Chapter Text
Harsh wind blew in the fugitives’ faces as they crossed the icy terrain. Cooper pulled his poncho tighter around himself, wishing the face mask and goggles could do as much good shielding the rest of his body from the icy air. In the distance, Cooper could make out hints of the early morning sun peeking through the clouds. “Are we there yet?” he asked, burying his hands into his poncho to keep them warm.
“We should be getting close soon,” Rex answered, his voice slightly muffled underneath his helmet. “This weather’s certainly not doing us any favors.”
Harlow shifted in her seat, craning her neck forward and squinting through her own goggles. “You’re on the right track, Rex,” she confirmed, offering the older clone a reassuring smile. “We’ll get there safe and sound. Don’t worry.”
Cooper scratched his head in confusion. No matter where he looked, the same endless frost obscured his vision. “What makes you so certain?” Cooper inquired, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t see anything out here.”
“We’re out here bright and early,” Harlow replied, turning her gaze to Cooper. “We’ve got time to backtrack in case we get lost. And since you guys brought me along, we have the Force on our side, too. It’ll tell us where we need to go.”
“Easy for you to say,” Cooper shot back, lowering his head to further protect himself from the cold. I’m not a Jedi. I’m not someone who can just rely on the Force as easily as she can.
“No, I mean that,” Harlow insisted, looking Cooper in the eye. “Even if you aren’t a Jedi, you can always look to the Force for guidance. You might be surprised at what it tells you.”
In a way, Cooper couldn’t help but envy Harlow. She had the Force to guide her and protect her. Cooper didn’t need to look at the scar on his shoulder to know he didn’t exactly have that same gift. Harlow’s trust in the Force seems so…natural. I wish I could have that same trust…but I don’t.
“Coming up on the town now,” Rex informed the group, tightening his grip on the steering controls.
Cooper shifted in his seat, eyes widening in awe as the city came into view. Buildings large and small dotted the landscape, each one coated with a fresh layer of frost. As the landspeeder crossed onto the duracrete roads, the boy could make out streetlights standing at attention on either side.
A hand ruffling his hair pulled Cooper’s attention away from his surroundings. “See?” Harlow reassured, a bright smile on her face as she took in the sights of the town. “I told you we’d make it here safe and sound.”
Cooper wanted to believe Harlow on that. Back on Kamino, the young clone had always had good reason to trust Harlow. She’d been there when he’d lost Blaze and needed a shoulder to cry on. She’d been the one to find him after a particularly rough live-fire exercise and help him recover from a panic attack.
No matter how much Cooper wanted to trust his friend now, however, the knot steadily forming in his stomach refused to go away. Harlow’s right. We did make it here without any problems…but then, why do I get the feeling that something’s off? “Shouldn’t there be people here?” the boy asked, raising a curious eyebrow towards the barren buildings.
“Yeah, I would’ve expected to see someone by now, too,” Rex agreed, eyes narrowing as he brought the landspeeder to a gradual halt. “Damn. Take a look at this.”
Cooper and Harlow turned their heads towards the older clone. Cooper whistled as he stared at the mountain of rubble and speeder husks blocking the main road into the town. Something must’ve hit this town hard.
Rex let out a frustrated sigh. “Just great,” the older clone groaned. “We’ll have to go around this roadblock.” To the right of the roadblock stood another entry route into the town. A pair of skyscrapers formed a wall on the left of the exit ramp, blocking out the light and making the whole area look creepy. “This alleyway might do the trick,” Rex continued.
As he examined the alternative route, another shiver rolled down Cooper’s back, one which he suspected wasn’t entirely from the frigid temperature. “You guys sure there isn’t another way in?” he asked, a sliver of dread seeping into his tone. “This route looks creepy as hell.”
“We could try to walk over the roadblock from here,” Harlow suggested, her hand hovering over the button to undo her seatbelt.
“As cold and slick as it is out there, that’s not a good idea,” Rex replied, his eyes narrowing as they examined the roadblock further. He let out a weary sigh and turned to face Cooper. “Sorry, vod. Looks like we’re taking the dark, creepy route.”
