My Idea Box

FANFICTION IDEA: Just a Soldier (A TCW AU)

Disclaimer: Star Wars is property of LucasFilm and Disney. I own nothing.

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"You're nothing, but a slave, boy! You won't be entering anymore races!"

"Sorry, but I have to pay my debts. Don't worry, he's a good man. He'll take good care of you both."

"I now name you husband and wife..."

"Join the Republic! Help fight the Separatists!"

"What are you thinking?! You're going to get yourself killed?!"

"I am... so proud of you... my son..."

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He was jostled awake and rewarded with a splitting headache and blurry vision. The respirators in his helmet made his breathing drum loudly into his ears, so much so he ripped it off. He caught a glimpse of the white plasteel before tossing it aside, having the helmet clatter on something.

After regaining some clarity, the young man looked at his surroundings. He was in a cockpit-an ARC starfighter, to be precise. The window was cracked, and something was clearly burning, given the awful smell of lubricant fuel. When he looked back at his controls, his white helmet rested on it, and the orange visor stared back at him in silent contempt.

Breaking off eye contact, he looked forward at the seat in front of him. Slump in the seat was another body, wearing the same gray armor and uniform. "Hey, Dodge?! Dodge!" he shouted, shaking the body in the front seat, but there was no response.

He backed away from his friend's corpse, a little shocked. He had known his fellow co-pilot a little. Unlike himself, a recruit for the army, Dodge was a clone from Kamino, fresh out of the vat and ready for combat. The two met briefly during their mission debrief and quickly got to know each other. He still remembered the grin on Dodge's face as the maniac itched for excitement.

Now, Dodge was dead.

He wanted to sit back in his seat. Maybe give a moment of silence for a fellow soldier, even if he only had known Dodge for a short time. However, he had no time to mourn, as a voice cried from the comm, "Lieutenant!"

Leaning more, he struggled to reach the comm in front of Dodge's body. His finger was a centimeter away from the answer button when he heard, "I repeat, this is... aurek-niner! Is anyone there?!"

At last, he pressed the button. "Aurek-zero-zero here, general," he answered.

The harsh voice of General Lark barked from the damaged comm. "Where are you?! What happened?!"

Trying to find an answer, he quickly looked around at his surroundings. Dusty sand rocks dotted every corner on his starfighter's viewport, rays of sunlight shone through the spaces in between, and there was clearly a strange blue tint to what was supposed to be a green sky.

More memories came to the forefront. The mission was simple: get behind enemy lines and disable the shield generator that kept allied forces out. Clearly, he got in, but at a price.

"Somewhere past the barrier," he reported and quickly glanced at Dodge's bloodied face. "Fighter's down, co-pilot is KIA. Exact coordinates, unknown."

"You made it through?! Did anyone else get in?"

"Negative, sir," he replied, remembering the other fighters that tried and were shot down. "Orders?"

There was silence for a second, then, "You shouldn't be too far from the target. Scout the area and locate the shield generator. Destroy it, if you can."