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rowansparrow-writing · 2 years

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What Blooms in Thunder: Chapter Nineteen (FINAL CHAPTER)

(Art courtesy of @/space-b33 and @/imrowanartist)

Summary: The battle for the village begins.

Chapter Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Major character death, implied character death, pregnancy mention, discussions of pregnancy, graphic descriptions of violence, graphic description, surgery, medical trauma, childbirth/referenced childbirth, beheadings, so much blood and violence in this chapter lads.

Reminder that I use #ro’s protected tag for sensitive content including n*fw and triggers, so please block that tag if you have concerns about content!

Ships: Captain Rex x Female!Reader, Lieutenant Rose x Female!Reader, Fives x Male!OC.

Word Count: 9k

A/N: This is the beginning of the end.

Thank you all for coming back for one last chapter. I hope you enjoy.

If I missed anything in the warnings/tags that you feel should be included, please let me know.

Thank you @djarrex for beta-reading!

Tag List Form. Series Master List

Reblogs are SO appreciated!

Nothing happened.

Thresh’s sword hovered inches from Quill’s neck, the Trandoshan clearly struggling to move his hand from where it was frozen in place.

“What -.” Fives gasped, looking around wildly. His eyes landed on Ju’Lah, her hand outstretched and face screwed up in concentration.

Quill was first to react.

He charged into Thresh, knocking him onto his back and forcing him to drop the sword. His hands were still bound behind his back, but that didn’t stop him from headbutting the Trandoshan, trying to push himself to his feet.

The other Trandoshans who had been gathered around Thresh charged at Quill, readying their weapons, but blaster-fire rang out once more through the clearing. You looked up to the rooftop again, finally recognizing the tip of a rifle poking out behind the cover of the trees near the building, and one by one, the Trandoshans began to fall as Crosshair took them out.

“Get to the tunnels!” Athena shouted at you and Ju’Lah, drawing her blaster. “It’s the two of you they want, you have to run!”

“Mama?” Kiran asked, tugging on her pantleg anxiously.

Fives and Echo ran past you, sprinting up the hillside towards Quill.

“Dogma,” Athena commanded, picking Kiran up and quickly passing him to the clone. “Get these three to the tunnels, they’ll be safest there.” Then, after a moment of hesitation, she added, “Stay with them, help protect the people below ground if it comes to that.”

“Yes ma’am.” Dogma nodded, holding out a hand to Ju’Lah. “Come on, quickly!”

You cried out again as the pain in your stomach became unbearable, your knees buckling underneath you as you fell to the ground.

“What happened?! Are you hit?” Dogma crouched beside you, but Ju’Lah pushed him out of the way, putting her hands flat against your belly.

“Something – something’s wrong.” You whimpered, clutching your stomach. “Something’s wrong.”

Ju’Lah pulled her hands back, a serious expression on her little face. “Can you walk?”

You shook your head, and Ju’Lah reached for Kiran instead.

“Dogma, you have to carry her. Let me take Kiran. Try to jostle her as little as possible.”

“What’s going on?” Dogma asked, but did as he was told.

“I think the baby is coming.”

“What?!” You managed tightly, gripping your stomach and groaning lowly. “Not now, not now, he can’t come now, it’s still way too early.”

“We have to get to Soteria in the tunnels.” Ju’Lah said.

A loud rumbling prevented your response, and you looked up just in time to see four large dropships soaring over the village.

“The Empire.” You whispered. “They’re here.”

Dogma moved first, carefully working his arms under you and grunting as he picked you up, cradling you as best he could against his chest. “Come on, everyone stay together.” He ordered. “Kid, with me, let’s move!”

“There’s an entrance to one of the tunnels inside the Command Center!” Ju’Lah shouted over the frightened screams of villagers as the Imperial ships landed. “Come on!”

Ju’Lah hoisted Kiran higher in her arms, holding him as steady as she could while Dogma carried you, and the four of you started towards the Command Center.

When you made it to the entrance, you could already see an ocean of white armor marching towards the village, and you glanced to Dogma, spotting the horror and fear in his eyes.

“Kriff,” he whispered. “Kriff, we’re all going to die.”

“Drop us off and then join the fight.” You ordered him. “Rex will – oh gods – Rex will need all the help he can get.” You winced mid-sentence, covering your stomach again.

Soteria was waiting just inside the tunnel’s entrance, her hands outstretched to catch you as Dogma lowered you down. “What’s happening?!”

“We think she’s in labor.” Dogma explained quickly, passing you down. “I’m going to join the others, stay underground!”

He left you with Soteria, who hoisted your arm over her shoulder and carefully guided you down into the tunnel, leading you deeper underground while Ju’Lah followed, carrying a sobbing Kiran in her arms.

“It’s okay, Kiran.” Ju’Lah tried to soothe him, setting him down and taking his hand instead. “Come on, just a little further.”

“We’re nearly to the bunkers.” Soteria called over her shoulder. “Just hang in there a bit longer.”

You could feel something hot running down your leg, and you whimpered softly, terror coursing through you as you gripped Soteria tightly. “No matter what, you get him out.” You told her, your voice shaking. “You save him no matter what, okay?”

“I’ll do everything I can -.”

“No, you promise me.” You grabbed her arm tighter, nails digging into her skin. “If it comes down to him or me, you save Calder. Promise me.”

Soteria hesitated, but she nodded. “I promise.”

You relaxed, but only slightly. Soteria pushed open the door to the bunker, ushering people out of the way as she led you to an isolated corner, tearing Rex’s cape from your shoulders and setting it aside, instead guiding you to one of the cots scattered throughout the room.

“Lie back.” She commanded, and Ju’Lah rushed over, helping to guide you down as she moved her hands quickly over your belly.

“I can sense him.” She reported. “He’s alive, but he’s distressed, something’s not right.”

“I need a scanner.” Soteria cursed under her breath, her head whipping around wildly until she spotted someone positioned near the entrance to the bunker. “Tech! Come here!”

“Captain Howzer is guarding the other entrance.” Tech reported as he jogged over with Omega on his heels. “I was told to wait here and -.” He cut himself off, dropping immediately to your other side and raking his eyes across your body, filtering in the data appearing on his visor. “Well. That’s a problem.”

