Got into doing pixels on my phone at some point while being bedbound from fatigue (yay long covid /s) and kept going, so here's some highlights from these past few months
Chrysos in the Library, Acamar the paleoghost, Keryke meeting the unicorn spirit
Nemo (birthday gift for Mirbon), Tracker, The Sage meeting the unicorn spirit
Nashira collecting book scraps, Shermy and Shelby for @citrispace's birthday
Summary: Arif Bageeh entrusted his padawan to lead a squadron of scouts to investigate another possible way around a canyon. 4 hours into the mission, his padawan and his padawan’s squad went silent. Now 36 hours later, as Arif leads the rest of his men in a dangerous fight, he finds himself worrying more and more for his padawan’s safety.
AN: This was written for @celebrate-the-clone-wars prompt Radio Silence.
Arif Bageeh wears his emotions on his sleeve when not in a combat situation. His men respect his command style of honesty first, which means that his men also know that right now, he was worried about his padawan. "Have we heard anything from Baves, Commander A'doxx?" The Mirakula general turned towards his commander, well aware of the active combat zone that they were in.
It has been 36 hours since he lost contact with his padawan. 40 hours since his padawan went to go investigate another way to get around the canyon. 36 hours since Arif started to wonder if he should have switched places with his padawan.
"No sir! We still can't reach Commander Urety's squad! We'll keep trying to reach him." A'doxx looked back at his general before shooting down two battle droids. "We can try sending a rescue squad if we continue to not hear anything from him."
"Commander- I appreciate the gesture," his lightsaber flared back into life, using both ends up his dual bladed weapon to block incoming blaster fire. "Keep sending messages. We can only hope that we hear a response from him soon." He has to trust that his padawan will come back to him no matter what. "Just... Keep sending messages. We can't afford to divide our forces any more than they already are. See if you can contact anyone in his squad." He might be blind in the traditional sense, but he could still see his commander nodding through the force.
~*~*~
Baves barely jumped over a fallen tree while fighting the battle droids, "Shade- can we reach Master Bageeh?! We still haven't been able to check in and it's been over a day and a half!"
"I keep trying, Commander," Shade kept shooting at the droids in front of them, making sure that the young padawan's back was covered even while he jumped over the trees to try to take down the super battle droids. "I'm pretty sure they're jamming our signal. Tracker- what about you?"
Tracker threw a droid popper into the middle of the squad of droids, "I think you're right Shade. I can't get through to anyone. I can't even reach the cruiser. I'll keep trying to reach anyone. Hey Aftermath- see if you can try to pin point what's jamming the signal." They all knew the chain of command, and they also all knew that keeping their young vod safe. Sometimes that means disobeying the chain of command.
Aftermath nodded once and pulled away from their position to look ahead. If there was a chance they could get communications back, they were all going to take it, no matter the risk.
~*~*~
The battle ended the moment Arif destroyed the last tank with his lightsaber and once again looked at his commander, "Did we lose any more squads?"
"No sir, but there's another incoming battalion of droids and there's still no word from Commander Urety." A'doxx walked up to his general and took his helmet off. "Sir, Admiral Styehal is suggesting a tactical retreat. If we go back to the cruiser we can try to find the commander's squad that way. Then we can handle the droids."
Arif continued to face his commander, and the pain in A'doxx's voice was enough to imply that the commander didn't think there was a good chance of getting his padawan and his men back with their current resources. "Inform the Admiral that I appreciate his suggestion but I would like to try something before we retreat. Tell him his orders are to maintain his current position. If things get too dangerous, we'll retreat."
"Yes sir." A'doxx was about to walk away before pausing, "Sir... I know Shade and his lot. They'll look after the Commander no matter what... but after this long- I think we should either send a rescue squad or consider that they might be dead."
"Commander A'doxx, I appreciate your honesty, but I have not sensed their deaths through the force. They are alive somewhere, and we shall either find them after a temporary retreat or they shall find a way to contact us," he answered, placing his hand on his commander's shoulder. "Keep faith. Even now they fight for their lives."
The Commander nodded and put his helmet back on. "Of course, General. Sorry about that." He then walked away to contact the ever concerned Admiral.
Arif sat down on the ground, holding his lightsaber in his lap, focusing on his padawan to try to see where he was. He rarely tries this after a fight because he is too distracted to actually find anyone in particular, or it only shows him things too far away for him to be able to help.
As he exhaled, he started to hear blaster fire.
