Capítulo 19: Fallout
Jaden looked up at the sky as the rain beat down on his face. It was cold and never-ending, but it managed to wash the muck and grime away from his body. He looked down at Aubrie, who was still reeling from her experience; she had accepted that she was going to die, and yet here she was, now alive. It was a harrowing thing for someone to go through, let alone a teenager. Jaden looked across the ruined city. It was truly a horrific sight, with his senses stretched out he could barely feel anyone; the light of a city once full of life had been snuffed out like a candle.
Despite deciding that he was going to help the Republic. 'No, not the Republic...' Jaden clarified, he wasn't doing this for them. He just wanted to prevent the needless deaths of everyone on this planet; considering the Separatist forces were droids helped make his decision easy. However, despite that, he had no idea what to do, their forces were shattered, and they were a long way from the main force. The rain started to feel heavier as it beat down on him, and in the end, he felt too tired to stand up so he collapsed on the ground next to Aubrie, who unconsciously moved closer to him.
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so it ended as a weird combination of both. She moved closer to Master Katarn, or Jaden as he was now known to her; it felt almost instinctive, as was the next thing she asked him. "What do we do now?" she asked, her eyes staring intently at him.
'What do we do now...' That was the question. Jaden considered many different possibilities in his head but just as quickly disregarded them. He started to get slightly frustrated until he ended up slapping his face, surprising Aubrie.
"Jaden..." she said almost cautiously.
He was thinking like an idiot, he shouldn't be thinking of what moves to make against the Separatists. Survival... that was the most important thing now, that and looking for survivors. "Sorry, I think my mind was still being influenced by Battle Meditation," he said with a weak chuckle.
"We need to start looking for any survivors, set up a base where we can get them out of the rain and get them healed," Jaden stated as he stood up from the ground, helping Aubrie up as he did. "We should start looking for a building we can use. I know most of them are wrecks, but maybe there's one that's still usable."
Aubrie nodded. She found that she didn't mind taking orders from him even now. She honestly would be lost if she didn't have someone to tell her what to do. She had no idea how Jaden managed to be so strong. She felt a little frustration at herself, despite all her training it all meant nothing. She was lost in the endless ocean, and the tides were only pulling her out further. 'We don't belong here...' she thought to herself.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Jaden stood up and started walking away from her. A slight panic rose up in her, but she beat it down and stood up to follow him. "Start looking for a place we can stay. I'll start retrieving survivors," Jaden instructed before he jumped down from a platform they were on and down into the muddy earth. The entire city was a ruin of debris and uneven terrain, making it difficult to navigate. Aubrie felt a deep reluctance to leave Jaden, but she recognized the importance of finding shelter and so she pushed herself to walk in a different direction and start searching.
Jaden continued on through the city. The sight made him feel sick. He couldn't go ten meters without seeing a dead body, either a clone or a native. He was only glad the rain managed to stifle the smell of blood and death. With his senses stretched out, he started heading towards the closest sign of life, but before he went there, he started to consider how he'd transport them. 'I need a vehicle.' It didn't even have to be a vehicle, just something that could hover; he could store the bodies on it. Doing that would save him the trouble of only carrying a few bodies at a time.
However, the city was in such a mess, that he doubted he'd even find something functional. He slipped through the gap of two collapsed buildings. It was a tight squeeze and honestly, he considered taking another route. He didn't want to feel trapped like this again. Though he pushed on and broke through to the other side, however, it wasn't any better; more dead bodies and more ruins. He started looting the dead clones, taking what he could; spare power cells and any rations they carried would be a great help right now.
Jaden's boots squelched in the mud as he moved from one lifeless form to another, his hands methodically searching pockets and utility belts. The clones had fought bravely, their bodies now lying in unnatural poses, eyes staring blankly at the grey sky. Each time he found a ration pack or a power cell, he added it to his growing stash, his face a mask of grim determination.
As he navigated the desolate landscape, he came across the body of a young child, a local. The sight made him pause, his stomach twisting in knots. The child's small frame was crumpled against the ruins of what had once been a home, eyes closed as if in peaceful sleep. Jaden knelt beside the child, placing a hand on their cold forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding rain. He closed the child's eyes. 'No more... I promise.'