“What is it?” Soteria demanded.

“It appears the placenta is becoming abrupted.” Tech replied.

“What – what does that mean?” You asked weakly.

“It means the fetus will soon be unable to get oxygen.” Tech replied, focused as ever as he removed his pack, fumbling around in it for a moment. “We will need to remove the fetus as quickly as possible for it to have any chance of survival.”

“I don’t have any supplies here, the best we’ve got is bacta and some bandages in the supply crates.” Soteria protested, and lowered her voice, whispering something frantic to Tech.

“What are you saying, talk to me!” You demanded, propping yourself up on your elbows, only to flatten on your back again as another wave of pain ripped through you. “Get him out!” You shouted, panic finally overtaking you. “He can’t breathe, get him out!”

“What can I do to help?” Omega asked, her expression determined.

“I’m going to need you to help me keep her still.” Soteria said. “And – and the storage crates, get as much bacta and bandages as you can. Quickly.”

“I can numb her pain, but I – I’m not strong enough to heal her if this goes wrong.” Ju’Lah warned. “I have to get my Buir, he can help better than me.”

“Go.” Soteria said at once. “Run. As fast as you can.”

Ju’Lah wasted no time, jumping to her feet and darting back out of the tunnels as fast as her legs could carry her.

“I know this is scary, but try to stay calm.” Soteria soothed, smoothing her hand along your forehead. “We’re going to get him out, okay? You’re already in labor, and Tech’s going to give you a stim shot to help speed things up. Just listen to your body and do what it tells you to do.”

You nodded, inhaling slowly and trying to quell the rising terror in your chest. “Rex doesn’t know.” You said quietly, your voice shaking again. “Kriff, he’s out there fighting, he doesn’t know. What if something happens to him? What if something happens to both of us?”

“You have to stay calm.” Soteria reminded you, brushing the backs of her knuckles lightly against your cheek. “It’ll be alright, deep breaths. When Gol’Chek comes, he can give us an update on Rex. I’m sure it’ll all be alright.”

Your mind was racing. What if you died? What if Rex was killed? Who would watch over your son?

You whimpered again as another wave of pain washed over you, and Tech pricked something into your neck while Soteria worked to disrobe you.

Above ground, several things were happening at once.

Rex raced through the village, shouting orders left and right as he went.

“Everyone get to the tunnels, quickly! If you can hold a weapon, prepare for invasion! Move, now!”

He drew his blasters, leaving the Darksaber untouched on his hip for now and turned his head towards the sky, the familiar whine of incoming ships drawing his attention as Gol’Chek sprinted to his side.

“There’s four of them.” Gol’Chek reported, breathless as the ships came in for a landing. “They’ve got to be loaded with Imperials.”

Both men ducked as the dropships began firing at the structures along the edge of the village, and Rex lifted his head, spotting three figures in the distance running for their lives from the fray down the side of the hill. One appeared to be a Nautolan.

“Rex, we won’t survive against that many troopers.” Gol’Chek told him, his voice grim. “Not unless I perform the Recitation.”

Rex’s head swum for a moment as he struggled to remember what that meant. He looked at Gol’Chek’s staff, at the inscription burned into the wood, and he remembered the conversation he’d overheard on the Cordillera many months ago.

“What’s it say?”

“It’s an ancient dialect of Cymruun, the Garbak language.” Ju’Lah answered before Gol’Chek could. “Unreadable to anyone but him, now. And he can’t say it aloud.”

“Why not?”

“Because it will kill him.” Ju’Lah gave Gol’Chek a sharp look. “Right? It’s a Recitation, isn’t it? You call upon the All-Mother when you read it but in exchange, she gets to take you back to the Pale with her.”

Rex shook his head. “No. No, not if it’ll kill you in the process.”

“We don’t have a choice.” Gol’Chek said forcefully. “The Recitation is for our darkest hour, and this is it. We aren’t strong enough to take them all, Rex.” He gripped his staff tighter. “I can.”

“Maybe we can’t take them alone, but with help, we stand a chance.” Rex said, quickly pressing buttons on his commlink as another explosion rocked the village. “Don’t do anything stupid.” He warned Gol’Chek, bringing the device to his lips.

“Wolffe, we’re under attack!” He began, throwing an arm over his head to defend himself as another explosion lit up one of the buildings nearby. “The Empire’s here, they’ve found us.”

He took a shuddering breath. “Listen, if you can’t help us, everyone here is going to die. All of us.” He flinched as the bombers swept through again, and a nearby home was obliterated. “Help us, Commander. You’re our only hope.”

“Everyone brace along the edge of the village, facing the dropships.” Gol’Chek ordered. “If we can hold them off, we can buy time for everyone else to get to the bunkers.”

“No, you need to get high, as high as you can.” Rex said.

Gol’Chek blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Find high ground. Then get mad. Really mad.” Rex insisted. “You can make it storm, Gol’Chek. You can give us an advantage.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t realize it before?” Rex asked. “Gol’Chek, when you were on the roof after you found out about the baby, you were the one making it rain. You were the one summoning the thunder and lightning. It was all you. You have more power than you realize.” He put a hand on Gol’Chek’s shoulder. “Use it.”

“The fighters are assembling along the Northern perimeter.” Athena reported, skidding up to the group. “Hunter and Wrecker are leading one team to the West, and Dogma’s got another group to the East. We need our flanks covered, and Rex, you should take the lead in the northern quarter.”

Rex turned to Gol’Chek. “We need you behind us.” He said. “Give it everything you’ve got.”

Gol’Chek hesitated, but nodded quickly, gripping his staff tighter and about-facing, running for the hills.

“Where are the others?” Rex asked.

“Howzer and Tech are below ground, helping protect the civilians. I haven’t seen Fives, Quill, or Echo.” Athena’s voice shook slightly at that, but she cleared her throat quickly. “Your wife is safe.”

Rex relaxed, but only marginally. “We need to find the others as fast as we can. If you find Echo, send him to the Eastern corner with Dogma, Fives and Quill can brace the inner village in case they get through our lines of defense. Athena, you’re with me.” He nodded. “Let’s move!”

