Clone Wars: Underground - Chapter 8

     

        Burnout walked casually across the loading platform to the trooper standing next to a levi-loader filled with crates. 

            “Get this stuff loaded. We’re behind schedule.” 

            “Right away, sir.” Burnout kept the cockiness out of his voice the best he could. He was filling in for Fekk, some poor guy that suddenly came down with a hard knock on the head and couldn’t report to work. He began pushing the loader towards the Transport and activated his comm when he was out of earshot. 

            “All clear, boss.”

            Fives appeared a moment later at his side. “Nice job. Don’t call me boss.” 

            “Sure thing, Sarge.” 

            Fives shook his head in defeat. Things had been so much easier when he was just following orders. He wasn’t cut out for leadership. He smirked inside his helmet. Wasn’t he the one who was supposed get orders then break the rules?

            With Fives on the lookout, they were joined by Brix and Jace. The four boarded the transport on its way to the same star destroyer in low orbit that had Ellia and Tiptoe on board.

            “Deltas, ready for extraction.” Burnout voiced on their private comm.

            “We’re not Delta.” Brix shot back.

            “There’s four of us.”

            “And we’re not extracting ourselves, we’re inserting ourselves.” 

            “That doesn’t sound as cool.”

            “Cut the chatter.” Fives called and the conversation went silent. He was in charge of the plan and he could hardly hear himself think. He was starting to realize why Rex seemed to get a lot of headaches.

 

            Ellia huddled at the back of her cell. She was going to die. Tip was already dead. She should have given the passcode while they were still at the labs. Then maybe Tiptoe would still be alive. 

            Why was it so important? Why had the military gotten involved? What was so important about her clone research now that the war was over? Tip had died for research that didn’t even matter anymore. The war was over, and the Jedi were gone. His death had been in vain. 

            Or maybe there was something bigger going on here. Maybe the labs were working on something new that required her research. Sure, everything she did relied on Jango’s template, but that didn’t have to be the case. It could possibly be applied to anyone with the right donor and modifications. The basic concepts were the same. Someone like the Emperor could regenerate organs, heal from death blows, or even be brought back. She shuttered at the possibilities. 

            But now they had everything, and it was because of her. She wanted to cry more, but all of her tears were already dried on her face.

            The door to her cell suddenly swooshed open. Bright light from the hallway blinded her in the dimply-lit cell. She could barely make out the rigid form of Moff Tarkin.

            “Well, doctor. Are you ready to die for you treachery? It’s a pity to lose such a promising mind, but an example must be made if we’re to maintain order.”

            She just stared at him. She had no words to give him. The hatred she felt burned deeply in her heart and given the chance, she’d push him out the nearest airlock without blinking. Two troopers entered the room. They weren’t clones this time. They were naturals. They bound her wrists and pulled her to her feet. She lifted her head and her stare bore into Tarkin, not afraid to look him straight in the eye. He scoffed but looked away, leading the group from the cell.

            Ellia took a deep breath as she walked.

            “Hope you boys feel proud of yourselves.” She muttered to the troopers. She received a shove in response. She was trying hard not to think about what waited at the end of her short walk. She didn’t want to guess how they’d kill her or who all might be watching. 

            She heard footsteps up ahead. Another soldier? 

 

            Finding a star destroyer’s detention block was easy, but Jace was used to throwing Seppies in, not breaking people out. Brix tried the door and it slid open easily.

            “It’s not locked.”

            “No one’s here, sir.” Jace cleared the room with a sweep of the sensors in his helmet.

            “Krif.” Fives swore under his breath. 

            “Any ideas, boys?” 

            “Could do with a slicer droid. Look at the logs.”

            “Maybe I can get in.” Fives went to a terminal.

            “How?”

            “I may or may not have memorized a couple of authorization codes.”

            “General’s clearance? Sir, if the Jedi are gone then-”

            “It worked.” 

            Fives checked the logs. He found Tiptoe first, listed at terminated. His heart sank. It had happened so many times before. Goodbye brother. He continued until he found Ellia Tian. She was listed to be terminated at midday. He checked his chrono. 

            “Time to go. She’s got six minutes before her execution.” Fives informed, pointing down the hall in the opposite direction. “Hangar bay, now!” 

            The four of them broke out in a run in their disguised red and white armor. They’d abandoned all caution and focused solely on their goal. Time was running out.

 

“Moff Tarkin.” Ellia heard a voice and the group came to a stop. She was still wedged between two guards with Tarkin directly in front of her. She couldn’t see who it was.

“I have an official request for the return of Dr. Tian.” The scratchy voice belonged to Gresh. 

            “What is this about?” Tarkin snapped and glared down at the datapad.

            “The Emperor himself requests the return of the geneticist for the research I am personally performing for his Excellence.” The tone of his voice had a condescending twinge to it. Ellia wondered how Tarkin would take that.

