Chapter Text
Fletus non indicat te imbecillitatem esse. Ab ortu semper signum fuit te vivere. – crying does not indicate that you are weak. since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive
“Relay what you see,” Echo says, handing the young girl a comlink, “but stay out of sight until we’re in position.”
“Roger that.” Omega nods and starts to climb.
As she does so, multiple stormtroopers appear and the group are quick to duck behind pillars and line the walls in attempts to hide from the incoming blasterfire.
They return fire in increments. Camila flinches away from a bolt that comes too close to her head.
Echo’s comm beeps and Camila can hear Omega faintly telling him what she sees.
“We’re on our way!” He says.
“Let’s move.” Rex shouts. The clones pursue first, taking down the last of the stormtroopers and soon enough they’re on the move again.
Camila’s comlink beeps and she grabs it.
“Hey, Mi… we’ve got a problem.” Kaya’s anxious voice cuts through the static. Camila grimaces and Hazeen and Rex share a look.
“What happened?” She asks, urgently.
“They split the boys and girls.”
Camila frowns and almost stops in her tracks out of surprise.
“Are you complaining about toilets?” Gregor asks, earning more confused looks.
“What? No!” Kaya denies, “I just heard over a comm I stole from a dead commando that they’re moving Hazel and Tori to one of the science labs.”
This time Camila does come to a screeching halt. The others all slow and turn in surprise.
“Shit.” Echo curses and Camila squeezes her eyes shut.
“Do you know which one?” Rex asks, bringing up Camila’s hand so he can talk into the device.
“No but I can find out.” Kaya replies.
Camila opens her eyes and snatches away her hand.
“Send me the coordinates, I'll meet you there.” She demands into it.
Kaya voices a brief acknowledgement then disappears.
“What are you doing?” Rex asks.
“You boys go save the squad.” She orders and gestures to her and her guards, “We’ll find the girls.”
Rex opens his mouth to protest but she says, sternly, “She’s my sister, they’re your brothers. Do not fight me on this, Rex.”
“I’ll go with you.” Gregor volunteers, placing a calming hand on Rex’s shoulder.
“Cool.” Camila nods, barely noticing the sentiment, “Now, hurry. I’ll comm you when we find them.”
The four of them start to back away, quickly.
“Please, don’t die.” Rex shouts.
“Be careful. I love you.” She calls back and sprints down the corridor.
Rex’s brain shortcircuits. Did she just say she loves him? She hasn’t said that before.
“C’mon.” Echo interrupts, jogging off.
She loves him. And she waited till now to tell him that?!
“Rex, let’s go.” Howzer says, tugging his arm.
Rex groans and turns to follow them.
“This woman is going to be the death of me.” He complains, earning a short laugh from his brothers.
As they run away, Gregor nudges her arm.
“You just said you love him.” He points out.
“What?” She looks at him, confused.
“You told him, you love him. You haven’t said that before.”
She opens her mouth to reply but then closes it. Oh shit.
Gregor laughs loudly and Hazeen snorts. Out of the corner of her eye, she can even see Narvor trying to hold back a grin.
Camila groans and shakes her head.
“Shut up.” She says, shoving him and turning around the next corner as they follow Kaya’s coordinates.
There’s a loud explosion and the place rocks slightly.
“What was that?” Hazeen asks. Camila gives him a fearful look and a dull alarm begins to go off.
“We’re running out of time.” Gregor tells them and they pick up the pace, darting through the grey corridors to meet Kaya.
Kaya and the group of rebels are crouched at the other end of the corridor when they arrive, weapons pointed at a door.
“Where are they?” Camila asks, her voice low and dangerous as they join them.
“Inside.” Kaya grumbles, “What about the boys?”
“Echo and Rex are handling it.” Gregor replies and Kaya nods stiffly.
“Has anyone got smoke bombs?” Narvor questions.
One of the rebels nods and pulls out a few.
“We need a distraction.” Gregor says.
“I can get into the room.” Another rebel says and Camila recognises him as Franz.
“I’ll be the distraction.” Camila whispers, edging past them.
“Senator, you can’t be serious?!” Hazeen frets.
“Mila. Are you sure?” Gregor frowns.
She nods over her shoulder, wrapping her fingers even tighter around the handle of her spitfire blaster.
“I’m sure.” She nods at Franz, “I’ll hold their attention long enough for you to throw the smoke bombs in.” She then pulls out a small grenade. The door slides open and she slips inside.
Camila stands, weapons raised. She takes in the scene in front of her and is rather surprised by what she finds.