The city was a graveyard, every corner revealing more of the horrors that had taken place. He saw families huddled together in death, soldiers who had fought to their last breath, and civilians caught in the crossfire, their dreams and futures cut short, each scene etching itself into his memory. Jaden's resolve faltered with each scene discovered. He had to find a way to help the survivors. He had to make sure that their deaths meant something, that their sacrifices were not in vain. Moving through the rubble, he finally spotted what he was looking for; a damaged construction bot, partially buried under a collapsed building. It was a large, utilitarian machine used to transport goods across the construction sites that had once been a part of the city's expansion efforts.
Jaden approached the bot, scratching his face as he inspected it. The machine was battered, its metal frame dented and scorched, but it appeared to be mostly intact. He crouched down, examining the control panel and the repulsorlift engines. "I can fix this," he muttered to himself, a small smile breaking through the grime on his face.
He began scavenging parts from the surrounding debris, using his knowledge of mechanics and the Force to guide him. Power cells from the fallen clones, wiring from destroyed vehicles, and various other components he could find. With each piece he added, the bot began to take shape, the repairs slowly bringing it back to life.
For half an hour he worked tirelessly, the rain continuing to pour down around him. His hands were slick with mud and grease, but he pressed on. Finally, he connected the last power cell and flipped the switch. For a moment, nothing happened, and his heart sank. Then, with a low hum, the engine sputtered to life, and the bot began to hover a few inches off the ground. Jaden let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, the bot was working. It wasn't perfect, but it would do the job. He climbed onto the platform, steering it towards the nearest cluster of life signs he had sensed earlier. The repulsorlift engines hummed steadily as the bot glided over the uneven terrain.
Jaden moved steadily through the city, guiding the construction bot over the rubble-strewn streets. The hum of its repulsorlift engines was a constant backdrop to the eerie silence of the devastated landscape. His senses were stretched out, feeling for the faint pulses of life beneath the debris. Every few moments, he would pause, close his eyes, and reach out with the Force, searching for any signs of survivors. He felt the flicker of life just ahead. The building had once been a residential complex, now a twisted mass of durasteel and concrete. Jaden parked the bot and approached the rubble, his heart pounding in his chest. He could hear the groans of the injured, the desperate cries for help, and the quiet whimpers of those too weak to call out.
Jaden extended his hands, the Force flowing through him as he began to lift the rubble. It was a delicate game, requiring intense concentration. He could sense the weight of each piece, he ran a dozen calculations in his mind as he looked at the angles and the stresses to avoid causing further collapses. Sweat beaded on his forehead, mingling with the rain as he carefully moved several tons of debris. Underneath, he found a small group of civilians. Two were unconscious, their bodies twisted in unnatural angles, their breaths shallow and laboured. One man, badly injured with a gaping wound in his side, was conscious but barely. His eyes flickered open as Jaden knelt beside him.
"Hang on," Jaden said, his voice shaking. "I'm going to get you out of here."
The man's response was a garbled moan, his face contorted in pain. Jaden reached out with the Force, sensing the extent of the injuries. He gently lifted the man onto the platform, careful not to jostle him too much. The bright blue light of the force flashed, illuminating the surrounding darkness; the man whose face was contorted in pain started to soften as the force soothed him and healed his injuries.
Another cry caught his attention. A woman, pinned under a large beam, was sobbing uncontrollably. Her leg was crushed, blood pooling around her. As Jaden approached, she looked up at him, her eyes wide with terror and pain.
"Please... my daughter... where is she?" she screamed, grabbing Jaden's arm with surprising strength.
Jaden's heart ached. He could see the desperation in her eyes, the raw agony. "I don't know, but I'll find her. I promise," he said, his voice trembling. He focused, using the Force to lift the beam off her. It was heavy, and he could feel the strain in his muscles and mind as he carefully manoeuvred it away. She screamed as the pressure on her leg was relieved, the pain overwhelming her.