Everyone split off, and Rex looked to the sky again. A single fighter flew overhead, landing far away from the Empire’s troops and out of Rex’s sight.

“Who’s that?” Athena asked, jogging alongside him.

“I don’t know, but let’s hope it’s a friend.” Rex muttered. “Go, quickly!”

Fives sprinted across the clearing, drawing his blaster as he moved and firing on the first Trandoshan to turn his way. Echo was hot on his heels.

Blaster fire from Crosshair’s rifle sailed over his head, blasting Trandoshans away from Quill as they tried to attack him, and Fives prayed to whatever gods were listening that his aim was true, and a stray bolt wouldn’t hit Quill.

He threw himself onto the back of one of the Trandoshans attacking Quill, and the Trandoshan roared, throwing his head back and snapping his jaws at Fives. Fives grit his teeth, pulling the knife Quill had given him from its sheath and stabbing the Trandoshan through the neck, felling it at once.

Echo raced up behind him, firing hard onto the remaining Trandoshans as Fives attacked the second one that was after Quill, driving the blade first through its ribs and then again through the neck, dropping it just as he had dropped the first one.

“Quill!”

“I’m alright.” Quill sat up, his cheek bruised and nose bloodied from where he’d been hit, but seemed otherwise unharmed. “Quickly, untie me.”

Fives went around behind him, using the blade to free Quill from his bindings, and as soon as the Nautolan was free, Fives threw his arms around him.

“Fuck, fuck I thought I lost you.” He whispered breathlessly, balling his fists up in the fabric of Quill’s shirt.

“I’m alright, little one.” Quill promised, wrapping his tendrils reassuringly around Fives. “I’m alright.”

“Where is he?” Fives demanded, pulling back at last and looking around for Thresh. “I’ll kill the shabuir myself, where is he?!”

He turned, starting to stalk towards the ship where he assumed Thresh had run and hid, but Quill grabbed his arm.

“Fives, leave him, we have to go, and we have to go now.”

He pointed up, and Fives saw the four dropships coming down for a landing in the very field they occupied.

“Oh skrag. Run!”

He took off again with Quill and Echo right behind him, and one of the dropships open fired, cannon fire exploding through the field around and behind them, kicking up dirt and debris as they ran.

“Hurry!” Echo shouted, ducking his head around the cannon fire.

They ran into the village, cannon fire following them and blowing through the nearby buildings as they ran, with Quill finally grabbing Fives and ducking in cover as Echo lunged behind one of the stone buildings, covering his head and rolling into cover.

“Osik!” Fives ducked his head as the building beside theirs blew to smithereens, debris flying through the village.

The dropships had surrounded the village, and the cannon fire blessedly stopped only to be replaced by the march of several platoons of soldiers, all in the frighteningly white uniformity of the clones.

“Gods, we’re outnumbered.” Fives whispered to Quill, peeking his head around the building. “We’re way outnumbered, ten to one at least.”

He turned to Quill. “We can’t fight them all.”

Another starfighter flew low overhead, landing on the opposite side of the village, but none of the men noticed.

“We need to make a break for it.” Echo called across the street. “They’ve stopped firing to assemble, they’re surrounding the village on all sides. They’ll begin the march any moment.”

“Fives, Fives do you copy?”

“I’m here, Captain.” Fives sighed in relief, lifting his comm and peeking out around the building again. “We’re pinned down in the town center. I’m with Echo and Quill.”

“Send Echo to the East, we need more men on that side. You and Quill get whoever’s left and brace the inner village. We can’t let them breach the tunnels.”

“Copy that, we’re on the move.” He paused, noticing a figure dressed in black slowly walking towards the village. “Who’s that?”

Quill turned his head, looking to where Fives was. “That isn’t one of ours. Is he one of theirs?” He asked, jerking his head to where the troopers were beginning to march on the village.

“I don’t know.” Fives said, staying crouched low. “Echo, get to the Eastern perimeter, they need backup over there.”

Echo nodded, taking off towards the east while Fives turned to Quill. “You ready for this?”

Quill grinned, nodding once. “I think it’s good luck to go to war with your fiancé.” He teased. Then, in a more serious voice, he added, “They took my blasters, do you have an extra?”

Fives chuckled, drawing a blaster pistol and passing it to Quill. “Where would you be without me?”

Quill smirked. “Perhaps now is finally your chance to actually save my life, trooper, instead of me saving yours…” he tapped his forehead against Fives’. “… twice.”

“You’ll never let me live that down, will you?” Fives grinned.

“Not as long as I live.”

Fives rolled his eyes, and turned back towards the battlefield, his smile fading at once. “They’re coming.” His hand found Quill’s, and the two men waited side by side for the end to come.

When Ju’Lah reemerged from the tunnels, an all-out war had taken over the village. Bodies of rebels and stormtroopers alike were strewn about across the streets, and blaster fire rang out all around her. She could hear the whine of comm chatter droning from one of the fallen rebel’s commlinks, and she snatched it quickly, listening as she ran.

“They’ve broken through the Eastern defenses, fall back! Fall back!”

“They’re inside the village, they’ve flanked around the sides. They’re coming inward!”

“Fives, Quill, brace yourselves and whatever fighters you can arm, they’re coming toward you!”

Ju’Lah ran towards the heart of the village, where she knew most of the fighting was, and took to the rooftops, scampering across them as quickly as possible and watching the fighting below.

Across the village, away from the worst of the fighting, Thresh stepped over the bodies of fallen warriors and stormtroopers alike, the Command Center looming proudly ahead of him. He could smell blood, could taste it in the air, feel it beating through the thready pulse of the one survivor, the last man standing who had been trying to guard the entrance to the tunnels that lay hidden in the Command Center.

Thresh sighed as Howzer’s fingers twitched, reaching futilely for his blaster, and he raised his foot, stepping on the man’s wrist as the clone gasped, choking on his own breath in his cry of pain.

“You’re beaten, young man.” Thresh cooed, leaning down slightly. “Why do you still fight?”