Taelia lingers in the middle of the room, Hazel and Astoria cuffed either side of her. A commando stands behind the doctor and his blaster moves from the women to Camila. The accompanying stormtroopers follow his actions.
“Did I miss something?” Camila raises an eyebrow and she watches Taelia gulp. The doctor’s hands shake slightly as she lowers the data tablet in her hands.
“Put down your weapons.” The commando instructs.
“I don’t think so.” Camila shakes her head, “Now let. Them. Go.”
The stormtroopers share a look then all their weapons activate in unison. In doing so, they don’t notice the small flick of a finger from Taelia as she unlocks the girls. They don’t notice one of the venting panels being moved aside. The troopers don’t notice until it’s too late as a couple of smoke grenades spin across the floor.
The troopers share looks then all hell breaks loose. The stormtroopers raise their weapons and open fire. Camila ducks behind one of the lab tables, hissing in pain when she hits the floor. The door behind her slides open and the rebels burst in.
She can barely see anything through the smoke but she manages to dart around to the back of the room, using the wall for guidance. Taelia is crouched there, her face barely illuminated by her device as her fingers fly across it.
“I’ve freed Hazel and Astoria.” The doctor murmurs to the Senator, “But I have to help the others.”
“Rex is handling it.” Camila informs her, ducking away from a stray blaster bolt, biting her lip.
“Not them.” Taelia mutters. Camila frowns and turns to her but the doctor’s already disappeared.
Shaking her head, she leans up and helps unclasp the cuffs from her sister’s wrist. Hazel is eased to the ground, then Astoria.
Camila groans and slumps to the ground beside them. The firing has ceased by now and the smoke has begun to clear.
“Senator.” One of the rebels appears beside her, “You’re injured.”
Camila frowns then looks down at where the rebel is gesturing too. There’s a bullet wound in the top of her thigh and another at her waist where a bullet must have grazed.
“I hate smoke.” She grumbles, applying pressure to the wound at her waist as the rebel does the same to her thigh. The man chuckles and her eyes move from him to a stirring Hazel and Astoria.
“Wha-What’s going on?” Astoria looks around, slightly delirious.
“Why the hell is there smoke everywhere?” Hazel mutters.
“We’re rescuing your asses.” Kaya appears, arms crossed and looking down at them. She’s smiling but Camila can see the relief on her face. The others soon appear and Hazeen and Narvor are quick to move to Camila.
“Mila!” Gregor appears, “What happened?”
“I got shot. It’s fine. It’s just a graze.” She says, rolling her eyes.
“You got shot?!” Multiple voices repeat in unison.
“Rex is gonna kill me.” Gregor complains.
Camila shoots him a glare.
“Someone get some bandages and medpatches.” Hazeen orders, replacing Mila’s hands with his own. Astoria dashes over to one of the work surfaces and grabs a med kit.
Gauge is pressed into the wounds and wrapped tightly. Kaya injects her with a shot to briefly overcome the pain and she’s eased to her feet.
Camila looks down at the injuries.
“Rex is going to kill us.” She mutters.
Her arm goes around Gregor’s shoulders and she watches, cautiously, as Hazel and Astoria get to their feet.
“Where are the others?” Hazel asks, pressing a hand to her head.
“Rex, Echo and Howzer are saving them.” Gregor tells them.
“Omega’s there too.” Camila adds.
The group leaves the room, moving quickly. Gregor pulls out his comm, his blaster handed off to one of the rebels.
“Rex, come in.”
“Gregor, you there?” Rex’s voice crackles over the static and Camila breathes a quiet sigh of relief.
“Where are you?” Gregor asks, “We have Hazel and Tori.”
“We’re heading back to the shuttle.” Rex informs them, “We picked up some… strays.”
“What kind of strays?” Hazel asks.
“Well… let’s just say those assassins aren’t who we thought they were.”
They all share a look.
“I’m confused.” Hazeen remarks.
“We’ll meet you there.” Rex says and the line falls dead.
“If it’s Hemlock, i’m throwing him out the airlock.” Hazel threatens and there’s multiple hums of agreement.
“That rhymed.” Kaya mutters and Gregor snorts. They continue their journey, the rebels surrounding Gregor and the clones as protection. They shoot down stormtrooper stragglers as they make their way through the base.
“I hope that explosion destroyed any information the Empire might want.” Camila says.
“Nala Se was handling it, wasn’t she?” Gregor asks and the Senator nods.
“If it helps, Senator,” One of the rebels interrupts, “Agandaur gave orders to place explosives over the base. We’re going to do some damage.”
The group share a grin and Camila nods, happily.
“Let’s just make it out in one piece.” Hazel says.