Cooper sunk back into his seat and tried to ignore the chill in his bones. It’s just a mild detour. Nothing to protest over…I hope.
Rex cranked the steering controls to the right, driving the landspeeder through the alleyway. The skyscrapers completely eclipsed the morning sun as the fugitives drove by, engulfing the speeder and its occupants in darkness. The alleyway itself offered little room to maneuver the speeder. Shielded partially from Rhen Var’s harsh climate, Cooper could make out a figure on the rooftop. “Looks like we were onto something after all, Rex,” the boy spoke up, pointing towards the rooftop watcher. “We’re not the only people in this town.”
Rex squinted to make out the stranger. “Probably a curious civilian. Keep your eyes peeled.”
As Cooper continued to stare at the figure on the rooftop, his stomach began to turn again. A rush of static gradually filled his eardrums, increasing in intensity the closer the fugitives got to the rooftops. There’s that same sensation from before. What’s going on? The young clone took a deep breath, though the winter air did little to suppress the static in his ears or the funny feeling in his gut.
Even if you aren’t a Jedi, you can always look to the Force for guidance. You might be surprised at what it tells you.
Harlow’s words from earlier cut through the static in Cooper’s head. The Force, huh? The boy took a deep breath and tried his best to focus on the static. He could sense the static beginning to clear. The more he concentrated, the more the static faded away. In the midst of his jumbled thoughts, he could make out a whisper, filtering through the winter wind.
…out…here…get…of here…get out of here. Get out of here.
Cooper’s eyes flew open as the static dissipated completely. He understood what the static was now…and more importantly, what it had been trying to tell him. “We need to turn back,” the young clone stammered, keeping his gaze fixed on the rooftop watcher. His heartbeat quickened as he noticed a blaster in the stranger’s hands. “Now!”
Rex craned his neck to address the boy. “Are you sure, vod’ika? We’re nearly—”
“Hold on,” Harlow interrupted, closing her eyes briefly. “I sense something’s up, too.” She tilted her head towards the stranger on the rooftop. “Up there.”
“What’s that civilian doing?” Rex inquired as he cast a glance upward.
The glint of a reflection off of glass was Cooper’s only warning.
“Get down!” Harlow shouted, her sharp tone compelling both clones to duck.
The sudden blaster shot pierced the landspeeder’s windshield, slamming into the back seat and causing all three occupants to yelp in surprise. Rex’s eyes narrowed at the hostile sniper. “Hold on!” he yelled, slamming his foot down on the accelerator. Cooper’s stomach lurched as the speeder zoomed forward, just in time to avoid more blaster shots from above.
That was when he noticed the locals rushing towards them.
The speeder’s occupants ducked as more blaster fire pelted the vehicle. The townsfolk who weren’t armed with blasters rushed forward, hurling bricks and dangerous looking weapons at the speeder. Harlow shielded herself with the Force as a lucky strike from a local shattered the window beside her.
A sudden jolt nearly caused the vehicle’s occupants to fly out of their seats. Rex cursed under his breath as he gripped the steering controls tighter. “They hit the engine!” he hollered over the blaster fire. The former captain’s eyes widened as the speeder zoomed towards a nearby building. “Brace yourselves!”
The speeder plowed through the nearest window, sending a hailstorm of glass and metal onto the fugitives. Cooper tucked his head into his lap to avoid the worst of the shards. The former cadet peeked up, his eyes widening as he spotted the railway the speeder continued to hurtle towards. “Stop the speeder!” he cried out.
Rex stomped on the brake pedal, a growl escaping his throat as the vehicle refused to slow down. “Kriffing hell! The brakes are out!” he hollered.
Harlow reacted swiftly, turning her gaze towards the front of the speeder and reaching her hands out. A shudder reverberated around the vehicle as the Force responded, the engine straining to resist Harlow’s efforts. The speeder continued to approach the dead end at a dangerous pace. Even with the Force slowing the speeder down, Cooper could tell his friend’s efforts wouldn’t be enough.