The two Trandoshans flanking Thresh chuckled, watching as their leader sighed again. He kicked the blaster away from Howzer’s hand, instead dropping his foot to the soldier’s bloody chest plate and pressing down. “Tell me how to get inside.”

Howzer scowled, blood dribbling down from the corners of his mouth. “I won’t – talk – to scum like you.” He wheezed, glaring up at the Trandoshan with as much fire behind his eyes as he could manage.

The Trandoshan hummed, drawing his blaster from its holster. “Pity.”

A single blaster shot rang out, and the Trandoshan to Thresh’s right fell. Another shot, and the one to his left fell before he could even look over his shoulder. Below him, Howzer wheezed.

Thresh smiled to himself, slowly raising his hands and turning around. “I was wondering when you might catch up to me.”

Rex stared him down, his blaster aimed directly at the Trandoshan.

“You’re a man of honor, Captain. I could tell that about you even then, when you were at my fortress.” Thresh continued, taking his foot off Howzer’s chest and stepping towards Rex. “You kill only out of necessity. You wouldn’t kill an unarmed man.”

Rex lowered his blaster, but only slightly, and the Trandoshan smiled.

“Or maybe you just want to make it hurt.” He hissed. “Maybe you aren’t such a good man after all. Maybe, after all this talk about the things I want to do to your woman, to your child, maybe I’ve struck a nerve in you, hmm?”

He lowered his hands, instead reaching for his belt and withdrawing his sword, the very one he’d held to Quill’s neck back in the clearing. It crackled to life, and Thresh stared Rex down. “Let this end in honor, Captain.” He called. “Let this end in blood.”

Rex lowered his blaster, holstering it and instead withdrawing the Darksaber. He ignited it, gripping the hilt tightly in both hands as Thresh pulled his lips back from his teeth, a sinister sneer creeping across his expression. Rex tightened his grip. Exhaled.

Thresh charged first.

As two blades clashed in front of the Command Center, the edges of the village were being overrun, falling back further and further into the cover of the village only to become more cornered than before.

“Fall back!” Athena screamed, waving her blaster in the air to signal the others. “FALL BACK!”

Fives and Quill ran further back into the village, with Athena and Echo behind them. Dogma was limping, half-leaning against Wrecker while Hunter covered them as the remaining rebels fought for their lives. Ju’Lah dropped down into the center of the fighting, igniting her lightsaber and striking down as many stormtroopers as she could before falling back with the rest of the group.

“We’re pinned!” Athena shouted into the comms. “Rex, where are you?! REX!”

“We have to fall further back into the village, there’s still some buildings standing that can give us cover!” Fives shouted over the chaos. “We’re too exposed out here!”

“Keep firing, and keep moving backwards!” Athena roared, firing her blaster once into the air and waving everyone backwards. “EVERYONE BACK! INTO THE VILLAGE, QUICKLY!”

Wrecker yelled as he threw a smoke grenade, temporarily granting them some cover as they started to run deeper into the village.

A red blade lit up in the center of the smoke. A second protruded behind it.

The stormtroopers howled as they were cut down one by one, the blade whipping mercilessly through the smoke. Finally, the smoke cleared, and a figure approached.

It wasn’t the same Zabrak who had raided her village those years ago, slaughtering her family and friends, burning her village and leaving her and Gol’Chek for dead. But Ju’Lah knew him. Her visions, the stories of Rex and his brothers who fought the monster and survived, all of it, it all pointed to him.

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time, girl.” He hissed, yellow eyes cutting through the rebels and landing straight on Ju’Lah. “It is good to finally meet, Garbak.”

Maul.

Ju’Lah was frozen. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. For the second time in her life, Ju’Lah faced down a Zabrak, only this time, her Buir wasn’t there to save her.

Fives didn’t hesitate.

He grabbed Ju’Lah between one breath and the next, sprinting in the opposite direction as fast as he could while the others scattered, open firing on the Sith Lord as they ran.

“Shit! Fall back!” Athena shouted again, and Ju’Lah heard her scream somewhere behind her while Fives continued to run.

Fives didn’t make it far, the sounds of Maul storming after them, and the carnage he left in his wake, following them as he ducked into an alleyway, setting Ju’Lah down and crouching in front of her.

“Look at me.” Fives gripped her arms tightly, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You go, you understand me? You run, right now, as fast as you can. Get to the tunnels and don’t look back, okay?” He shifted his grip to cup her cheeks. “Don’t look back, just run.”

“I’m not leaving you!”

“You have to.” An explosion rocked them both for a moment, and Fives pulled her close, hugging her so tight that she thought her bones may break.

When he released her, he cupped her cheeks again, brushing quickly at her tears. She hadn’t realized she’d been crying.

“You run.” Fives said firmly, his voice breaking on the word. “You run as fast as you can, Ju’Lah. Don’t look back.”

Ju’Lah nodded, and Fives pressed his forehead quickly against hers. “I’ll come find you when it’s over, I promise.”

Blaster fire sailed over their heads, and Fives pushed Ju’Lah behind him, shielding her as he fired back on the incoming stormtroopers. “Go!”

Ju’Lah obeyed, running as fast as her legs could carry her while Fives straightened up, raising his blaster and preparing himself to buy as much time for Ju’Lah as he could.

Back in front of the Command Center, Rex’s blade clashed with Thresh’s, the electricity crackling from Thresh’s sword and threatening to sear Rex’s skin as the clone twisted away, swinging back around to bring his blade low, only to be blocked again.

“I didn’t realize clones were trained swordsmen as well, Captain!” Thresh called as he brought his blade down hard twice in a row. “Or have you been practicing in my absence? My employer would be impressed, perhaps you’d even stand a chance against him now.”

Rex grunted, breaking the lock on their swords and stepping back, pointing the tip of his saber at Thresh. “Who is he? Your employer, what does he want with Ju’Lah?”

Thresh only sneered, forked tongue gliding across razor sharp teeth. “You’ll have to kill me to get that from me, boy.”

Thresh leapt forward again, swinging the blade towards Rex’s torso and narrowly missing as Rex jumped backwards, swinging the Darksaber forward again and slashing at Thresh’s arms. The Trandoshan snarled, locking their blades together and pushing Rex backwards, the smaller man straining to stay upright.

