Chương 9: Price of Victory
The transport rattled beneath us as we sped down the dusty, makeshift road toward what I hoped was safety. The jungle was far behind us now, and for the first time since we'd landed on Felucia, it felt like we could breathe. But I knew better than to let my guard down. Every second we stayed in enemy territory was a second we could lose everything we'd fought for.
"Check the scanners," I ordered, keeping my eyes on the horizon. "We need to know if any droids are tailing us."
Lucky, slumped in the co-pilot's seat beside me, grunted as he tapped at the console. His breathing was labored, the shrapnel in his side slowing him down, but he kept pushing forward. Just like the rest of us.
"We're clear," Lucky said after a moment, but there was little relief in his voice. "No movement behind us, but it doesn't mean we're safe."
"I know," I muttered, my hands gripping the controls tighter than I realized.
Spark was in the back, keeping watch from the transport's rear hatch. He hadn't said much since the ambush on the convoy, and I could feel the weight hanging over all of us—the losses we'd taken, the risks we'd run. Gear and Tread's absence felt like an open wound, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we weren't done paying the price for this mission.
The road ahead began to wind through a rocky canyon, the walls closing in around us. It was the only way out of this part of Felucia, but it was also a perfect place for an ambush.
"Spark, stay sharp," I said over the comms. "This canyon could be a trap."
"Got it, Sarge," Spark replied, his voice low and tense. "I've got eyes on everything back here."
We pressed on, the transport rumbling as we maneuvered through the tight turns. The walls of the canyon loomed high above us, casting long shadows that flickered as the sun dipped lower in the sky.
Something felt off. My instincts, sharpened by years of combat, were screaming at me that we weren't out of the woods yet. I couldn't shake the sense that we were being watched, tracked.
And then, it happened.
A deafening explosion rocked the canyon, shaking the transport and throwing us off course. I barely managed to keep us from slamming into the rocky walls, but the vehicle skidded to a halt, its engine sputtering. The canyon ahead of us had been blocked by a massive rockslide, and the sound of droid blasters echoed off the walls.
"Ambush!" I shouted, grabbing my blaster and jumping from the transport. Lucky and Spark were right behind me, taking cover behind the rocks as battle droids poured into the canyon from hidden positions along the ridges.
"They knew we were coming!" Spark yelled, firing a volley of shots toward the advancing droids. "We're pinned!"
I cursed under my breath, ducking behind a large boulder as blaster fire rained down around us. The droids had us outnumbered and surrounded, and there was no way out. The transport was disabled, and the rockslide had cut off our only escape route.
But I wasn't about to give up.
"We hold this position!" I barked, switching my blaster to full auto. "We keep them at bay until we can come up with a way out."
Lucky and Spark fired relentlessly, keeping the droids from advancing too close, but the sheer number of them was overwhelming. B1 battle droids, B2s, and even a few droidekas were moving into position, their shields shimmering as they rolled into place.
"We can't hold them off forever!" Spark shouted, his voice strained with exhaustion.
He was right. We were running out of time. And as much as I hated it, there was only one option left.
I glanced at the transport, its smoking engine sputtering in the dust. It wouldn't take us far, but it might be enough. I grabbed my comm, patching into Lucky and Spark's helmets.
"Listen to me," I said, my voice low but firm. "I'm going to rig the transport with the last of our thermal detonators. We're going to make it look like we're making a last-ditch run for it. When the droids close in, we blow it and make a break for the rocks. There's a path that cuts through the ridge—if we can get there, we might be able to lose them."
Lucky stared at me, his visor unreadable. "You're serious? We'll be sitting ducks out there."
"I know," I replied. "But it's the only shot we've got. Either we take it, or we get overrun."
There was a moment of silence before Spark spoke. "Alright, Sarge. Let's make this happen."
The plan came together fast. While Spark and Lucky kept the droids busy, I rigged the transport with the last of our thermal detonators, making sure they were set to go off on a remote trigger. We didn't have much time—the droids were closing in, and I could hear the high-pitched whine of a Separatist walker moving into position.
"Ready?" I called over the comms.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Lucky replied, crouching low behind a rock, his blaster aimed at the incoming droids.
"On my mark," I said, my thumb hovering over the detonator's trigger.
The droids had taken the bait. I could see them advancing, their mechanical legs clanking against the rocky ground as they closed in on the transport. The walker moved into range, its massive cannon aimed right at us.
"Mark!" I shouted, pressing the trigger.
The explosion was deafening. The transport went up in a massive fireball, the blast wave tearing through the droid ranks and sending metal limbs and debris flying in all directions. The walker staggered, its legs buckling as the shockwave hit, and the droids scattered in confusion.
"Go, go, go!" I yelled, and we sprinted toward the narrow path through the ridge.
We moved fast, our boots pounding against the rocky ground as we ducked and weaved through the canyon. Blaster fire crackled around us, but the droids were still reeling from the explosion, giving us just enough time to make our escape.
The path through the ridge was tight, barely wide enough for us to squeeze through, but it led us out of the canyon and into a narrow valley beyond. We didn't stop running until the sounds of the battle had faded behind us, leaving only the echo of our footsteps in the quiet air.
We collapsed behind a rocky outcrop, breathing hard and covered in dust, but alive.
"Nice work, Vine," Spark said between gasps, his grin audible even through the comm. "Didn't think we'd make it out of that one."
I leaned back against the rock, wiping the sweat from my brow. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the exhaustion was hitting me like a ton of durasteel. But Spark was right. We'd made it.
For now.
As the night fell over the valley, we made camp, huddled around a small fire. The stars were bright overhead, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the jungle was silent.
Lucky leaned back against a rock, his wounded side finally bandaged properly. Spark was dozing off, his blaster still in his lap, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was racing, replaying every moment of the battle, every decision I'd made. Every life we'd lost.
I stared into the flames, wondering how many more times we'd have to cheat death before it finally caught up to us. The Republic might be winning the war, but for us, every day was a new fight for survival.
And somewhere out there, more battles awaited us.
But for tonight, we'd earned this small victory. And tomorrow… tomorrow, we'd fight again.
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