"I'm sorry," Jaden whispered, tears mixing with the rain on his face. He placed his hands over her leg, channelling the Force to heal her injuries. The wound was complicated, her entire leg was flattened, all the bones shattered, and some even stuck out of her skin. 'I need to go deeper... like I did with the Clone Trooper,' he thought to himself. However as he tried to intensify his concentration the woman started to shake, she very quickly started to seize. Jaden's eyes widened in shock and he tidied to intensify the healing on her but it did nothing but cause her to shake more. "Why! Why can't I heal you!" Jaden shouted desperately. She then started to claw at her chest, her eyes were wide with terror. Jaden tried to sink into his deeper healing state, but it was too late; she went still and the light died from her eyes. Jaden could only kneel next to her in shock unsure of what happened, he tried to grab her and take her out of this hole she was in but when he looked down he realised his hands were shaking.
'I can't stop now...'
As he worked, he heard more voices. A young boy, barely ten years old, was crying for his mother. His arm was broken, and he was covered in cuts and bruises. Jaden gently lifted him onto the platform, murmuring reassurances he wasn't sure he believed. "You'll be okay. I've got you." The cries of the wounded and the dying filled the air. He found an older man, clutching a lifeless body, his sobs of grief echoing in the ruins. "My wife... she's gone... she's gone," he cried, rocking back and forth.
Jaden knelt beside him, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He didn't have any other words. What comfort could he offer in the face of such loss?
A woman, her face streaked with blood and dirt, reached out to him as he passed. "Please, my daughter, Ailyn... have you seen her?" Her grip on his arm was fierce, her eyes wild with desperation.
Jaden's heart sank. "I haven't, but I'll look. I'll do everything I can to find her." His voice cracked. He continued to work, moving through the rubble, lifting stones with the Force, and stretching his senses to find any sign of life. He found more civilians, some barely clinging to life. He carefully extricated them, one by one, each movement precise to avoid causing further injury.
The construction bot's platform was filling up with survivors, their moans and cries a constant reminder of the horrors they had endured. Jaden's hands were shaking, and his body and mind were getting exhausted, but he couldn't stop. He had to keep going. A young girl, no more than seven, was found under a pile of debris. Her leg was broken, her face pale and streaked with tears. "Mommy..." she whimpered, reaching out with tiny hands.
Jaden gently lifted her, cradling her close. "I've got you. You're safe now." His voice was soft, but he could hear the cracks in it. The weight of their suffering was almost too much to bear. He could feel all of it with the force. He found an elderly woman next, her breath shallow, her body covered in cuts and bruises. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Thank you."
Jaden nodded, his throat tight. "You'll be okay. We'll get you to safety." But even as he said the words, he knew he was making promises he wasn't sure he could keep. The cries of the wounded and the dying echoed around him, each one a testament to the cruelty of war. A man called out for his wife, his voice breaking with each shout. "Mira! Mira, where are you?"
Another woman, cradling the body of a child, screamed in grief. "No, no, please! Not my baby!"
He worked mechanically, lifting rubble, healing what he could, and placing the injured on the platform. His hands were covered in blood and dirt, his body aching from the strain. Finally, the platform was full. Jaden stood there, panting, his chest heaving with exhaustion. He looked at the faces of those he had saved, the pain and sorrow etched deeply into their expressions. He climbed onto the bot, steering it back towards Aubrie hoping she'd managed to find some shelter.
The journey back was slow, the cries of the injured filling the air. Jaden's mind was numb, the weight of their suffering pressing down on him. He had done what he could, but it never felt like enough. As he reached the shelter, Aubrie was waiting, her eyes widening as she saw the platform loaded with survivors. She had managed to find a building that used to be a power station, it had reinforced walls so she was confident it wouldn't collapse. She quickly moved to help, her exhaustion forgotten in the face of their needs.
Together, they unloaded the wounded, working quickly to tend to their injuries and provide what comfort they could. Jaden's voice shook as he spoke to them, trying to offer reassurances. "We'll get you help. You'll be safe here. Just hold on." A woman grabbed his arm, her eyes wide with desperation. "My daughter, have you found Ailyn? Please, tell me you found her!" Jaden shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry. I haven't found her yet, but I'll keep looking. I promise."
