriff him!" Red retorted, offense coming to his always expressive face as Grek nodded as well, joining his brother as I saw Tor's face begin to drop wearily, clearly not ready to have another argument. "The Beroyas could need our help!"

Tor sighed heavily and pressed his fingertips to his temple, "It isn't that I don't want to help them, but we are, first and foremost, members of the Coruscant Guard. Our interminable duty is to the Senate, not to our friends." I could tell that it was bitter. Even Tor had come to have friends among our Mandalorian brothers, and as much as it may have personally irked him, if there was one thing Tor did better than all of us, it was focus on the core of our mission. 

"Sir!" I saw Vex run up to Talen, "Master Kolar is on the holocomm for you, sir. Says it's urgent."

Talen's eyes widened and I watched him sprint past us, barreling into the command center as we all watched on in confusion as he did. "Well, that's not good," I muttered as I looked down at Seku, who was also watching Talen with an expression similar to my own.

Trill walked up and pasued beside me, also watching after Talen before he looked over at me, "Mind taking a walk with me, Cap?"

I got the hint. I turned to my boys with a nod, "Help start packing stuff up. We need to get moving back to Coruscant soon."

"On it, Cap," Red nodded and gestured to the boxes with his chin while Trill and I cut off alone together.

He and I started making our way off across the camp, and I finally turned to look at him. "What's wrong, Trill?"

"Had a few developments pop up while you were off with your girlfriend," he gave me a smirk, and I elbowed him with a laugh as we walked along. "Firstly, that transmission from Agen Kolar might involve you."

"Me?"

"Well, Breaker, specifically. I wasn't made privvy to the details, but if I need to know, I'll get told."

"Doubt that's the only reason you dragged me out here," I chuckled, but my face fell as I saw Trill's brow furrow.

"There's a rumor that we might be shipping out to Umbara, too," Trill confided in me, voice dropping as we walked away from his squad even farther, almost like he was afraid that they were going to hear. "We've been asked to reinforce the 212th on their initial insertion... Not happy about it, but I do owe Cody for a few close shaves. It'll only be for phase I of the invasion, but..."