“I think this might be our stop,” the younger clone stammered, grabbing his backpack and leaping out of the vehicle. The ground, littered with broken glass, harshly greeted the boy, sending him rolling along the floor before he came to a stop. Cooper recovered quickly, standing just in time to spot Rex and Harlow as they abandoned the speeder. The Force subsequently gave up its efforts to act as a brake, allowing the speeder to plummet over the edge to the floor below. Cooper winced as the sound of warping metal and smashed transparisteel echoed throughout the building.
“Everyone okay?” Rex groaned as he struggled to stand. “Did everyone make it out?”
“I’m okay,” Harlow stammered out, climbing to her feet and reaching for her lightsabers. She turned her gaze to Cooper. “Cooper, you all right?”
“I’ll live,” the boy replied, wincing as glass slivers dug into his skin. “What’s wrong with these guys?”
“I’d rather not stick around and find out,” Rex replied, unholstering his blaster pistols. “We need to keep moving. It’s only a matter of time before—watch out!”
A blaster shot slammed into the nearest wall. Cooper’s training kicked in as he turned his carbine towards the hostile. A stun shot downed the local instantly, allowing the fugitives to make out the shapes of more townsfolk closing in. As Cooper readied his blaster, he found himself wishing his suspicions had been wrong. The entire shortcut had been the staging area for an ambush. And Cooper and his allies had wandered right into it.
“Take cover!” Cooper hollered, diving behind a bench with Rex as more blaster fire rang out. Harlow’s lightsabers soared to life, her movements fluid as she deflected the hostiles’ attacks. Cooper and Rex continued to counter the townsfolks’ offensive with their own, firing multiple stun blasts to keep their enemies at bay. Cooper let his training guide his shooting hand, easily catching multiple townsfolk in his crosshairs and stunning them.
What the bandits lacked in endurance, they made up for with strength in numbers. When one enemy dropped to the floor, several more poured in. Cooper ducked as a blaster bolt zoomed right past his head. “We can’t keep this up,” he hollered over the chaos.
“Harlow, any ideas?” Rex asked, his pistols downing two more bandits.
“One,” she hollered back, her movements swift as she deflected more blaster fire. The lightsaber and shoto provided a solid cover for Harlow and her allies, the sapphire barrier redirecting any blaster bolts in its path. Harlow quickly backpedaled towards the clones’ position, deactivating her lightsabers and taking cover beside her allies. The former padawan reached out with the Force, targeting the weak wall the trio had smashed through. A shudder echoed throughout the hall, the Force gripping the rough framework and pulling it down. An onslaught of dust spread throughout the room as the structure collapsed and blocked out the light.
The bandits glanced back toward the caved entryway, eyes bulging as dust and stone separated them from their comrades. The clones took advantage of the distraction, downing three more hostiles with stun shots. The remaining two turned to fire, but Harlow was quicker. A blast from the Force sent the bandits flying into the wall, knocking them out cold.
Rex peeked up from behind cover at last, keeping his pistols ready in case any bandits survived the counterattack. Cooper reluctantly lowered his own blaster. “Are we good?” the boy asked, squinting through the thick dust.
“Yeah, I think so,” Harlow replied, clipping her lightsabers back onto her belt. She turned to face the two clones. “Is everyone all right?”
“For now,” Rex groaned out as he holstered his pistols. “I think I know now what happened to those squads I sent before. Like I said, this town will eat us alive if we aren’t careful.”
“Then we need to get what we came here for, and get out,” Cooper said, strolling over to Harlow. “Any ideas on where we are, Harlow?”
The Jedi pulled out a holomap, the device sputtering to life and illuminating the dark corridor. She studied the map carefully, occasionally looking around at the rest of the building. “We’re not far from the listening post,” she informed the group. She traced her finger along the holographic outline of a building. “We’re in this building here. We might be able to avoid those bandits if we head through the interior. From there, we can make a mad dash for the listening post.”
A shudder diverted the fugitives’ attention back to the rubble. Cooper listened in, his ears picking up the sounds of shifting rubble. He could only guess that the bandits’ shock caused by the structure’s collapse had worn off. “We need to keep moving,” he suggested, motioning for his allies to follow. “It’s not safe here.”
