(Instead of dying on Barton IV, Commander Mayday's life is saved by a very unusual individual. One who existence was thought to have existed in fairy tales.)
Numb and weightless
That's all Commander Mayday felt as he floated in dreamless bliss waiting to see the faces of his fallen brothers and to hear their voices all beckoning for him to return to them.
Vaguely he could barely make out some faint murmurings— though his weary mind is yet unable to decipher any tangible words at the moment.
Then ever so slowly like a tricking of water, Commander Mayday gradually began to feel something he never thought he'd ever fell again.
Warmth.
Rich yet not too overwhelming, Comforting, warmth.
'Is this what the afterlife feels like?'
Just as he was thinking this Commander Mayday heard someone softly calling his name. 'Wait that voice doesn't belong to anybody I know— no that's not true! It's Crosshair!?!?!? Poor kid must've succumbed to the cold like I did.'
Reluctantly cracking his tired eyes open fully expecting to see some form of white light and an endless crowd of brothers, Mayday instead found himself in a laying on a soft fur rug situated directly in front to a crackling fire at his side that served as the source of the warmth as well as the only light in the room.
Confused Mayday turned his head to the other side and almost started when he saw Crosshair's worried face staring down at him. "Crosshair?!?!" He crocked before his body was racked with shivers.
"Easy there Mayday." Hushed the sniper gently resting a hand on the bewildered commander's shoulder until his shivering subsided. "We're safe."
"—cough— where are we? What is this place and how did we get here?" It was then that he noticed that both he and Crosshair had been stripped down to their underwear with only a pile of blankets keeping their modesty. Furiously blushing Mayday tugged one of the top blankets up to his bare chest. "And why the kriff are we naked?!?!"
"This is my home Commander Mayday and I brought you and your brother Crosshair here. As for your *ahem* current appearance I apologize for removing your armour and blacks without your consent, but I'm sure your very much aware that it's essentially vital to converse body heat for a victim of hypothermia."
Glancing up Mayday's heart almost stopped beating as he locked eyes with a mysterious yet beautiful woman entering into the room, and carrying in her hands a basket filled to the brim with what appeared to be fresh, dry clothes. Setting the basket down in front of him and Crosshairs, the woman then silently guided over to the fireplace to gently stoke the burning embers allowing Mayday to get a good look at her.
Dressed in pants and a thick, cozy blue sweater; the woman calmly tended to the fire without a care in the world, as if she didn't have two practically naked men just sitting mere inches from her feet!
Though she did not appear to be very old, Mayday noticed a few strands of premature silver shining softly from within the sea of (y/h/c) hair that had all weaved together into a small intricate braid and while the warm glow of the firelight shrouded the rest of room in shadows, it's fiery glow illuminated the gentleness shining in the woman's enchanting (y/e/c) eyes.
'And natties say that we clones had mesmerizing eyes.' Mused the commander. 'Whereas her eyes I could look into those orbs till I drown in their depths.'
As if sensing his gaze the woman tilted her head towards Mayday and a raised eyebrow in his direction. Caught in the act of staring Mayday averted his gaze while pulling his blanket all the way up to his breaded chin.
Thinking he was flustered because of his lack of modesty the woman quickly reassured him softly. "Don't worry Commander, as a professional medic I was very careful in attending to you and Crosshair. Not to mention that I've worked a long time patching up wounded personal so frankly there's hardly anything about the human body that really phases me."
"I—" began Mayday coughing as he struggled to regain his composure. "Don't know if I should find that statement relieving or creepy."
Crosshair chuckled. The very first Mayday had ever heard from the usually stoic sniper. "It's alright Mayday (Y/N)'s one of the good ones. I should know because she's saved my life far more times than I can count."
"Only because I'm just as much as a stubborn medic as you are a stubborn if not insufferable patient." Quipped the woman whom he now knew as (Y/N). "Now if you'll excuse I'll just step out for a moment to give you both some privacy to change while I go set up the guest rooms." Before Mayday could utter a single response (Y/N) rose to her feet and collecting her basket, quietly left the room with nothing but a soft click of a door closing behind her to signal her departure.
Shaking himself out of his stupor Mayday yanked a pair of pants over his legs while looking over skeptically at Crosshair. "So you and (Y/N) know each other?"
"Yes." replied Crosshair mimicking Mayday's actions shrugging into his own new set of warm clothes. "She used to work alongside with my old squad a long time ago; Was the only girl who could ever keep up with us."
Mayday chuckled slipping a thick, woolly sweater over his head. "I can imagine that you and your brothers drove all the other field medics up the walls." Shoving his muscular arms through the sleeves, the once frozen commander released a sigh of contentment. After stellar cycles of being forced to wear threadbare materials, the sweater's soft texture felt like heaven against his thawing skin.
Crosshair snorted. "Oh she's much more than just another medic. Albeit a good medic at that."
Quirking a brow at the sniper Mayday probed a little deeper. "Really? Who is she then your girlfriend?"
Crosshair barked out a laugh. "No it was never anything like that! (Y/N)'s one of the very few close people whom I trust enough to consider a friend and confidant as well as a reliable ally. You see like us (Y/N) is—" here the sniper paused as if choosing his words carefully as he pulled his new, cozy sweater over his head. "Different from other people."
