Runaway

1. Chapter

"Hurry up Chicken!"
The commanders sharp voice tore me out of my thoughts. He was right, I had fallen behind. As always. Whatever I do, I'm either too slow at it, not good enough or just do it completely wrong. I wouldn't go as far as to say the other soldiers don't like me, but they don't take me seriously. They call me chicken. Because apparently I like to chicken out when things get too dangerous. I wouldn't agree with that, I just think some things aren't worth loosing your life for.

"CT-8924, what is the matter with you?", commander Bly now shouted at me. Again I was walking a few steps behind everyone else and I'd been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice they had stopped walking to discuss how they would proceed.

"I'm sorry, I... I just... I guess it's... I'm just nervous. Sorry"
Damn it, I can't even speak in whole sentences. I could hear someone chuckling next to me.

"If you're nervous maybe you should go back to the ship", the commander responded dryly.

"No sir. I'm ready". I tried to sound convincing but I wasn't even convinced myself. Bly didn't make any further comment, he just started telling us his detailed plan on how to stop the smugglers from stealing some kind of mineral that was mined on Cristophsis.

"CT-8924, you go with the reconnaissance team. Find out what those smugglers are up to and give us a call as soon as they're about to leave." At first I was kind of honored to be part of that special team but when I heard about the tasks other clones were given I realized they just want me to do the intern job. I wouldn't even have to do anything, just walk there and tell someone what I see.
Honestly I wasn't mad. Battles weren't  really my strength. On the battlefield I felt worthless. Like I don't make a difference. I never felt like I saved anyone or helped my comrades win a battle. The only thing in my head are the questions. Why am I doing this? Why should I help the Republic win the war? Who would care if I died? At this point I was fairly certain something went wrong when I had been programmed.
Meanwhile we had reached the point from where we could see what was going on at the mines.

"I see five guys. They're arguing with the slaves", one of the soldiers reported.

"Seems like they're having some trouble there, that gives us time", remarked another one. I barely knew any of them, just their ranks and their numbers what I'd like to believe aren't the only things defining us.

"Does anyone recognize any of these smugglers?"
That was Ace. He was the only one I knew by name and that I got along with. I would even go as far as to say that he was my friend. We were trained together. He was with me from the beginning. My first battle. We both did things that day we wished we never had to do. Ever since that day I've had those questions in my head. Why did we have to kill them? What did they do? They were civilians and children. How is this the justice the republic talks about?

"No, never seen any of them. Just that one, that Rodian guy. Pretty sure he's a bounty hunter", one of the other guys answered Aces question.

Suddenly I heard shots being fired. I took out my blaster and turned around to find some battle droids right behind us. Rickety B1s, maybe 10 of them. Just when most of them were taken down by our group (I was proud that I even deactivated one) a tank turned up. Before anyone could do anything, the first load hit two of our men. Without thinking I got behind the big rock we had been standing next to. I heard another scream. Ace? Did they kill my only friend?
I sighed with relief as I noticed that he was right next to me and not dead. But now the tanks attention was drawn to that rock. They probably had a radar and knew that we were hiding. From where we were standing there was a path leading down to the mines. Ace and I looked at each other for a second, then, without talking, both decided to run down that path as fast as possible. Just in time. While trying to get out of the enemies field of view without slipping on that uneven rocky path we heard a detonation, then splinters of the rock we had just been hiding behind came down all around us.