Harlow nodded in response before the group continued onward. As the fugitives made their way through the building, Cooper’s eyes strained to take in the details. Behind the flickering lights, dusty halls, and lingering danger, the boy could make out the shapes of the buildings themselves. Each doorway carried its own unique flair and design. “Harlow, what is this place?” the boy asked, his eyes furrowing curiously.
“From the looks of things, I’d say we stumbled into an old mall,” Harlow answered, taking a look around.
“A what?”
“I’ve explored places like these back on Coruscant,” Harlow explained, a small smile gracing her lips. “This entire building is packed with smaller shops. Everywhere you’d look, you’d see citizens enjoying themselves. There would be clothing and jewelry shops, a toy store or two for children. The one I explored on Coruscant had a line of restaurants. My master and I would sometimes stop to eat there, after a long mission.”
Cooper took a closer look at the shops. “So, people would just go to places like these and…have fun?”
Harlow eagerly nodded her head.
“Did you ever take part in any of that?” Cooper asked, urging the Jedi to continue.
“Not really,” the former padawan answered. “The Jedi had already given me everything I needed to support myself. Clothing, shelter, money for my next meal and the occasional frozen treat. Between the war and my duties as a Jedi, spending time and money in a shopping mall was low on my list of priorities.”
“I get it,” Cooper replied, casting a glance toward an abandoned toy shop. Like his fellow cadets, Cooper had never had much in the way of recreation. Most of his downtime was committed to some form of training, either in the form of studying regulations and tactics or improving his skills with a blaster. The few games he had played with Sawyer always hid some elements of the war he and his brothers were preparing to fight in.
Maybe when all of this is over, my friends and I can make time for something fun. With the events of the past week and a half unraveling Cooper’s identity as a soldier, the thought of enjoying life the same as every other teenager certainly appealed to him. There would be no war or death hanging over his shoulders. No more nightmares centered around the trauma he endured on Kamino. It would just be Cooper and his friends reaching for the stars, going wherever the galaxy takes them. I know there’s still problems to deal with now, but…maybe it won’t be so bad with friends to watch my back.
“How did you know?”
Harlow’s abrupt question pulled Cooper back into the harsh realities of his current predicament. “What?” the boy asked, turning his attention to his friend.
“That ambush outside,” Harlow elaborated, craning her neck to look the younger clone in the eye. “How did you know that would happen?”
Cooper shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I had a hunch,” he hesitantly answered. “I’m not sure how I can explain it.” Even now, the static he’d been hearing since his first encounter with Third Brother made little sense. It’s almost as if…no. No, that can’t be it. The long-necks would’ve noticed if that were the case.
“Look over there,” Harlow pointed, strolling towards a more damaged section of the mall. “That looks like a way out.”
Sunlight poured in through the collapsed floor, offering a route back onto the streets. “Good eye, Commander,” Rex noted as the fugitives climbed the rubble. The cracked permacrete roughly dug into Cooper’s hands, forcing him to carefully examine each handhold he could find.
The early morning chill greeted Cooper as he finally reached the street. He quickly caught up to Rex and Harlow, nearly bumping into them as the Jedi abruptly came to a halt. “There’s our stop,” she announced, pointing towards another building. Through the sunlight, Cooper could just make out a tower in the distance. Must be some sort of antenna. We’re on the right track.
Cooper glanced left and right, his hand cautiously hovering over his carbine. “What do you think was up with those guys?” he pondered aloud. “The ones who attacked us?”
“If I had to guess, I’d say they’re either as desperate as we are for supplies, or they’re just that kriffing greedy,” Rex grumbled back.
“I knew we shouldn’t have come here without a larger group,” Harlow spoke up, craning her neck to look Rex and Cooper in the eye. “We’re outnumbered and outgunned, and we don’t have the numbers to scout the area.”
Rex scoffed. “Way I see it, more troops would’ve either slowed us down or given us away.”
Harlow let out a weary sigh, her frustration slipping through the barriers her years of Jedi training built up. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one, Rex,” she resignedly said as the group approached the listening post.
