Author note: this chapter is going to be a sad one. So I apologies its not a happy one 😊
She woke up on the ground with the sizzling smell of a fire. Her lungs burned from breathing in the smoke and her body felt numb to the touch. All around her laid the aftermath of the battle, the separatist base burning in a raging fire of burning metal.
It had gone wrong so wrong.
Her ears were ringing and her mind was blurry, all she could think was what happened. She tried to pry herself up of the ground but her body was so in shock her muscles gave out.
The muffled sound of yelling could be heard in the distance, although she had no idea why.
She lazily looked beside her seeing her helmet had scorch marks on the side like someone had smeared ash across it. What happened here?.
That is when she saw his face, the clone trooper who had helped her and her sister on many occasions. The man who had confessed he wanted to marry kyber the moment he saw her in the dark blue uniform with the burning phoenix on her shoulder plate. Laid still beside her, his left arm and right leg disfigured and gone. From his chest to his upper neck was a burn mark, and a drop of blood could be seen going down his chin.
Oh my god her breath was finally catching up to her as her brain registered what she was seeing.
"Dollar, please no no no"
She slowly army crawled over to him placing her head on his chest praying that she could hear a heart beat. It sound as quite as butterfly wings, but she could just make it out, barley.
"Dollar flu please hang in there, please for kybers sake please" she pleaded.
"Nooo" the sound of foot steps running behind her could be heard as the figure beside her fell to her knees.
That's when she felt the force of two strong hands turning her around. Her brown eyes bore down on her with fear and pain.
"Kyber"?
The clone trooper was openly crying, her tears washing away the dirt smudged on her cheeks.
"Is he gone please tell me he's not gone"
The question brought chills down her spine.
"Kyber"?
Her brain couldn't figure out what happened, come on Nara think.
She shook her head slightly. "Kyber what happened".
The trooper looked down at dollars face pain could be seen in her eyes.
"He saved you"
Nara's eyes widened "he what? oh my god kyber, What did I do"
"Kyber"! Clancey ran from the smoke his eyes landing on the scene before him. "Get him on the ship we need to get out of here"
"What happened here" Nara asked her voice sounded weak.
Kyber turned to her as anger filled her eyes making Nara flinch.
"Your mission did"
*********
Rex had seen the explosion from miles away his mind scrambling with thoughts.
They had done it, their mission was successful, or so he thought at the time.
The remaining droids had been crushed and the windu's force were able to be evacuated and safely transported back to base. All thanks to Nara's plan. He remembered seeing her greet her team in the hangar, she had specially asked Clancey and his team to come in and help. She had told him that she believed them to be right team for the job and that she trusted them to get it done effectively. He had his worries and doubts but now that he saw the base up in flames his doubts washed away. The sounds of cheers from behind him could be heard as both clone and civilian fighters could be heard across the hangar. They had finally won and we're celebrating with every fibre of their being.
"She did it" Fives excailmed standing beside him a smile set on his face.
"Yah she really did" Rex sighed.
"Rex any update from the team" Anakin asked joining him was Harvey and windu.
"None sir, but the base has been destroyed"
Anakin's eyes peered over the landscape seeing the burning fire in the distance.
"I can see that" his tone gave way to his unease.
"Skywalker What is it" windu asked.
"Something gone wrong I can sense it"
Harvey looked like he had seen a ghost "What do you mean"
That's when Kix ran out with Dr.gail, the female torgruta looked fearful as she helped transport the trauma kit towards the docking ramp of hangar five.
"I think we're about to find out" Anakin said wearily.
********
Nara fiddled with the coms as she desperately tried to pick up on the bases signal. Clancey had taken over the steering of the ship while kyber attended to Dollar as she frantically wrapped his arms and attended to his burns. Nara didn't need to be a Jedi to feel the guilt and anger that radiated off her sister. It pained her seeing the scene unfold before her knowing there was nothing she could do to stop her/his pain.
"This is commander Nara to tranquilium base, please come in"
The line was static.
"Tranquilium base please respond, we have a medical emergency, please respond"
The static slowly turned into words
"This is tranquilium base, state your business"
It was spades.
Nara breathed a sigh of relief.
"Spades, This is commander Nara, requesting to land, I have one critically injured and in need of immediate care. Tell Kix to get the trauma kit, and tell him to hurry" her voice sound raw and sore to her.
"Acknowledge commander land in hangar 5 were on our way, hang in there Nara ".
Nara closed the coms and went to help Clancey, she could see the panic on his face.
"Land in hangar five"
she went to grab the controls when she felt a cold hand on her wrist.
"Your not flying your body is still in shock"
Nara eyes narrowed " I am not! let me help" she knew she was lying. She could still feel her muscles screaming in pain and her memory was slowly remembering bits and pieces but they were still blurry.
"No, besides you still can't move around much"
"Clancey"!
" I said no!, please you've done enough" he snapped.
Her eyes widened feeling the verbal slap of his words.
His eyes widened in realization as his cheeks redden in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry that wasn't fair"
She sighed.
"No, I probably deserved it" she shrunk in her seat a little.
"No you didn't it wasn't even your fault" he sighed "I'm sorry for yelling"
Nara looked into his eyes seeing they were rimmed in red as if he had been crying. She wanted nothing more in that moment to remember, and somehow try to put the pieces back together.
Instead she placed her hand on his shoulder in comfort .
They soon landed in hangar five were Kix and Presphone got dollar flu onto a stretcher and wrapped him in a burn blanket. It happened so fast she could barely register what was happening. It was as if everything around her was on a faster speed than she was. She watched as Kix gave Presphone a look of worry as if asking her what to do. The twi'lek took over and ordered the medical team around. While Kix, two other officers, and herself worked on getting dollar flu out of the ship. One medic checked on kyber, the poor thing was covered in blood from wrapping Dollars wounds and the look she gave him as she watched dollar go down the ramp was gut wrenching. She didn't even notice the medic who came to her. He said something but she didn't hear him. Her body was already going in motion before her brain could even register her movements. The medic called out to her to stop even Clancey called her name but she keep walking down the ramp. She was meet with both cheers of joy and whispers of fear and confusion as the sounds from the hangar echoed in her ears. She unconsciously looked around the base as she desperately tried to get a grip on her situation.
"Nara"?
She knew that voice, perhaps she could remember.
Harvey's blue eyes were filled with mixed emotions, but what shone through was his concern.
She traced her gaze across his face taking in every detail from his emerald skin down to the ink that carved out his facial tattoos on his cheeks and chin.
"Harvey"
She cautiously reached out a hand, causing him to panic at her un characteristic behaviour. He frowned feeling the shakiness of her hand.
"Commander"?
She slowly slid down toward the ground making Harvey grabbed her protectively as he lowered her down with him. I'm his arms Nara was shaking as he could make out small sounds of whimpering.
"Its ok your safe now" he pulled her in closer not willing to let her go for one second. "It's ok".