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Chapter one
Dying is easy, living is hard.
He stood there watching as the Marauder ascended to the heavens, disappearing out of sight. Kamino in the distance, a smoking heap of junk. The platform the only solid piece left of the once advanced city structure on the waters edge. And if he wasn’t careful, that soon would sink into the soaring waters of the planet. Still, the Empire would be there for him. Soon. He needed to believe that at least if nothing else. After all, he had served them well. He was a good soldier, following orders. He understood the Empire. Their goals, their ideals, their agenda. And because only there, did he have a purpose. And so, he waited.
***
Loosing track of time. Must have been standing there a long time, as the fires of the half sunken city were slowly going down. He moved closer to the ledge of the platform, his feet hurting for standing too long in the same spot. Taking a seat, his legs dangling over, just above the water. Figuring his weight would still keep the platform afloat. So, he sat there, longer even. Waiting, hoping, that they would come back for him.
***
The eerie quiet of the place, the waves calm. The solemn smoke plumes of the fires of the city the only sign of movement in the skies above. The imperial vessels long since departed the abandoned city, now in ruins. No one came for him. Not the mighty Empire. Not his Batch. No one. He was now all alone. The forsaken clone. One. No squad, no family, no kin and certainly no Empire to save him now. With his faith sealed, he curled into a fetal position, only waiting for the cold waters to consume the platform and him with it.
Chapter two
Second chances never come along, do they?
He felt the shiver. The icy cold all around him. He was tired and freezing, but still alive. Opening his eyes slowly but surely. The platform had not sunken even if he had expected it to or rather hoped. But, it was still there. He, was still there. It was already dark, the night fallen. The skies were clear and filled with stars. A first in a long while for sure on this planet. As he looked across the now calm ocean, he could see parts of the city still afloat.
A fleeting thought of survival entered his mind. A glimmer of something. Hope perhaps? But, the bad thoughts caught up with him. And like always, burying any hope once again. They always did that. Lately at least. Ever since… well, guess it really did not matter anymore. He was not worthy of those kinds of thoughts. They had all abandoned him. All of them. And so, abandoned and alone with nowhere to go, curling in on himself again. He remained in the same spot. Closing his eyes, hoping to never wake up again.
***
Morning broke. The sun was up. Surprise! He was still alive. Was this perhaps a sign? A moment, then few passed. He finally rose up from his spot. Stretching to full length for the first time in a long while. Feeling certain sense of pride. His decision made again. Perhaps even for the first time in a long while. The clarity of it all, now as certain as he was tall. The options still few, but possible. He just needed to be careful.
Reminded then of the way out. The option to move in? Quick on his feet, moving across the platform. Buttons, buttons, where were those damned buttons?! After some fumbling and a lot of tinkering, he managed to get the underwater tube system hatch to open up. Most of it seemingly in tact still, despite the overall destruction. He could use it to get back to the city. At least he hoped so. After all, there were plenty of tubes under the waters still, right? The kid had blabbed as much. And if not? Well, guess he would drown?
What other options did he have? Die of hunger or drowning there, on the platform? Or take a chance and get back to the city? Some of it seemed to still be intact. There had to be something there he could use to get off this water covered forsaken rock, right? The choice made, he stepped inside the tube car and pushed go. The covers on top closing and he, was submerged.
Chapter three
Trusting in oneself, can be hard, most of the time.
After some navigating and several wrong turns later, he landed on something solid once again. Well, as solid as it could get on a listed half sunken city. But he was running mostly on instinct now. Sure he had taken the calculated risk in coming back. But he also trusted there was something still there he could use. But, first order of business; survival. And to survive meant getting some nourishment. Heading to the familiar mess hall, knowing it was still above water level. And after that, well, he would think more clearly once he had eaten something. It had been a while after all.
***
He was on the move again. After raiding what was left of the food resources, packing them all up in a backpack. There was another stop he needed to make before trying to find the one thing he needed to escape with. Running through the familiar but empty hallways, he reached the armoury. The leftovers haphazardly thrown on the floor after the TK troopers had raided the city. Not much left there. But he managed to find several useful things in the discarded piles. Shoving them into his pack with the other stuff accumulated. Having even found a container with some gear, he managed to replace his lost helmet. And so, he was set. Now, the only thing he left to find, was the means to get off the city.
***
It was still intact. Well, mostly. Half of the deck was flooded. Most of the vessels left behind for whatever reason lay under water, having gotten loose and crashing to each other and then to the ocean floor. But there were still two ships being held in place with mag locks on the hangar floor. Now, all he needed to do was to check if either of the was in a flying condition and then, try to fly it out of there. That would be the tricky part. Releasing the locks and trying to keep the craft level without crashing to the ocean. The bay doors were wide open and he could see the large crack between air and water sufficient enough to fly through.
Making his way through the loose debris he balanced himself enough to make it all the way to the ships. Checking the first one he found it to be in no condition to fly, as it had been stripped for parts. So, that left him with one last chance. He stood a moment on the listed platform. A silent prayer, before daring into the final option. As he entered, his heart was beating faster than usual. Cold sweat beads on his face from fear. Looking inside, holding his breath. And then, he was finally able to exhale as he was able to see it properly. The ship stocked, seemingly ready and hopefully able to fly. There was no reason to question the why. Only take it as it had been delivered. A gift, for certain.
Taking the pilot’s seat. Firing the engines. As they got life on them with the familiar hum and the vibration of the machines. He felt, elevated. After a long while, he felt something. And it was a good place to be at. Slowly but surely pushing the manoeuvring thrusters and releasing the magnetic clamps, the craft swerved slightly. But he managed to control it, with some effort. After all, crashing would have been foolish and a waste at this point. After several hefty moves and two near misses, the ship was finally in the air and level. And then, exiting the place he had once called home.
Finally flying, he set the coordinates, somewhere far away from where he was. He might have been abandoned and alone. But he knew he could make it. By himself. And so, as he reached the orbit. Space. He engaged the hyper drive. And in a blink of an eye, he was gone.