Again, Rex broke their lock, and Thresh stumbled, giving Rex the opportunity to swing the blade towards his back, narrowly missing as Thresh blocked, and Thresh cackled.

“You think you can beat him? You think you can protect the girl from him?” He demanded. “Look around you: The Empire will wipe you out, and when all that’s left is the girl, I’ll take her back to my employer, and I will be well-rewarded.” He grinned again. “And your wife, your sweet little baby, they’ll be mine.”

Rex roared, surging forward and swung three times, hammering his blade down towards Thresh and cracking it against the other man’s blade in rapid succession. Rex felt the blade begin to give, and he pressed forward, locking their blades once more and pushing back against Thresh.

“You… will never… come near my family.”

He twisted the Darksaber upwards, cutting Thresh’s blade cleanly in two as the hilt split down the middle, and Thresh cried out, falling backwards and grabbing his wrist. Rex panted, standing over the fallen Trandoshan and raising his sword again even as Thresh scooted backwards, one hand raised in surrender.

“Please.” Thresh began as Rex stepped forward. “Please, I – I was only working under Maul’s orders, he just wanted the girl. I’ll leave you in peace, I swear.”

“Maul? He’s your employer?” Rex shoved the Darksaber towards him again. “Tell me what he wants with Ju’Lah.”

“He – He thinks she’s powerful. More powerful than even him. He wants to make her his.” Thresh gasped, scrambling backwards again.

“What does that mean?” Rex demanded. “Answer me!”

“I don’t know!” Thresh wailed. “I don’t know, he just told me to bring him the girl, and if – if I couldn’t, he’d come get her himself.”

Rex’s heart thudded in his chest. “Maul’s coming here?”

Thresh whimpered, and raised his hands. “I’m just a man. It’s Maul you really want. I’m just a man.”

Rex snarled. “You’re a dead man.”

Rex brought the Darksaber down, cleanly severing Thresh’s head from his shoulders in one fell swoop.

He turned quickly, racing over to Howzer and dropping down beside him. “Can you move?”

Howzer was trembling all over, his color draining as he wheezed again. “Think – think I’m out of the fight, Captain.”

“Not yet you aren’t, come on, get up, we can get you back to the tunnels, we can -.”

Howzer tightened his grip on Rex, looking the other Captain in the eye.

“Get to the kid.” Howzer wheezed. “Maul… he’s after the kid. That’s – that’s what the lizard said, yeah? Get to the kid.” He whimpered slightly, squeezing his eyes shut as blood spattered across his lips. “Protect the kid.”

Howzer slumped backwards, his eyes open and unseeing as the breath left him, and Rex grit his teeth, grabbing the Darksaber tighter in hand as he brushed his fingers over Howzer’s cheek.

Maul. Maul was after Ju’Lah. Maul was coming here.

Rex’s jaw set, and he rose to his feet, turning and taking off once more.

Fives gasped as Maul flung him against the wall, the wind knocked out of him only to be cut off again as the Force choked him, Maul dragging him upright and keeping him pinned against the wall.

“Where is she?” He demanded, his fingers curling as the invisible cord tightened around Fives’ throat. Fives didn’t answer, his hands pawing uselessly at his throat as Maul growled, throwing him into the opposite wall instead and letting him crumble. Fives felt his bones break, black spots swimming in his vision as Maul scooped him up with the Force once more, dragging him upwards until he was several feet off the ground.

“I won’t ask again.” Maul warned, fingers tightening again. “Where. Is. The Girl?”

Fives answered with a wheeze. “Fuck you.”

Maul threw him again, headfirst this time, and Fives cracked his skull against the wall of the alleyway, landing in a heap on the ground as Maul stalked down the direction Ju’Lah had ran.

Back in the village, Ju’Lah kept running, rounding a corner and running straight into a squad of Stormtroopers. She gasped, stumbling backwards and quickly drawing her lightsaber.

“It’s a Jedi!” One shouted. “Blast her!”

Ju’Lah leapt upwards, scampering up the nearest building and running from rooftop to rooftop instead, deflecting blaster bolts as best she could.

She dropped low to the ground again, trying to sense her Buir through the carnage and find him. There was too much chaos, too much bloodshed and pain and suffering, she couldn’t find him through all the distractions. She had to get to him, had to bring him back to the tunnels or else –.

Blaster fire erupted behind her again as the stormtroopers caught up, and she ran once more, weaving between houses even as cannon fire from the dropships blew them up around her. She screamed, ducking around debris and narrowly missing being crushed as a house came down right beside her, and she stumbled, falling hard to the street, and knocking her lightsaber from her hand.

“It’s over, Jedi.” One of the stormtroopers barked out. “On my count!”

Ju’Lah reached out with the Force, calling her lightsaber back to her hand as she tried to stand, but she was too slow. She heard blaster fire, and when she turned around, the leader of the squad was dead.

“What the –?!” The stormtroopers turned, looking for the source of the bolts.

More blaster fire, and Ju’Lah saw a single bolt flip through several reflectors lined up on the walls of the remaining houses, each one striking through the remaining troopers with mathematical precision.

Crosshair stepped out of an alleyway, calmly collecting his reflectors from the trap he’d lain, inclining his gray helmeted head towards Ju’Lah.

“You shouldn’t be out here, Jedi.” He said, his voice dark and garbled within the helmet.

“I’m no Jedi.”

Crosshair chuckled, lifting his rifle. “Doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing.”

He jerked his rifle up, firing a shot directly over Ju’Lah’s head and blasting another trooper who’d just rounded the corner.

“Well?” Crosshair prompted. “Are you going to sit there until they eventually catch you, or are you going to come with me?”

Before Ju’Lah could speak, Crosshair continued.

“There’s an entrance to one of those tunnels not far from here. I’ve been firing on anyone who gets too close.” He drawled. “I would suggest you do what little creatures like you do best and… scuttle.”

“I need to find my Buir. It’s an emergency.”

“How touching.” He simpered. “Regrettably, I haven’t seen anything else that looks quite like you.” He jerked his rifle towards her massive ears. “A target that size wouldn’t slip by me that easily.”