The antenna towered above the fugitives, the rusted supports afflicted with the same decay as the rest of the town. Cooper and Rex kept their heads on a swivel as they approached. The townsfolk and the dangers that came with them were nowhere to be seen, replaced with the familiar silence that had made Cooper keep his guard up since the group first arrived. No hostiles…for now. “It’s clear,” he called back. “Can’t say for how long, though.”
A metallic creak echoed through the area, causing Cooper and Rex to turn their heads. The younger clone’s eyes lit up as he spotted Harlow beside an open doorway. “Found us a way in,” Harlow said, opening up her holomap again. “If my map is right, we should be right above the power substation for this antenna.”
“This must be the place then,” Rex noted, keeping his weapon at the ready.
“Rex, stay up here and make sure we aren’t followed. This could be our only way back up,” Harlow commanded, turning her gaze to Cooper. “After you, buddy,” she spoke again, gesturing to the staircase.
Cooper raised a skeptical eyebrow at Harlow’s suggestion. Yeah, that basement doesn’t look like an ominous death trap at all. “You sure this is the way?”
Harlow nodded in reply. “I know it doesn’t look safe, but I’m not sensing any of those townsfolk downstairs,” she reassured, gently guiding her friend to the staircase. “You won’t be alone down there, if it makes you feel better.”
The boy shot a snide glare in Harlow direction. “It doesn't. At all.” He turned back towards the staircase, tentatively placing a foot on the first step. The wood groaned as Cooper stepped onto it completely, but otherwise proved to be a sturdy support for the clone’s weight.
The pitch black basement made navigating the steps that much more difficult, reminding Cooper too much of that secret tunnel he and Tay had explored on Raxus. The clone carefully inched his way down the staircase, gently tracing his hand along the railing to steady himself. Can’t imagine why there would be anyone living in this dump. It doesn’t look a day over five-hundred years old.
CRASH!
Cooper gasped as his foot suddenly plunged through a rotting stair, nearly causing him to lose his grip. His heart raced as he clambered his way back onto the previous stair. The clone quickly checked his foot for injuries, letting out a sigh once he found none. Okay. Note to self: don’t insult a building that can send you a couple stories to your death.
“Cooper?” Harlow’s voice called from the top. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” the boy hollered back. “Damn place is barely holding together. Watch your step.”
Harlow nodded in understanding before beginning to follow her friend down the staircase. Cooper, meanwhile, continued his own descent, squinting to make out any signs of more rotten floorboards or stairs. The young clone let out a relieved breath as his foot found permacrete instead of wood. He pulled out his commlink. “Harlow, I’m in the basement,” he hollered. “Drop me a flashlight, will ya?”
“Um…” Harlow’s hesitant tone planted a seed of dread in Cooper’s mind. “About that…”
Cooper took a deep breath, mentally shoving the dread off to the side. “You did bring flashlights, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did, it’s just…they’re sitting on the bottom floor of the mall…with whatever’s left of our speeder,” The Jedi sheepishly replied. “I’ve got something that can help, though. Watch your head.”
The sudden clang of metal caught Cooper’s attention. He turned in time to spot the unexpected object as it rolled to a stop by the stairs. Cooper’s hands reached for the object, eyes widening as he took a closer look.
“Um, Harlow,” Cooper tentatively spoke up, craning his neck upward. “This is—”
“One of my lightsabers, I know,” she gently interrupted. “But it’s also the only light source we’ve got. Look, I turned down the setting on the emitter matrix, so you won’t have to worry about cutting your own arm off or anything.”
Cooper nodded, turning his gaze back to the lightsaber shoto. Cool. I never thought I’d get to hold one of these things. The boy’s thumb found and pressed the switch, illuminating the basement in a vibrant, blue light. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Harlow inching her way down the last of the stairs. The former padawan ignited her second lightsaber, casting a more vibrant glow with the larger blade. She let out a chuckle at the awestruck look on Cooper’s face. “You having fun with that?” she asked, a playful smile on her face.
