The Fallen

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As the days passed, the civilians of the planet were promtly placed aboard one of the two flagship cruisers the fleet had available. They brought only what they needed as they filed onto the ship, some of the children crying and waving goodbye to their home. Grey helped them aboard, upset at the situation but knowing it was the right choice. Soon the ship was off, leaving some troops behind but taking enough to protect the citizens in the event of an attack. The few days after were quiet, Troopers either training with Falcon and Jumper or healing from the previous battle. Grey made visits around the barracks, her arm still in its sling. She continued helping Torch practice his aim, and watched Apollo as he improved his lightsaber abilities.

Grey sat, her eyes following the Padawan's form as he swung his lightsaber carefully. Her brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail, save for her long bangs, blowing lightly in the wind. A beep from her communicator caught her attention, and she tapped the button to answer.

"General, there's going to be another heavy storm coming in tonight. It'd be best to keep the men inside until it blows over."

She looked to the sky, which was dark even though it was the middle of the day, "Copy, Link. Let the troops know that curfew will be immediately after dinner. I want a few boys with thermal to watch outside, though."

"Yes, Sir. We think we'll also be having communication troubles while the storm is hitting, last time the signals were rough."

"I'll make sure to check in on everyone myself, then. I don't like the idea of our coms going dead."

"Understood."

Night came swiftly, the rain and wind picking up just as Link had said. Grey sat inside the main building watching the storm, next to Apollo and Jumper. The rest of the troops had been holed up in the barracks, a few men watching outside the windows with thermal goggles. Trees bent with the harsh gales, their branches and leaves fluttering wildly. Rain slammed into the buildings with thunder crashing overhead, rumbling the homes. Grey held thermal binoculars to her face, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. She set them down and sighed, placing her elbow on the long table in front of her then resting her head in her palm. The night was colder than usual, with gusts of wind entering the large doorway and caressing her pale face. Jumper tapped on a device, focused on working out training regimens for the Troopers. Apollo shivered, putting on his white sleeveless cloak for some form of warmth.

"I don't know how you two aren't freezing," the Padawan said, rubbing his arms.

"The cold doesn't bother me," Grey responded shortly.

The Trooper shrugged, "Its probably because we're actually wearing clothes. Something you're not used to."

Apollo rolled his eyes, "I find clothing too restricting."

"Well," Jumper smiled, "please at least keep your pants on."

Back at the barracks, members of Alpha Squad sat in their home, waiting for the storm to pass. Decker slept, Gunner kept watch with his thermal vision, and Nix helped teach Baby more sign. The newest memeber was learning complex words to help him communicate better, and followed along Nix's guide with ease. Comfortable in their group, the female Trooper had removed her black cloth mask, revealing slitted scars lining her lips. The normally shy girl was able to unwind when just with her team, as they all thought of each other as close as family. Baby smiled as he mirrored Nix's hand movements, unbothered by Decker's obnoxiously loud snoring. Gunner hadn't moved from the window, continuing to stare through the glass with his goggles. He hadn't stopped looking at a specific spot that he kept thinking he'd seen something. The Trooper stayed silent, watching a yellow flicker appear every once in a while on his lens. Finally he turned away, peering into the other barrack homes. He noticed something in one of the windows, and zoomed in on it. Removing thermal, he struggled to peer through the mist from the rain. The room seemed empty, save for something on the windowsill. Suddenly startled, Gunner reached for a nearby flare, then opening the door to their home and firing it. He slammed the entrance shut, waking Decker and earning look of concerns from the two other soldiers.

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