“He’s a clone, his name is Gol’Chek.” Ju’Lah snapped. “He’s the man who rescued you.”

She could practically feel Crosshair’s scowl. “Then I guess this incident makes us even.” He replied. He jerked his head behind him. “I heard over the comms they were sending him to protect the southern border. I imagine that’s where you’ll find him… if they haven’t already destroyed it by now.”

Ju’Lah started to run past him, but Crosshair grabbed her roughly by the tunic, holding her in place for a beat. He shoved a small pistol into her hand.

“Don’t let them know what you are.” He warned. “Keep that thing sheathed unless you need it. Use this instead.”

“I’m no Jedi.” Ju’Lah bit back.

Crosshair chuckled, and repeated himself. “Not from where I’m standing.”

Ju’Lah took the pistol anyway, taking off towards the southern border of the village.

“Hey, hey Fives, come on, brother. Come on. Wake up. Please wake up. Wake up!”

Fives peeled his eyes open, the world tinted red from all the blood in his eyes. He blinked, trying to clear them, and a rough hand scrubbed over his face, clearing away some of the crusted-over blood.

“Look at me.” Echo’s voice rang through his head – damn, he had a headache, the mother of all headaches, in fact – and he felt two hands on his cheeks, squishing them tightly so his lips puckered up. “Eyes on me.”

He forced his eyes open again, suddenly aware of the white-hot agony rushing through his body. He made a soft sound, and Echo shushed him.

“Easy, easy, your leg’s broken, and I’d guess your ribs are shattered too from the looks of you.” Echo said. “Easy, we’re gonna get you underground. C’mon.”

“Ju’Lah.” Fives wheezed as Echo grabbed one of his arms, slinging it over his shoulder and hoisting him up. “He’s after Ju’Lah.”

“I know, we’re going after him, but we’ve gotta get you to safety first.” Echo continued. Distantly, Fives became aware of blaster fire, and could make out someone tall shooting out the sides of the alleyway.

“Is he alright?!” Quill’s voice demanded over the blaster fire. “Is he alive?!”

“He’s hurt, he needs help.” Echo called back, half-carrying Fives and coming up to Quill’s side. “You’ll have to cover us, he can’t walk on his own.”

Quill nodded, glancing over his shoulder at Fives and huffing a soft laugh. “This counts as one.”

“One what?” Fives mumbled, his head lolling against Echo’s shoulder as the wound on his scalp continued to bleed.

“One time I’ve saved your life today.” Quill replied with a small smirk. “My jacket looks good on you, by the way. Apart from the fact that you’re getting blood all over it.”

Fives huffed. “Could’a saved me sooner.” He grumbled. “Wouldn’t be so much blood.”

Quill only chuckled, firing back out into the alley again and turning over his shoulder to Fives and Echo. “Alright, we’re clear, we need to move.”

Ju’Lah didn’t make it far.

She made it to the town square, skidding to a halt in the open courtyard, her ears pricking up as she picked up sound directly ahead.

Once more, Maul stepped out of the shadows, crossing directly in front of her and blocking her path.

“Your friends are distracted with the soldiers.” Maul mused. “There is no one to interrupt us, now.”

Ju’Lah squared her shoulders, one hand on her lightsaber on her belt. “You’re the one who’s been hunting me.” She accused. “The bounties, Thresh’s mystery employer, all of it, it’s been you. Why?”

“I’d heard stories about your kind. Fables, really.” Maul said, walking in a slow circle while Ju’Lah circled him as well, keeping her hand on her blade. “Legends about Force-sensitive beings who the Sith believed posed a threat. So they wiped them out.”

Around them, it had begun to rain.

Maul bared his teeth, jagged points of yellow and black that made Ju’Lah’s stomach turn. “They sent my brother to eradicate your people, but he failed.” He inhaled slowly, spreading his arms towards her. “You survived. A child, the only survivor of such divine carnage. It was fate, destiny, that brought us together.”

“Your brother was a monster.” Ju’Lah bit back. “And so are you.”

“I am nothing like my brother.” Maul assured, taking a step towards Ju’Lah, and she drew her lightsaber at once, igniting it and pointing it squarely at Maul’s chest.

“Stay back!” She warned.

“Child, you misunderstand my intentions.” Maul replied. “I am not here to kill you. I wish to train you.”

Ju’Lah startled. “What?”

“A child with your power, your gifts,” he hissed. “Under my guidance, you could become one of the most powerful warriors the galaxy has ever known. Together, we could defeat the Empire, restore order to the Galaxy once and for all. Together, we could rule.”

Overhead, thunder began to rumble, dark clouds rolling in from the hillsides as the rain grew in intensity.

“You fear for your friends.” Maul mused, calling to her over the drone of the rain. “I have come here to aid you, child. I have struck down your invaders, and I will continue to fight them, to spare the ones you love. You need only join me.” He extended his hand. “Take my hand, apprentice.”

Ju’Lah stood her ground. “Never.”

Maul snarled. “You will come willingly, or you will come in pieces.” He warned. “And all your friends will die.”

Thunder boomed again, and Ju’Lah raised her voice.

“Your brother couldn’t kill my father. He was too powerful, and your brother was too weak.” She called to Maul across the courtyard. “Tell me, do you know what thunder means?”

Maul bared his teeth, but didn’t answer. Ju’Lah crouched low.

“It means my father is coming, so you better run.”

She grinned. “My father is what blooms in thunder.”

Ju’Lah leapt backwards as lightning shattered through the center of the courtyard, sending Maul flying back several feet. To the left, Gol’Chek stormed into the courtyard, radiating righteous fury as he gripped his staff tightly in one hand, slamming it against the ground and summoning another bolt of lightning, crashing into the earth near where Maul had landed.

The Sith Lord rose to his feet again, igniting his lightsaber and staring Gol’Chek down. “You are a clone.” He chuckled, looking Gol’Chek up and down. “I have slaughtered many men like you.”

“There are no men like me.”

Lightning crackled overhead as Gol’Chek sprinted forward, meeting Maul in the middle as staff clashed against blade, and the two men began to duel.