He inhaled, he could see trees and droids.
As he exhaled once more, he realized that he was seeing the fight from his padawan's perspective. Shade was almost right next to him, and too tall. "Aftermath, have you found it?"
"I see the jammer, Baves- and it's protected behind a shield generator. Kriff- are those droidekas?" Aftermath was still looking through his scopes, adjusting the distance some. "We don't have enough droid poppers to take those out safely Commander."
His padawan paused, turning to look ahead while blocking a shot that came directly at him. "But what about the droids themselves?"
Arif inhaled and the scene started to fade.
He exhaled and he could only hear a muffled reply that vague sounded like a maybe from Shade. By the time he inhaled again, he had his lightsaber in his lap, and his commander was sitting across from him, "Well sir?"
"They're still alive. The droids are jamming their signal which is why we can't reach them. They don't know about the incoming battalion." The jedi master let his brown and grey hair fall down before pulling it back up in a better pony tail. "Has the Admiral responded?"
"He has, and he wants to speak with you directly, General." A'doxx set down the holoprojector and turned it on. "Admiral, I have the General here, go ahead."
The admiral cleared his throat and looked at the general, not that he could see, "General Bageeh, the droid reinforcements are not far out. We need to retreat, we cannot hold our current position." Jacodav was not one to lose confidence so quickly in their position, which showed the gravity of the situation. "I seriously suggest that you evacuate while we can still get everyone safely onto the cruisers."
"I will not be leaving this planet without my padawan, Jacodav... Send the gunships, we'll evacuate the wounded first." Arif tightened his grip on his lightsaber. "I will not abandon him now, Admiral. I owe it to him to give him time to make the rendezvous, however late he may be.”
“Arif, I understand that but if we lose everyone here because you would rather wait to hear from him- then what does that show him?" The appeal didn't fall on deaf ears, but it wasn't going to be acted upon. "It's been 36 hours and we've heard nothing since their second check in. Are you even certain-"
"Admiral Styehal, my padawan and his men live still. That is not a debate nor wishful thinking," Arif interrupted, his tone was soft, but there was a hardness on his face. "We shall evacuate the wounded first and then everyone else. My orders still stand, continue attempting to reach Commander Urety and his squadron at all costs. Once we have him on board, we shall retreat, but not a moment sooner."
Jacodav studied his general's face before nodding, "Very well, General. The first round of gunships will be there soon."
~*~*~
Baves jumped down from the tree, just in front of the shield generator, keeping his hand carefully over the cable that Shade had attached to him in order to pull him up safely, "Hey droids! Looking for me?"
"How'd the jedi get over there? Blast him!" A Battle droid ordered. The tank turned around and prepared to fire.
Baves pressed the button miliseconds before the blast would have connected with him, leaving the shield generator destroyed. The second tank's shot destroyed the jammer just as Shade and Tracker both caught Baves in the tree. "Good thinking, Commander. Reckless as hell, but good thinking. This is Shade- can anyone read us?"
"Shade, this is Commander A'doxx. Is everyone alright?" The Commander's voice crackled over their comm links as the clones and jedi ran through the trees to get away from the battle droids.
"We're all alive Commander, but we could use an evac. We stumbled across a Droid base and we're sort of running away from it now. But we seriously crippled it. I think," Baves answered as he jumped, using the force to help Aftermath get back onto the tree trunk.
"We have a fix on your location, Baves. Kite should be able to meet you all in the clearing in fifteen minutes. It is good to hear your voice, padawan." Arif sounded relieved, perhaps too relieved. "Keep moving, we have much to discuss."
"Yes master!" Baves jumped out of the trees and kept running, he could hear his men jumping down behind him. He didn't even need to look to know that Shade was only a few steps behind him at all times. "Sorry about worrying you."
"Apologize later, my padawan. I'm just glad to hear from you now." Arif answered before ending the communication.
~*~*~
Arif glanced at his commander and offered him a smile, "I told you they were all alive, A'doxx. Admiral, send the rest of the gunships. We're going to make a tactical retreat. My padawan has made contact with us."
"I'm glad to hear it, General and I look forward to seeing both of you back on board soon." Jacodav responded, smiling a little bit.
i cant even lie i feel like dookie rn and these two being soft and loving is lowkey whats keeping me sane atm 👍
tracker (on the left) is my oc, looker is (c) tpci / game freak / nintendo
Pokémon is (c) tpci / game freak / nintendo
/!\ Pokemon Model Credits /!\
