Trooper 8276 and I head back to base in a speeder that we stole from the Kruuns on our last mission. 8276 rides at the back, his small arms wrapped around my waist as he clings to me desperately so that he won't fall off.
I'm staring into space now as the speeder reaches base. The ray shield surrounding the base glows yellow, a colour that I've almost never seen in ray shields like that. It's usually green, which means we're safe. But now it's yellow. Which means there's something wrong.
8276's arms are still wrapped around me, but slightly more relaxed now. I turn around, making sure not to move too much to not startle him. His eyes are closed, his breathing slow and steady. I've never seen him like this. He's finally let his guard down.
I take off my helmet and walk up to the ray shield for it to scan my eyes to let me in. The process takes about five seconds as the scanner droid floats out and scans my eyes up and down. After that, a hole just about large enough for me to fit through opens in the shield and I walk in.
I head inside the base, putting my helmet back on, still carrying a sleeping 8276. He's snoring softly, which I find kind of cute. Somehow. A war-hardened child soldier finally getting the rest he deserves after a long mission.
A group of children, about 8276's age, walk past me. I look straight ahead but out of the corner of my eye, I observe their movements, their demeanor. They're nervous; uncertain. Nothing like 8276. He's actually competent.
I reach the barracks and set 8276 down on his bed, before silently walking out of the room, heading to the cafeteria to get a quick bite, and maybe get some food for 8276.
I bring some bread back into the barracks for 8276, who's awake now and just staring at the ceiling.
I toss him the bread and he catches it without even looking. I scoff and smirk at him, shaking my head. "Show-off."
I can see the slightest of smirks appear on his otherwise blank face as he takes a bite out of the bread.
"By the way, I'm going to call you Boba from now on. Just cause you give off Boba Fett vibes," I say with a slight hint of amusement in my voice. "Mission briefing in 15 minutes, admiral's office," I continue, my voice returning to its usual tired tone.
The briefing is quite short. The admiral just tells us to hunt down another Kruun bunker in the deep part of the jungle. We can't take speeders because they're too easy for the Kruuns to spot and track, so once we land there, we'll have to go on foot. This isn't going to be fun.
Boba and I take a small transport to the deeper part of the jungle. The transport lands in a small clearing between the trees and we head out. All I hear through my comms is now static. I can't receive any transmissions from base. Even through his helmet, I can hear the shakiness in Boba's breath. His shoulders are tensed. His rifle at the ready.
I put up my hand and lower it slightly to motion for him to calm down. I don't want him freaking out when we're fighting Kruuns. My rifle is also at the ready, my eyes scanning the surroundings. I press a button on the side of my helmet to turn the heat vision in my visor on, making sure to keep quiet as Boba and I walk through the forest, towards the coordinates of the bunker that the admiral gave us. Gravel crunches under our feet, as much as we try to keep quiet.
I expect resistance. Heavy resistance, especially since we're in the deep part of the forest, where they hide their women and children most of the time. But I don't see any heat signatures from the Kruuns or their weapons. My eyes dart around nervously, data from the cybernetics in my eyes appearing in front of me. Everything's normal. It shouldn't be.
We reach the bunker, it's hidden by the gravel, thick roots and moss on the ground. I take out my knife and start sawing through the roots while Boba makes sure that I don't get killed by a sudden ambush.
I quickly cut through the roots and dig through the gravel to reveal the familiar grey door with the pattern of the Kruun resistance on it. I set a few grenades onto the door, ones specifically designed to break through these kinds of doors. ES-07 designed those.
He's gone. Don't think about it.
Boba and I run a few hundred meters away, just out of the blast radius of the grenades just so that we won't get blown to pieces. Hiding behind a bush for cover, I press the button on the detonator to set off the grenades.
Debris and sparks and flames fly everywhere, setting some of the surrounding vegetation on fire. It's normal for both me and Boba. Our armor keeps the heat from the flames away.
I stay behind the bush, aiming my rifle at the entrance to the bunker. Kruun soldiers should be running out shooting their blasters at us by now. But nothing comes. The suspense is growing with every second. I push down the unsettling feeling in my stomach and head over to the bunker, taking cover just beside it, Boba following close behind.
I throw another grenade into the bunker and detonate it. That should alert the civilians in there. Still nothing. I wait, my breathing steady, rifle aimed at the entrance to the bunker.
Where are they?
Boba and I wait a good few minutes and nothing comes. Boba starts to get impatient and walks up to the entrance of the bunker, looking inside, aiming his sniper inside.
"Boba don't-"
He fires a shot into the bunker and I internally slap a hand to my forehead. I drag Boba by the arm and back into the bush.
"What are you doing?! Are you stupid or something?!" I keep my voice down in case he alerted anyone.
I ready a few smoke grenades in case we need to make a quick escape from Kruun soldiers.
We do need to make a quick escape. Just not from the usual stuff.
A cloud of black insects rises from the bunker, and the data from my cybernetic eyes disappears and flashes red.
It remembers.
No no no no this can't be happening again.
I grab Boba by the arm and run, slinging my rifle over my shoulder as I sprint away.
I'm too caught up in my own thoughts to notice Boba falling behind. I just keep running. I throw a few smoke grenades behind me to stop the insects for a few moments to gain some ground on them.
I try to recall how I escaped them last time. They're deterred by liquid. I see a lake of what looks like colourless liquid nearby and jump in, making sure to pressurise my helmet so that liquid can't get in. I also press a few buttons on my armour to make sure I'm completely protected.
I sink in the lake. My armour starts smoking and my helmet displays a red alarm signal in front of me.
Acid.
I stay in the acid for a few minutes, staring up at the black cloud of insects that are trying to get to me. When they finally give up and fly away, I rush out of the acid.
Boba.
I hear his desperate screams for help, shouting my name as his voice cracks. My eyes widen and I dart over to Boba, who's a few hundred meters away.
No. No no no no no no no. This can't be happening.
Boba's covered in the smoking bites from the insects. His teeth are gritted in pain. Smoking whitish-yellow liquid leaks out from the wounds. I don't want to look at him. If he doesn't get medical attention soon he'll cook from the inside.
Comms are down on my side. Burned from the acid. I have no way to contact base. My flares are burned from the acid too. There's no way to get back except by foot. I could leave Boba behind and make it back to base in time to maybe not die of thirst. Just like how I left all the others before him.
I can see Boba's desperate eyes pleading with me to end his suffering. He knows that I can't carry both of us back to base.
He's putting me before himself. Protecting me. Just like Mayday.
"We don't leave our own behind." At least, according to Mayday.
I silently pick up Boba and sling his arm over my shoulder, letting him use my rifle to help him stand.
"We're gonna get back, ad'ika. I promise."
a/n: I bullshitted the names.