“The tunnels aren’t far from here.” Echo said, hoisting Fives a little higher as he half-dragged him through the clearing. “Fuck, is anyone still alive?”

“As soon as we get Fives underground, I’ll search for survivors.” Quill replied, looking around a corner before motioning Echo to follow.

“No offense, but you’re too big of a target to be skulking around looking for the rest of our people.” Echo said. “I’ll come back to the surface. Besides, Fives needs you.”

“He needs his brother.” Quill said sharply, glancing at Echo over his shoulder.

“Fives needs everyone to shut the fuck up.” Fives said, fumbling for his holster. “Where’s my karkin’ blaster?”

“You can’t even stand, what makes you think you can fight?” Echo asked, swatting at Fives’ hand and hauling him further over his shoulder to better support his weight. “Just focus on not bleeding out before we get you to the medics, will you?”

“Nobody’s answering their comms.” Quill said, his back pressed against a wall as he peeked around another corner. “Athena, Rex, Gol’Chek, Hunter, all the others, everyone’s gone quiet.”

“Maybe they’ve already made it underground.” Fives gritted out, spitting a bit of blood onto the ground as he spoke.

Echo shook his head. “Or maybe we’re the only ones left.”

Blaster fire surged around them, and all three men ducked behind debris once more as stormtroopers raced towards them from the opposite end of the street.

“Kriff, we’re pinned down!” Echo shouted, setting Fives down and poking his head above cover to return fire briefly. “Shit, there’s a whole kriffing platoon of ‘em!” He looked to Quill. “There’s too many, we have to run!”

“We can’t, Fives needs the medics.” Quill barked back. “Can’t imagine things are any better elsewhere. This is our shot.” He jerked his head to the left. “There’s a secret back entrance to the Command Center through that building. If we can get through the passageway, it’ll spit us out right in Athena’s office. We get to the control room from there, and we’ll find the entrance to the tunnels.”

“We can’t just make a run for it!” Echo shouted back, raising above cover to fire back a few more rounds before dropping down again. “They’ll kill us the second we step out of cover!”

“Echo’s right, and I’ll just slow you down.” Fives grunted, trying to push himself upright again. “We have – augh – we have to go back.”

“We can try to outflank them.” Echo tried.

“There are more coming up behind us.” Quill said sharply, peering back down the alley they’d run from, his tendrils flicking as he tasted the air around him. “This is our one chance. We take this, or we die.”

“We can’t.” Echo insisted. “We’ll never make it over there alive.”

Quill and Echo looked at one another. Both men seemed to reach the same conclusion, because Quill nodded at once, and pulled the other blaster from Echo’s hands, giving himself twice the firepower.

“You go on my signal.” Quill told him.

“What?” Fives wiped the blood from his eyes, peering up at Quill again. “What – what’re you doing?”

Quill grabbed Fives roughly by the cheeks, kissing him with all the passion he could manage. When he pulled away again, he grinned, teeth smeared slightly with Fives’ blood, and uttered only three words.

“Saved you twice.”

He turned to Echo. “NOW!”

Fives’ brain was moving too slowly. By the time his thoughts caught up with him, and he comprehended what Quill was doing, Echo was already halfway across the street with Fives thrown over his shoulder.

Back in the courtyard, Maul drove Gol’Chek backwards, forcing their weapons together as he bared down on him.

“You lost once against my brother, and I am far more powerful than he.” Maul sneered as their weapons locked. “What makes you think a clone could possibly defeat me?”

Gol’Chek ignored him, breaking their lock and swinging the staff around wide, aiming for Maul’s legs. Maul blocked, bringing the back end of his own blade around to swipe at Gol’Chek’s stomach. He dodged, jumping backwards and swung his staff down once more.

Ju’Lah stood several feet away, her lightsaber still ignited, hesitating near the edge of the courtyard. You still needed help back in the tunnels, and if Gol’Chek was preoccupied with Maul, she could be your only hope.

But she couldn’t abandon her Buir either.

The staff clashed with blade again, and Gol’Chek bared his teeth at the Zabrak, twisting out of the lock and flying backwards to dodge a counterstrike by Maul.

Ju’Lah surged forward, diving low while Gol’Chek attacked from up high, and Maul struggled to block both attacks at once. Ju’Lah was small and quick, and circled around behind him, forcing him to block and leaving him open to an attack from Gol’Chek in the front. Gol’Chek swung his staff around, striking Maul square in the chest with the blunt end before the Zabrak could twist away again.

Maul snarled, roaring as he lunged for Ju’Lah, and Gol’Chek threw his staff, planting it firmly in Maul’s path as lightning crackled from the sky and down through the staff, launching out towards Maul and sending him flying the opposite direction.

Gol’Chek called the staff back to his hand, and pointed it at Maul. “You stay away from her.” He growled.

“She will be mine,” Maul hissed, rising to his feet again. “One way or another.”

Gol’Chek squared himself firmly in front of Ju’Lah. “Over my dead body.”

Maul grinned. “So be it.”

“Go!” Gol’Chek shouted over his shoulder to Ju’Lah, blocking Maul as the Sith charged forward once again.

“I’m not leaving you!” Ju’Lah yelled back, diving forward again to strike at Maul’s legs while Gol’Chek went high, but Maul was prepared for the maneuver this time, and dropped his blade, instead using the Force to grab both Gol’Chek and Ju’Lah by the throat, dragging them upwards as they struggled. He flung them both into buildings on opposite sides of the courtyard. Gol’Chek caught himself, landing in a crouch and recalling his staff to his hands once more. Ju’Lah, however, cracked her head against the stone of the building and crumbled to the ground, her lightsaber falling from her hand.

Fives could hear his own heart beating in his ears. He could feel the ooze of the blood dripping down the sides of his face and blinding him as it fell in his eyes. He could feel his fingers in Echo’s shirt, could feel the strain of his body as he twisted backwards, tried to break free, to run back to Quill, but it was to no avail. Echo surged forward, dragging his injured brother along behind him.

Quill stood in the center of the carnage, a blaster in each hand as he fired on the stormtroopers moving to surround him. One moment he was there, a cyclone of blue and yellow, tendrils whipping with every turn of his head towards the invaders, and the next he was obscured by the wall of white armor bearing down on him.