The boy waved the blade back and forth, a low hum reverberating through the basement. It feels heavier that I thought it would. “Forget the vibrohatchet,” he joked, grinning as he gently swung the saber. “Maybe you or Tay should give me some pointers with this thing.”
Harlow laughed harder at that. “Maybe I will…but first, we have a battery to find. I’d rather not leave Rex out in the cold.”
As the boy carefully moved forward, he tried to get a glimpse of his pitch-black surroundings. Walls of power relays and transformers lined the damp basement, the rusted metal mirroring the same decay the fugitives had seen outside. Cooper tightened his grip on the lightsaber, keeping his other hand in reach of his carbine as he explored further. I’d rather not have a repeat of that commando droid swarm on Utapau. “Harlow, any idea where to start looking?” he asked.
“Start opening up some of the panels,” Harlow suggested, strolling over to a relay box and carefully cutting the lock with her lightsaber. “The more circuit boxes and transformers we access the better.” She swiveled her head to give the boy a warning glance. “And be careful opening those boxes. Even if it’s abandoned, this is still dangerous equipment we’re dealing with.”
The former cadet saluted in response, reaching for the nearest panel, and opening it up. As expected, he found a hollow space instead of a battery. He repeated the pattern with the next few panels and circuit breakers, his chances dwindling with each spot he inspected. Empty. Empty. C’mon, battery. I don’t have all morning to look for you.
The boy tensed up slightly as his hand traced over flimsiplast instead of metal.
Cooper’s eyes narrowed as he removed the note from the transformer panel. Not sure who left this, but maybe it’ll give us a clue on where this battery is. The clone carefully moved the shoto closer, allowing the lightsaber to illuminate the Aurebesh writing.
We’ve tolerated these Republic and Separatist parasites long enough.
I just took a team out to assess the damage caused by their little skirmish. Half of the mall has partially collapsed due to explosive damage, and we’ve lost power to practically the entire town. We’ve already lost two people to the cold, and our recovery teams are still digging bodies out of the rubble. We’re down to our last several batteries and fuel canisters.
I declared a state of emergency in the town last night. To hell with it. To hell with the Republic and Separatists who are too busy fighting their war to notice who they’re dragging into it. To hell with the Jedi for not bothering to send help. To hell with all of ‘em. The security teams and some volunteers are going to scavenge for supplies. We’ll take whatever we can. Food. Medicine. Weapons. And if any of that belongs to someone, well…it’s only a matter of time before civil order collapses with the rest of that mall. We may as well knock out the first brick.
I’ll announce the new policies in our town hall meeting later tonight. If we’re going to survive and rebuild what the Republic and Separatists have broken, there’s no room for mercy.
“No room for mercy?” Cooper repeated, shivers running down his spine as the implications of the letter set in. “Welp, with that kind of thinking, everybody loses.”
“What a waste,” Harlow remarked, swiveling her head to examine the run-down circuit boxes surrounding the fugitives. “If these people needed our help, all they had to do was ask.”
Cooper nodded his head in agreement. Those teams Rex sent earlier…I wonder if any of them tried to give these people another way out. The younger clone cringed as he recalled the sparks flying from that busted turret. The cracks in the harbor that let too much of the cold in. The weary faces of the harbor’s inhabitants, a mirror to the cynical tone in that note. What a waste, indeed.
The boy shook the thoughts from his head and continued his search. The darkness enveloping the basement hindered his efforts, forcing him to rely on the light from Harlow’s shoto. Cooper carefully traced his hand along the rusted transformer boxes, his hope dwindling as each one he opened lay empty. If this keeps up, we may need to look somewhere else for a battery. I’d rather not spend all day in a town where everyone’s trying to kill me.
Cooper took in a shaky breath as he eyed the last transformer box. “Last one, Harlow,” he spoke up. The clone cleared away as much dust as possible, before opening the panel. Bingo! Scorch marks surrounded the battery nestled within, a likely consequence of the power outages affecting the whole town. Cooper carefully unplugged the battery and placed it in his backpack. Here’s hoping this thing still has some juice in it. “Got the battery,” Cooper called back, activating his commlink. “Rex, you there?”