Now Mayday's interest was piqued. "How so?"
"Simple commander." Interjected (Y/N) breezing back into the room ignoring the way Mayday jolted up in his spot as she plunked herself down next to Crosshair. "I'm what they call a witch."
"Your a what?!?!" Mayday felt his eyes bugging out of his head as he stared hard in disbelief at (Y/N). Throughout his entire service as a soldier for the GAR; Commander Mayday had seen and heard a lot of strange things, but this one took the cake!
"A witch." She repeated meeting his bewildered gaze.
"Like an actual witch?" Maker I'm starting to sound like one of those imperials doing a parrot impersonation!
However if (Y/N) felt annoyed she didn't show it. "Correct; And before you ask no I'm nothing like any of those wannabe witches who call themselves the Nightsisters." Here (Y/N) spat out the words Nightsisters as if the mere mention of it was venom. "Very immature, weak dark magic tricks compared to the witches and wizards from where I come from. But that's a story for another time. However I can assure here and now commander that I only use my magic to help those in need not manipulate them for my desires."
"Does any of that ancient magic include stealth?" Asked Mayday wondering just how many heart attacks he'll have to endure before he's even fully recovered from his previous near death encounter in the avalanche.
"Actually no, I picked that up from working alongside Crosshair." The aforementioned sniper practically glowed at the complement puffing his chest out with pride. "Well what can I say, I'm the best in the trade."
"Speaking of which that reminds me." Began (Y/N) glancing over suspiciously at Crosshair. "Since when did you split ties with Clone Force 99? And working for those imperial mongrels no less? Their nothing but a bunch of inhumane creatures harbouring the exact amount of brain cells as a bantha coupled with the personality of an answering machine."
A flash of regret flickered across the sniper's face. "I— I had lead myself believe that I'd wanted to become a part of some imperial great victory. So I betrayed my brothers in favour of the empire."
'This evening has certainly seen its share of surprises!' Reflected Mayday looking at Crosshair in shock. "I was under the impression they were all dead?"
Crosshair shamefully averted his gaze. "For a time they were dead to me."
"And now?" Probed Mayday carefully watching Crosshair.
Crosshair fell silent with careful consideration before answering "No; I don't want to play the pawn in the empire's power struggle. But I can't go back to my brothers either. Not until I can atone for what I'd done to them."
"Whoa, whoa! Hold on Crosshair." Argued Mayday. "You can't fight the empire all by yourself."
"Then I'll die trying."
"And undo all my hard work of keeping you alive, I should think not!" Protested (Y/N).
Crosshair sighed. "Look this is something I have to do. For them and for me."
"Not alone you won't." Stated Mayday. Crosshair opened his mouth to protest, but the commander beat him to the punch. "My brothers are dead Crosshair. Dead as doornails. I don't have anybody else and I heartily reject any sort of obligations or loyalty for the empire. One way or another I want to make the empire pay for what they did to my brothers!"
"You boys are just in luck." Declared (Y/N). "I know a couple of fellas who are eager to kick imperial butt. As soon as you both make a full and complete recovery, I'll take you both there myself."
Mayday snorted. "And just how do you propose we get off this desolate rock without tipping off the empire?"
(Y/N) smirked coyly. "Leave that all to me Commander and in the meantime just focus on recovering."
"But Nolan's getting ready to leave Barton IV in just a few rotations!" Protested Mayday. "If we're not on that cargo ship—"
"Oh, we'll be on that cargo ship!" Reassured (Y/N). "While you and Crosshair were still in dreamland I snuck down to the outpost to wreck some havoc. With any luck those imperials will remain stuck on Barton IV for two weeks."
Hearing this made Mayday feel like as if huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Thank you for saving our lives (Y/N)."
"Thanks for not attacking me when I told you I was witch." Quipped (Y/N) in return.
"Ma'am unless your plan on turning me into frog anytime soon, I don't care who or what you are so long as I never again have to see another snowflake for the rest of my life."
Instantly (Y/N) and Crosshair howled with such laughter that they both doubled over, heaving and gasping desperately to breath. "Commander Mayday—" rasped (Y/N) struggling and failing miserably to stop her giggling. "I— can assure you that I— were to turn anyone— into a frog it would be that idiot Nolan!"
Crosshair snickered. "Nah! He's ugly enough to be a womp rat!"
"If you ask me," chortled Mayday. "That di'kut Nolan smells more like than a tauntaun's rear end!"
"Now that we can agree on." Stated Crosshair a deep yawn escaping his mouth.
"Alright sleepy head time to get some sleep." Whispered (Y/N) helping Crosshair to his feet. The sniper mumbled something incoherently, but nevertheless allowed (Y/N) to guide him into the guest room.
Less than a minute later (Y/N) returned to assist Mayday to his own bed. At the feel of her gentle hands touching against his side a warm, fuzzy feeling ignited like a tiny flame from within Mayday's broad chest as she carefully laid him down to rest. "Goodnight Commander Mayday." Whispered (Y/N) softly before silently withdrawing to her own bed.
"Goodnight ma'am." Already half drowsy Mayday nestled underneath the covers; exhaling a deep sigh of relief as the warmth and safety of the blankets lulled him into a peaceful slumber.
(Shall I proceed with a part 2?)