Sound returned, time caught up, and Fives felt cool air woosh across his face as he and Echo crossed the threshold of the building, sprinting for the passageway.

“We have to go back!” Fives shouted, still futilely struggling to turn around in Echo’s grip. “Echo, they’ll kill him, we have to go BACK!”

“Stop fighting me and I’ll go back for him as soon as we get you somewhere safe!” Echo argued, hauling Fives forward again.

There was a loud whistling sound overhead, and Fives looked up, peering through the skylights on the roof of the building. He could do nothing but watch as the Imperial dropship above them fired down into the city, and he clung to his brother as fire rained down from the heavens upon them.

“Ju’Lah!” Gol’Chek turned towards her, but the child did not move. During his moment of distraction, Maul struck, catching him off guard and knocking the staff from his hands. Gol’Chek took several quick steps back, trying to dodge the swings of Maul’s blade as he called his staff back into his hand.

He managed to block Maul’s downswing just in the nick of time, and shouted Ju’Lah’s name over his shoulder once more.

“Enough of this!” Maul roared, using the Force to once again push Gol’Chek backwards. The warrior stumbled but caught himself, returning Maul’s push in kind with one of his own. The two men faced one another, each pushing with all their might against the other until they broke apart, both flying apart in opposite directions. Maul recovered first, lunging for his blade while Gol’Chek scrambled for the staff. Maul dove forward, swinging the blade down hard towards Gol’Chek’s exposed chest, and the warrior stopped it, but only barely as the Zabrak bared down harder upon him.

“You… are… beaten.” The Zabrak seethed, pushing down even harder until the red of his blade crackled only inches from Gol’Chek’s face. “Surrender, or die.”

Gol’Chek pushed back with all his strength, managing to get Maul off him only for the Sith to grab him with the Force once more, sending him sailing back into the wall and slumping down to the ground, his staff clattering from his grip.

Maul stepped closer, letting his own blade hang loosely at his side as he outstretched his free hand. “I tried to warn you, clone.” Maul hissed. “Now, you too will die.”

He summoned Gol’Chek’s staff, and the weapon flew gracefully from the ground towards Maul, only to be caught with the slap of palm meeting wood as a hand shot out to catch it.

Rex squared his shoulders, crossing the Darksaber over Gol’Chek’s staff as he stood between the fallen warrior and Maul.

“Sorry,” he called. “There’s still one more person you have to get through if you want the kid.”

Maul sneered, his eyes flickering to the Darksaber. “That does not belong to you.”

“If you want it back,” Rex growled. “You’ll have to come and get it.”

“I grow tired of these games.” Maul replied, rolling his head lazily. “I will make your death swift.”

Maul raced forward, and Rex crossed the staff and Darksaber in front of him in a block, twisting away from the red blade and striking down with the Darksaber while jabbing upwards with sharp end of the staff.

Behind him, Gol’Chek pushed himself back to his feet, running back towards the fighting. “Rex!”

Rex spun, tossing the staff into the air in time for Gol’Chek to catch it, and Gol’Chek soared downwards to strike Maul from above while Rex swiped low at his legs.

Below ground, you screamed in agony.

“Where is Ju’Lah and Gol’Chek?” Tech said over your shouts while Omega worked to hold your shoulders back.

“I don’t know, they should’ve been back by now!” Soteria shouted back.

“We aren’t left with much of a choice, we’re going to lose both mother and child if we don’t deliver soon.” Tech warned. “I’m starting the procedure now.”

“No, there’s nobody here to heal her if we do something wrong!” Soteria protested. “We have to wait for Gol’Chek!”

“There’s no time!” Tech snapped back, his composure slipping slightly. “We have a shot at saving them both, but every minute we wait, that’s one more minute the fetus goes without oxygen.”

“Get him out!” You shouted, grabbing ahold of Soteria’s arm. Your face was streaked with tears and sweat, and your grip was like a vice. “You promised.”

Soteria hesitated, looking between you and Tech before glancing back to you. “Okay.” She conceded, nodding to Tech. “Let’s do it.”

“Omega, try to hold her as still as possible. I’m going to numb her as much as I’m able with the supplies we have.” Tech ordered, and looked down at you. “Ma’am, I suggest you bite down on something.”

Maul shrieked in rage, swinging his lightsaber and narrowly missing decapitating Gol’Chek, who ducked aside at the last moment. Rex circled around behind Maul while Gol’Chek continued to occupy his front. Meanwhile, Ju’Lah slowly regained consciousness, shaking her head as she slowly pushed herself back up to her hands and knees. She looked out towards the fighting, blinking to try and clear her vision.

“Buir?”

Gol’Chek’s head snapped towards her, and that moment of distraction was all Maul needed.

In an instant, Maul had swept his blade cleanly through Gol’Chek’s thighs, severing his legs from his body and used the Force to push him backwards against the outskirts of the courtyard.

“Buir!” Ju’Lah screamed, scrambling to her feet and racing over to Gol’Chek. She only made it a few steps before Maul caught her with the Force, starting to choke her, but he broke his concentration when Rex roared from behind him, swinging the Darksaber down towards him again.

Ju’Lah scrambled back to her feet, coughing slightly as she stumbled over to Gol’Chek, tripping over debris and ash that crusted their village. “Buir! Buir please wake up! Wake up!”

Rex and Maul continued to duel, Rex’s blocks becoming weaker while Maul’s attacks grew stronger. All it took was a stumble. One misstep, where Rex raised his sword too high, and left his face vulnerable. Maul thrust the hilt of his blade forward, popping Rex in the face. The stun was enough.

Maul turned, plunging the blade of his lightsaber through Rex’s abdomen.

“NO!”

Ju’Lah’s scream echoed through the village, and far, far below ground, your screams had finally fallen silent.

Your breath was coming in ragged gasps, slumped backwards against Soteria. The medic was patting your face, her voice coming to you in warbled utterances as her face swam in clarity before you.

“Stay with me. Stay with me.”

The last thing you heard was the sound of an infant crying.

Darth Maul will return in The Light Between Oceans, coming October 1st.

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