Dominoes

Rishi Invasion

  Hevy can't stop shaking. His hands tremble on the control panel in front of him. He's not the only one having trouble, either—Droidbait's breathing is irregular and shallow. Cutup is fidgeting nervously, and Fives' fists are clenched. Echo is pacing in front of them. He isn't technically on duty, but he's refused to leave the control room for the past four hours.

Not that any of them are protesting.

Today is the day. The invasion will happen in a matter of minutes.

Hevy can't help it. He's terrified. He knows that they could fail—there's a whole battalion of droids headed for them. Hevy also knows that if they do fail, he'd do the exact same thing he did last time. He would willingly sacrifice himself for the rest of his brothers on Kamino a second time.

He just... hopes that he doesn't have to. Domino is family. He doesn't want to leave them behind again.

His hand hovers over the kill switch of the all-clear signal tentatively. He knows he can't pull it yet—Sergeant O'Niner is remarkably tolerant of most things Domino, but pulling the kill switch without (visible, believable) reason would garner every punishment in the book regardless of O'Niner's attitude.

"You boys doing okay over there?" the Sergeant asks from across the room, as if hearing Hevy's thoughts. "You're being awfully quiet today. What's going on?"

Hevy wants to answer him—he really does, but his throat isn't working right.

You died today, in another life, he wants to say, but then the Sergeant will think he's insane and put him on the next ship back to Kamino.

Fortunately, Echo covers for them.

"Nothing's wrong, sir," Echo says. "We're just tired. We had a tough workout yesterday evening, that's all."

O'Niner fixes Echo with a disbelieving stare. "Oh, really? Then why are you here, Echo? You're off duty. Wouldn't you rather be resting than pacing around this room?"

Fives' nose wrinkles in annoyance out of O'Niner's view. The Sergeant has them, there.

"Admit it, boys, something's wrong," their commanding officer continues. "You going to tell me what it is? I could just order it out of you."

Fives snorts, admittedly a little too loud, because O'Niner whips around to glare at the ARC. O'Niner is tolerant, yes, but he does not like being mocked.

"Think that's funny, Fives? You want to be scrubbing the floor tonight?"

"No sir, sorry, sir," Fives says in a weak attempt to rectify the situation. O'Niner glares at him for a moment longer before sighing and turning back to his own screen.

"Very well, I'll leave it be," the Sergeant says. "But if I feel whatever it is you're hiding is affecting your work efficiency, I will hear about it. Understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir," Hevy replies in unison with his brothers.

As if they would tell him. Hevy wonders what story they'll come up with to explain themselves if he ever does ask. That should be the next thing they decide on, and Fives should not be in charge of it, because even though they love him, all of Domino, himself included, knows that Fives is crap at lying.

The alarm sounds. Hevy freezes.

The meteors.

For a few terrifying seconds none of them move, because they all know what this means.

It's happening.

Fives clears his throat.

"Sir, incoming meteor shower," he says, and it sounds casually spoken to an inexperienced ear, but Hevy can hear the uncertainty and worry in their brother's voice. O'Niner nods curtly.