Chapter Text
In flight, on their way to their destination.
“We are here because of your failure!”
Crosshair was in a mood, then again, when was a he not these days all the while bitching about their status, this op they were on to Cody without any kind of respect for the Commander.
“I think we both agreed in letting them all go and not take the clones to a gulag where they would face certain death.”
Cody wasn’t letting Crosshair’s comment bother him, after all, they had both agreed to do the right thing, but then things having happened and well, they were here now, wherever it was yet to be determined.
Crosshair could not believe what he was hearing, but guess Cody really had stopped being a good soldier following orders a long time ago! Crosshair certainly feeling his own mood swings loud and clear, not to mention the fact that he was literally contradicting himself right now.
And besides, Cody had not liked this mission from the get go. The mistreatment of his people always having nagged Cody, rubbed the Commander the wrong way and guess Cody simply had had enough. The eopie’s back broken finally and then deciding to go against his orders, permanently and for good, knowing the consequences would certainly be dire.
“We will both be punished when the Empire finds us. What we are doing with them.” Crosshair was still fuming as he glared at the passengers snidely. The chip most certainly acting up again. “This, is all on you, Cody!”
Yeah, no respect at all, but Cody knew what this was about; those karking control chips and Crosshair, certainly having gotten a malfunctioning one. Then again, Cody having also learnt about the enhancements Crosshair’s chip having gone through so there was the to consider. He only hoped he could help the Sniper somehow with the chip issue. Perhaps, later, when they were out of this jam Cody could try to, fix Crosshairs?
“Cross, the Empire won’t find us. Not if I have anything to do with it.” Cody already having made some plans prior to this mission, but he was the only one aware of those plans and where they were headed to. But the idea pretty clear, Cody wasn’t planning on going back, ever!
Crosshair was shocked surprised not to mention an unwilling (well, somewhat) participant in what ever Cody had planned for them. Deserting the Empire?!? Seeing the coordinates on the panel, he was literally growing with rage.
“Cody you can’t be serious!”
Crosshair then tried to change the coordinates Cody had input only to find himself in a struggle with his commanding officer. A hand to hand struggle right there in the cockpit.
“Get off!”
“Let me…!!”
“No! Not on my watch ever again!”
The struggle did not last long though, the two having hit a few buttons on the console as they fought. As suddenly, there was an explosion heard shaking the whole ship. And just like that, they were thrown out of hyperspace.
“What did you do???” Crosshair immediately blaming Cody for their predicament even if he had had a hand in it for sure.
The alarms sounded with several small fires ignited across the ship.
“Try to extinguish the fires you two.” Cody ordered to the closest clones then. “I’m scanning where we are and how much damage we’ve sustained.” Cody was fully in control again, punching in commands on the thankfully working consoles.
As it turned out, there was much damage.
“We’re dead in the water.” Cody simply stated, trying to remain calm, being more worried the Empire would find them than anything else.
With the plethora of doomed cadets and other clone troopers including Crosshair and Cody, realising soon enough though, that they were not in Coruscant anymore. As it turned out, not even at the coordinates Cody had set for them since the mission started, but somewhere completely different…
“I am finally getting some reading…” Cody read the screen. “The nav computer puts us on… Tatooine?”
Cody glanced at Crosshair, the surprise on both their faces easy to read.
“The controls are sluggish. We need to put her down somewhere and soon too.” Crosshair was helping Cody with the helm, the Sniper more like himself suddenly, which did not go unnoticed by Cody either, him only too happy Crosshair was helping him and not against him for the time being.
The familiar sand dunes already visible on the view screen as were the twin stars around the planet as they were about to enter the atmosphere, nothing they could do about it now, with the ship being hardly operable as it was.
Cody and Crosshair exchanged glances again.
“There should be an imperial base there.” Crosshair reminded Cody. “We could…”
Crosshair still adamant in going back to his precious Empire clearly. Crawling more likely.
“No! We’re not going back!” Cody was about to punch a new heading, or at least trying to get the ship under his control, when their comms chirped alive.
“Don’t answer that Cody!” One of the clones urged, none of them wanting to go to their doomed destination either.
“We have to, we really have no means to fight them!” Cody didn’t like it either, but, he was well aware of the odds.
Cody opened the channel.
“This is shuttle Hyperion.”
“This is Mos Espa tower.” The chipper voice greeted them.
Cody did not answer immediately, not really sure how to introduce them as they were well off course, but they had sort of an excuse… “We had an explosion on our vessel causing us to veer off course.”
Crosshair only rolled his eyes, but Cody wasn’t exactly lying either, now was he.
“Are you able to land your ship? We can direct you to the nearest repair station.”
“We… are trying to. I am sure we can manage ourselves. Please, send us the coordinates.”
The nav console beeped. The directions already there.
“Safe landings and welcome to Mos Espa!”
Cody and Crosshair were kind of surprised of the warm welcome.
Not exactly the imperial way. But as far as the two knew the Empire had only a small base on the planet of the Outer Rim. So guess the people living on Tatooine weren’t as effected as all that? Still having a sense of self?
As this was clearly no imperial greeting they had just received, far from it.
“Looks like we’re going in for some repairs!, boys!”
“Do we have credits to pay them?” One of the clones worried.
“Well figure something out.” Cody simply told him, earning yet another eye roll firm Crosshair.