Her cries were heart-wrenching, her grip tight as she wept. "Please, find her. Please."
After unloading the civilians with Aubrie's help, Jaden set out once more across the ruined city, piloting the construction bot through the maze of debris. His senses, extended through the Force, sought out any remaining signs of life amidst the devastation.
He soon came upon a group of clones, their armour battered and scorched. Despite their severe injuries. Jaden recognized Lieutenant Lock among them, barely conscious and bleeding heavily from multiple wounds. His left leg was gone below the knee, and a deep gash ran across his chest, exposing muscle and bone. One of his arms hung limply at his side, the bone visibly broken and splintered.
"Lieutenant Lock," Jaden called out, rushing to his side. The clone's eyes flickered open, pain evident but unspoken.
"Sir," Lock rasped, attempting to stand, but Jaden gently pushed him back down.
"You need to rest," Jaden commanded, his voice firm. "I'll take care of you." The other clones, though grievously injured themselves, tried to insist on helping. One had a shattered arm, bone protruding through the skin, while another had burns covering half his face and neck. Their silence in the face of such pain was admirable, but it made Jaden feel worse for them.
"Let us help, sir," one of them said, his voice steady despite his injuries.
Jaden shook his head, his expression resolute. "No. You're in no condition to help. Get on the bot and rest. That's an order." Reluctantly, the clones obeyed, their movements slow and pained as they climbed onto the construction bot. He knew they would do anything to continue fighting, but their survival was more important now.
Once they were settled, Jaden knelt beside Lieutenant Lock, placing his hands over the worst of the injuries. He closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force to heal. The deep gash on Lock's chest began to close, the bleeding slowed, and skin formed around the stump. It wasn't a complete fix, but it was enough to stabilize him and ease his pain. He didn't have time to fully heal each one of them so he could only do this. Jaden moved to the other clones, repeating the process. The one with the shattered arm winced as the bone knitted back together under Jaden's touch. The burns on the other's face began to fade, the skin repairing itself with each passing moment.
After delivering the clones back to Aubrie, Jaden headed out again, his body beginning to tire even with the Force enhancing his stamina. His mind was worse, fatigued and struggling to concentrate, but he pushed himself forward; there were still people who needed him.
As he lifted rubble off another survivor, he found Zule Xiss beneath, injured and unconscious. Her prosthetic arm was shattered. He gently lifted her with the Force and placed her on the construction bot. He healed her injuries, but she didn't wake up, which was concerning. However, he couldn't focus on her now. There were more people to save.
He continued his relentless search, finding more grievously injured clones. Each one he healed and placed on the construction bot, his strength waning but his resolve unbroken. Finally, he approached one of the last life signs he could feel, using the Force to dig them out.
When he lifted the final piece of rubble and jumped down into the hole, he was greeted by the shocked form of Scout, curled up in a tight ball. Her eyes were wide with fear and disbelief. Slowly, she rose to her knees, reaching forward to touch Jaden as if unsure if he was real.
When she made contact, she broke down completely, tears streaming down her face as she began to bawl uncontrollably. She threw her arms around Jaden, hugging him tightly, her body shaking with sobs. She tried to speak, but her words were choked and incoherent.
Jaden hugged her back, stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "It's okay," he murmured softly, his voice shaking with exhaustion. "You're safe now." Scout's sobs were heart-wrenching. Jaden held her close, letting her cry out her pain and terror. He wished he could do more, wished he could take away her suffering, but all he could offer was his presence and his comfort.
They stayed like that for several minutes, Jaden's own exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he focused on Scout. Eventually, her sobs began to subside, and she clung to him, as if afraid he'd disappear.
In the end, less than 200 people survived, out of thousands upon thousands of people.
(AN: So this chapter was me attempting to focus on the horrors of war, I feel like Star Wars doesn't really focus on that, which is understandable tbf since it's a sci fi and not really a dark and gritty genre. I do think the Padawans should be portrayed as more emotionally unstable, which should only grow worse due to their environment. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. )
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