The Bad Batch: Book 2

Part 39: Just A Clone

Crossahir's POV 

Standing up I brushed some of the snow off my helmet so I could see better. Mayday caught making me look back at him to see him standing already. Looking past him I looked towards the way where the cave used to be. Now it was long gone. Thanks to one of the raiders the cargo was lying behind us as they tried to hit me with the buggi. 

Mayday: "Let's load the cargo and get out of here." 

Sliding down the small hill I made sure that we were alone and then I removed my helmet. I looked around the cargo to see that it was just some trooper helmets and shields. 

Mayday: "Gear? We've been raising our lives to recover equipment we could have been wearing this whole time?" 

Me: "It's not clone trooper gear." 

I said as I moved one of the helmets with my food so I could see the front. 

Mayday: "Right. New torys for their shiny new military, and we get the scrapts. After all, clones have done, all we've sacrificed. We're good soldiers. We follow orders. And for what?" 

I looked back at him seeing him look at me. I didn't know what to say to all of this. This was insane. We were sent here to get some gear. Just some helmets and shields. The ground began to shake again making me look down then I looked back at the mountain. The snow was sliding down it right towards us. 

Mayday: "GO!" 

Placing the helmet over my head I quickly began to run. As much as both of us were trying to get out of the way the snow was coming at us with great speed. 

Mayday: "LOOK OUT!" 

Suddenly I was pushed out of the way. My body hit the ground as the snow came over me. It threw my helmet off my head. As quickly as possible I climbed out of the tick snow that almost choked me. Sitting up I placed my hands together and blew hot breath in them trying to keep warm. 

I looked towards the way I last saw Mayday and only saw the top of the rock. He must be buried in the snow. As quickly as possible I began to fight my way towards the rock. As I came to it I began to dig threw it with my hands. I was digging and digging when I saw him a little. 

Me: "Mayday?" 

Removing the snow off his face I continued to dig so I could put him against the rock. 

Me: "Mayday wake up!" 

He didn't open his eyes only a grunt left his mouth. 

Me: "Come on. We have to move." 

I tried to pull him up. 

Me: "Come on." 

Mayday: "Go. I wouldn't make it." 

Threw his voice I could hear that he was in pain. The snow must have pushed him against the rock.  I picked up his helmet that was next to him and placed it back over his head to keep him warm. We cannot stay here. If the cold doesn't kill us it sure will those flying beasts. 

I took a hold of him and turned him around. Taking hold of his shoulder I began to pull him out out of the heavy snow. When we came out of the snow that fell from the mountain I placed his arm around my shoulder and then I placed my around his trying to support him. 

Slowly we began to make our way back to the base. The cold was freezing my fingers that were holding him so after a few minutes I lost a grip on him and he fell to the ground. He didn't have a lot of energy left in him but I wasn't going to leave him like this. 

Me: "Come on." 

After helping him stand back up I placed my arms around him and began to walk again. As I was walking the only thing that I could think about was surviving this. We were soldiers. We were following orders. But fighting nature was never an easy task. After an hour of walking Mayday fell to his knees. I helped him back on his legs and soon after I had a problem walking. For my support, I was using my blaster. 

The snow was freezing my nose and cheeks. The storm was getting worse and I knew that we weren't going to make it. To our luck, I saw some rocks that we could use as a shelter. Coming to them I and Mayday set on the ground and placed our backs against the rock. My body was shaking so the only way to try and keep us warm I place my hand over him pulling him closer. 

The storm went on and on. I was trying to keep me and Mayday awake. When it was finally over I helped him on his legs and we continued our journey to the base. The same creature in the sky as before was following us. Because Mayday had a problem walking I gave him my blaster for support on another side. 

Hearing the ships I stopped walking so I could look up to see two our our ships flying over us. I knew that they saw us. The storm and faug were far gone now. They couldn't stop and help. Slowly we walked over the small hill and then we began to approach the base which was getting bigger and bigger with each step we took. 

Troopers were on the platform together with Nolan. 

Nolan: "Get back to work and load those creates. All of you!" 

Mayday suddenly stopped walking as he fell on one knee. I went down and helped him lay on the ground. 

Nolan: "About time you two returned." 

Me: "He-- He needs a medic." 

I said as I removed the helmet off Mayday's head. 

Nolan: "I see you didn't retrieve the create, which means you've failed your mission." 

Me: "Did you hear what I said? Help him!" 

I said as I looked at him. 

Nolan: "Certnaly not. That would be a waste of the Empire's resources." 

Me: "He--He will die." 

A cough left Mayday's mouth. I looked at him meeting his eyes that suddenly winded and rolled back. As they closed I went to check his pulse. I couldn't feel it. I looked away from him so I could look at the ground in front of me. 

Nolan: "He served his purpose as a soldier of the Empire." 

I looked up at him seeing him approaching me. 

Me: "You--You could have saved him!" 

I yelled. As much as this cold weather was cutting me from the inside I was boiling. He watched him die. 

Nolan: "Perhaps you didn't hear me. He is expendable, as are you. And if you speak to me again with such disrespect, I'll see to it you meet a similar fate, clone." 

I looked at the ground in front of me. Suddenly a shadow of the creature that followed us flew by. With my teeth clenching I looked towards Mayday. 

Nolan: "Now leave him and go back to work....while you are still useful." 

He began to walk away. Screeches left the creature's mouth making me look up at it. I made a mistake following the Empire. They didn't care about us. Any of us. Hunter was right. Luna. Luna was right to be worried. But I didn't care anymore. With frozen legs, I pushed myself up and looked at Nolan. 

Me: "Lieutenant." 

He stopped walking so he could look back at me. His eyes winded in shock as my blast hit him in the chest killing him instantly. As his body fell to the ground I fell to my knees. 

Trooper: "Hey drop it!" 

Me: "Luna, I am sorry..." 

My eyes became heavy and I let my body hit the ground.