            “This must be some important research indeed.” The comment was full of venom. Tarkin was being denied his kill. Ellia’s heart jumped with a slight ray of hope. Just maybe she’d live. If she did, she’d fix this mess. She’d live to ensure the new Emperor never gets the satisfaction of her research. It was hers. It wasn’t made for personal gain. It certainly wasn’t made to help an evil man who’d been the cause of so much death. The Jedi. The Clones. Determination welled in her chest even as she was handed over to Fox and Gresh. 

            “Well, doctor, it seems you owe me your life.” Gresh’s wiry voice was propped with pride.

            “Anything you want, sir.” Ellia found the words easy knowing she’d be back in the lab soon. From there she could stay informed. She could control the output of the experiment results. Maybe she could cause a few accidents. 

            Tarkin left them with his escort of troopers. Ellia followed Gresh to another shuttle already prepped for takeoff. They were almost to the boarding ramp when another squad of troopers stopped them. 

            “Hold it right there.” The leader put a hand up to stop them.

            “State your business.” Fox retorted, reaching for his blaster.

            “We’re taking the prisoner.” The other demanded. 

            Fox and the other two with him drew their blasters but were met with a mix of rifles and blasters from the squad of four. It was a standoff. 

            All of a sudden, the hangar darkened as a large shadow blocked the daylight from Coruscant’s primary. A freighter angled for the hangar came in hot and almost crashed into Gresh’s shuttle. Instead, it spun around so precisely that the ramp was facing the parties. It touched down hard, and the ramp lowered. Ellia’s eyes were locked on the Ladalum and the wreckless flying that pulled in neat and tight at the end for a near perfect landing. She knew without question it was Brenni.

            “Now it’s an extraction.” Burnout shouted.

            “Clear the way.” Brix called as he jumped over a crate and made for the Ladalum.

            Fives used the distraction to pull his helmet off and reach out to Ellia. 

            “Time to go.” He whispered.

            “You’re here!” Ellia was overjoyed.

            “We all are. We’re bustin’ outta Coruscant. We can’t stay.” He was pulling on her arm as he directed the rest of his squad to make for the Ladalum. Ellia pulled back.

            “Sorry, Fives. I’m staying.” She looked at the shock and hurt on his face. “I have important things that only I can do here.” She realized that Gresh could potentially hear her. She couldn’t tell him she’d given away the secrets of her research and how it could be used. She couldn’t say that she had to stay to make sure it wasn’t used to help the Emperor and is evil designs. She would just have to hope he’d understand. 

            “If that’s the way you want it.” His voice was cold. He turned towards the ship. The hangar was already filling with Tarkin’s men and the shooting started. 

            Fives caught Fox’s eye before making his exit. Despite his frustration, he gave the commander a smug grin and mock salute before running off to the Ladalum.  

            “Bang out now!” Fives shouted as he hit the ramp.

Ellia watched the Ladalum’s ramp close and the ship lift off taking everyone she cared about with it. She hoped Brenni would understand. She hoped they all would.

            The Ladalum gained altitude quickly and shot past the regulation lanes. Partrol ships converged and were followed by fighters from Tarkin’s destroyer they’d just ripped out of. 

            “Jump coodinates!” Brenni shouted to Kisha.

            “Working on it!” She punched a display with the short astromech, Rusty, plugged in and calculating the parameters Kisha gave it.

            “There!” Kisha cheered. “Let’s burn sky.”

            “Till we see lines.” Burnout finished, joining them on the bridge.

            The Ladalum leapt forward, and the stars streaked by.

            

            Ellia walked in silence with her escort back to her new apartment. She had lapsed into silence after she watched her friends leave without her. She knew deep down that she’d made the right choice, even if it was hard. At her door, she nodded thanks to the escort troopers. She knew they were clones. She suddenly wondered how much they knew. They must know something was wrong even without knowing about the chips. Tiptoe and the others had told her about the nightmares of killing Jedi, and how those nightmares came true. She felt terrible. She caught the trooper before he left, reaching out for his arm.

            “Take care and thank you.” The sincerity in her voice showed in her eyes as she looked at both of them. There was a pause before both nodded.

            “Just doing our job, Ma’am.”

            “May I ask your names?”

            “CT-1888 and-“

            “No, I mean your names.” Ellia was insistent.

            “I’m Finley and that’s Sys.” Finley’s voice was hesitant. Ellia couldn’t see his expression.

            “If you ever need anything. I’d be happy to help.”

“Sir, yes sir.” Sys replied.

Ellia imagined that it was an odd offer to a couple of troopers, but it was a start. She’d do her best to help any of the troopers she met. It was the least she could do for the way she’d thought of them in the past. She watched them go then entered her apartment, mind racing with possible ways to disrupt the Director’s plans. I’ve got work to do.

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