“Read you loud and clear, vod’ika,” the former captain’s voice answered. “Did you find what you’re looking for?”
Cooper eagerly nodded his head. “We got it,” he replied. “Contact Lyra and have her bring the Huntsman to these coordinates. We may need a quick exit.”
“Consider it done, Cooper.”
With the message sent, Cooper turned to face Harlow. “Well, that wasn’t so bad,” the young clone remarked, a glint of optimism in his eyes.
Harlow answered her friend’s optimistic look with a cautious glance. “Don’t get comfortable just yet,” she warned. “We still need to find a way out of here, and pray those townsfolk don’t spot your ship before we do.”
The duo carefully made their way back up the stairs, their steps light to avoid any more unexpected plunges through a floorboard. Cooper reached for the railing as he guided his foot over the stair that had nearly sent him plummeting earlier. The harsh cold greeted him as he finally exited the basement. The boy glanced around, unable to spot any signs of Rex in the whiteout. Rex must’ve gone looking for shelter. Can’t blame him. This weather’s getting colder by the minute.
As if anticipating his thoughts, Harlow gently tapped Cooper on the shoulder. “I see him,” she spoke, pointing towards the listening post command center. “In the command center. How much do you want to bet he found a space heater in there?”
Cooper playfully scoffed. “Twenty credits says he didn’t,” he jested. “I mean, look at this place. I don’t see how anyone could’ve—”
“Watch out!”
Cooper turned his head in time to spot a heavy object swinging towards him. The young clone ducked underneath the first swing, only for his enemy to swing again with a different weapon. The backhanded strike connected, forcing the air out of Cooper’s lungs and sending him flying into a wall. Stars danced across Cooper’s vision as his head slammed into a permacrete wall with an audible crack.
It was then that Cooper caught his first full glimpse of the unexpected assailant. This townsperson appeared larger than his allies, a fold-out shield on his left wrist and a hefty vibrohammer in his right hand. Even from the distance, Cooper could make out a hatred in the brute’s eyes, one which reminded the clone too much of Third Brother.
As his head throbbed painfully and his ears rang, the boy could barely see Harlow leap forward, her lightsabers soaring to life. Sparks flew as the sapphire blades danced across the brute’s vibroweapon and shield, the hostile countering Harlow’s quick strikes with slower, more devastating attacks. The ringing in Cooper’s ears grew louder the longer he looked, building into a mad, shrieking crescendo which caused him to groan in pain.
The hostile townsperson continued to swing away, forcing Harlow back on the defensive with more powerful strikes. Cooper forced himself to blink past the stars in his vision, taking as much of the pain in his head and shoving it off to the side. He could make out his carbine lying within reach, and his fingers fumbled for the blaster. Just…need Harlow to keep him busy.
Harlow and the hostile local continued to trade blows, the Jedi’s agile strikes pushing back against the brute’s assault. Her blades spun elegantly around the brute’s attacks, sidestepping a swing from the vibrohammer and retaliating with flurries of energy. The bandit swung one more time overhead, only for the weapon to miss Harlow and shatter the permacrete floor. The brute swung around to face Harlow again, his back turned to Cooper.
Only one chance. Cooper carefully took aim, and squeezed the trigger.
A burst of plasma fire followed, slamming into the brute’s back and neck. The hostile’s grip on the vibrohammer weakened, and he crumpled to the floor, dead.
The brief victory, however, did nothing to silence the ringing in Cooper’s ears. The boy let the carbine slip from his grasp, clutching his head painfully and squeezing his eyes shut. It felt as if something had unscrewed his skull like the lid of a jar, stabbing and digging sharp fingernails into his brain. It hurts…make it stop. Focused as he was on the pain, Cooper could barely feel Harlow’s gentle hand on his back. The words she spoke didn’t register in the boy’s eardrums, the concerned voice of his friend sounding as if he was underwater.
The shrieking abruptly stopped as Cooper opened his eyes. The pain in his head quickly faded, replaced with his familiar training instincts and a thought that made his blood run cold. A thought that Cooper could tell wasn’t his own.
Good soldiers follow orders.