Brown robes swirling behind him, Master Dyarron led the way through the ship, fires burning in various places down the winding halls while many droids lay smashed and deformed on the ground. Alera stepped over each with care, lifting her boots high up while she gazed down at their lifeless eyes. With a shiver, she followed the others at a distance, her curious yellow eyes taking in every detail around her. As the group rounded a corner, blaster fire filled the air, a clone battalion battling droids ahead, their white armor accented with a deep golden yellow. Blinding sh0ts crisscrossed the air, and Master Dyarron held out his arm to shield them, his yellow lightsaber glowed against their faces, and he joined his men. Alera led the other women behind an abandoned crate, and she peered out while the clones finished the droids off. “Were those the last of the prisoners?” the master asked as he joined his clone commander, who r3m0v3d his helmet to reveal his face, brown eyes firm while three thin lines cut across his right cheek. His gaze flickered to Alera, and a mischievous look passed over him before he returned to his serious stance. “No,” he shook his head, “the men are in a separate cell. Once we free them and exit this ship, mine will sh00t it out of the sky.” “Very good. This way!” He replaced his helmet and hefted his gun before waving his fellow troopers on, letting Master Dyarron and the women bring up the rear. “What will happen to the others?” A woman stepped behind to whisper to Alera. Her face scrunched. “What others?” “The others in the cell that went…out.” She bit her lip and looked to Alera, searching for a hopeful look. “They’re d3ad,” Alera replied, her voice low. “There was nothing any of us could do.” The woman nodded. “My sister was one of them.” “My brother’s just ahead,” she answered and brushed aside to join Master Dyarron. “Sir,” she began after a pause where he walked beside her in silence, “my brother is with the other prisoners.” “He is?” His eyes glanced over her. “Do you have any other siblings, Alera Danta?” She shook her head. “Cato and I are the only ones left of our family now.” “I am sorry,” he said, voice gentle while he smiled at her with sad eyes. “This war has torn apart the galaxy.” “I suppose you speak from experience.” “I do.” “Sir!” The commander joined them. “Several of my men have encountered droids and are f1ring back as we speak.” “Where?” Alera demanded while Master Dyarron did not respond. “Captain, where?” The clone chuckled. “It’s commander, kid, and they’re by the prison cell.” “What about cross fire?” She turned to the Jedi. “What happens if the prisoners get caught in it?” Still, the man remained silent as blaster fire filled the air, and Alera’s eyes widened before she gripped his arm. “What will happen?” she demanded, voice hard. “Alera Danta,” he whispered, “you must trust the Force.” Breaking away from her, he ignited his glowing bl and followed the commander into the fray while Alera hung back with her fellow captives. Droids fell by the clones and the Jedi, smoldering metal heaps, while Alera caught sight of several Pantoran men hanging back in the cell. “Cato!” she screamed and burst forward, ducking the echoing sh0ts while one woman tried to stop her. “Cato, I’m here!” “Alera!” His voice called to her, shouting over the mayhem, and Alera circled, haunted eyes searching for him. “Cato, where are you?” “Alera!” Master Dyarron grabbed her arm mid-run when the room went silent, not a droid left standing. His eyes were gentle, as was his voice, but Alera tensed. “I have to find him!” she whispered, her jaw clenched, and she wrestled free to join the Pantoran men. “There was a little boy,” she said, voice breathless. “He was very small.” “Cato?” one man asked, and his eyes fell when Alera nodded. “He’s over there.” Alera followed the blue outstretched finger that pointed to the boy lying on the ground. With a gasp, Alera slid to her knees beside him. “Cato!” Her hands felt his poncho, and she screamed when they drew back, covered in bl00d. “No!” Hot tears burned her eyes while she cupped his face. “Cato, no, you’re okay. Please!” The young face, one she had known so well, lay still, the eyes shut tight in fear while his hands were clutched at his sides. There was supposed to be one more bubble of laughter, one more wide smile, one more annoying question, but all that was left was a howling, empty silence, leaving Alera oblivious to the outside world. A shadow fell over her while she sat without making a sound, bitter expression blank while she stared down at the limp form. “I am sorry for your loss,” Master Dyarron murmured, and he placed his hand on Alera’s shoulder, the touch heavy and warm. Standing and shoving away his condolences, Alera cried, “This is all your fault! Your men should never have been firing near him!” “It could have been a droid, Alera. You don’t know that a clone did it. They were only trying to protect him.”
“Then why is he d3@d?” The room fell silent, clones and Pantorans staring at the pair, one grave and silent, the other bitter and seething. “This is all your fault, Dalen Dyarron,” she muttered, eyes flashing. “If you had told your men to stand down, this d3@th could have been prevented.” “You blame me,” he stated, and she sighed, her lips trembling in anger. “That is understandable, Alera, but you must understand this. Everything happens for a reason, and you must accept it.” “What if I don’t?” “Then you can never achieve the greatness that you have inside you.”
