Cold...
This was a different kind of cold....
Jake preferred the other kind—the one that gnawed into your skin, stung your fingers, and left your body shivering, desperate to stay warm. That kind of cold was real, tangible.
This? This was worse.
It crushed the air around him, pressing down like an invisible anvil. It blurred his vision if he tried to focus on anything, leaving only the hum of the ship to fill the silence. It was annoying. Everything was annoying.
And, as anyone could've predicted, given his track record, Jake collapsed the moment the battle ended. He didn't mean to. It just... happened. The second there was space to breathe, his mind erupted.
To his own surprise, he almost wished the fight had lasted forever. At least then, he wouldn't have to think. Just run.
He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, a piece of cloth draped beneath him. It was surprisingly comfortable. Or maybe it just felt that way because Ada had given it to him. He wasn't sure. Either way, it was better than steel.
The Mustafarians had snapped out of hyperspace hours ago, hellbent on fixing their ship. Teesh and the droids had gone to help, the Trandoshan giving Jake a lingering glance before heading off. That was, what? Eighteen minutes ago? Maybe more.
Ada was still in the cockpit. He couldn't see her, but knowing she was there made it slightly easier to breathe—like one of the thirty anvils crushing him had finally fallen off.
R4.
That's all today reminded him of.
Another droid lost. Racket. Another Imperial ship left in ruins. Gideon, his smug, insufferable face. The lifeless black visors of the stormtroopers. The clones.
Wait.
Clones?
Jake's brow furrowed. He hadn't really thought about it before, but there weren't many clones on that ship. At least, not on the frontlines. He'd seen a few on the bridge, one pushing a mop, an insult to what he knew they were capable of, but that was it.
Not that he cared.
Why should he? The only clones he trusted had left for a better cause, which is good for them, not so good for him.
His thoughts drifted into nothing... Thats when his mind is at its most fragile.
Then, light footsteps filled the air, quiet against the hum of the ship.
Ada.
She stepped down from the cockpit, her armor catching the ship's stale light as she looked over. She chuckled softly.
"You doing alright?"
Jake barely turned his head. "Meh. I... I don't know."
Ada exhaled, setting her blasters on the weapons rack before sitting down beside him. "I understand," she said.
Jake blinked. Then frowned. "No, you don't."
Ada smirked under her helmet. "Yeah. You got me."
Jake let his arms fall to his sides, staring up at the ceiling. "You're supposed to do the whole 'I get it' speech," he muttered, voice flatter than Tac's.
"I know, I know." She snorted.
For a moment, she just sat there, fidgeting. Then, without a word, she shifted down, laying on her back beside him. Neither of them really noticed how close they ended up.
Silence.
Jake's messy brown hair lay sprawled against the cloth. Ada's helmet glared at the empty air in front of her.
They could help with repairs. They could do something. But instead, they just lay there.
Teesh would be proud, Jake thought with the ghost of a smile.
"I..." Jake hesitated. "I'm gonna sleep for a bit. That okay?"
Ada turned her head slightly. "Why are you asking me?"
Jake blinked with a head turn.
"Do what you want," she said, shifting her gaze back to the ceiling. "I'll probably take a nap here too."
Jake let out a quiet breath. Good enough.
His body sank into the cloth, the weight pressing down on him finally lifting as sleep dragged him under.
Jake's eyes snapped open.
His breath threw itself into his lungs as he gasped.
He wobbled, floating. The void stretched endlessly around him.
"Oh." He exhaled. "Here again."
His voice echoed into nothingness.
A glitch. A spasm in his vision. Like a hologram flickering to life.
Then, it appeared.
Tall. Slender. Limbs too long for its body, coated in some sickly mucus. Its mutilated face stared.
Jake's metal shirt rattled as he floated, weightless. He could see it now, every detail in its twisted, disgusting form, it used to be a blur.
He prefereed that way.
The white noise started. A static hum slamming into his skull. Then, the thing screeched.
Its limbs twitched, bones snapping as it moved, reforming with sickening cracks. It pointed at him as its boyd slowly floated towards him.
Jake winced, hands clamping over his ears, not that it helped. The sound was inside him.
The creature drifted closer. Jake's body tensed. His breath hitched.
A yell tore from his throat. The void shook.
The creature stopped. The screeching cut off. Silence.
Jake imagined this was what space must feel like.
He blinked. The thing was gone.
He glanced around panicked, his breath rugged untill his vision was filled. Hands.
Two pale, contorted hands shot forward, coming from behind him—diving straight into his eyes.
Heat. Sand. Weight.
Jake staggered, his boots sinking into a vast expanse of red dunes.
His arms stayed over his face, bracing. Slowly he lowered them.
He blinked.
The world shifted.
The terrain rumbled, sand pouring like water as jagged canyons rose from the earth. In the distance, a village formed from nothing, stone structures cracking into place.
A lone Geonosian perched at the entrance.
Home.
Jake's breath hitched. His heart pounded. He reached out, stepped forward
A blinding beam slammed into the earth.
Fire. Smoke.
Jake barely had time to process before the shockwave threw him back.
He braced for impact—but he didn't hit sand.
His body thumped against something cold. Hard. Metal.
Dazed, he stumbled forward, hands gripping his head.
The creature was there—walking through the wall, its limbs phasing through solid steel.
But Jake's attention wasn't on it.
Ahead of him, a small table.
On top—
R4's shattered lens.
His fingers twitched. He reached for it. Then, he stopped.
His jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists.
Jake screamed.
"WHAT GAME IS THIS, YOU FUCK?!"
His voice boomed through the space.
Silence.
Then, his surroundings crumbled to ash.
His footing vanished. He floated—adrift in the void again.
The creature circled him, tracing its chin, its grotesque grin stretching inhumanly wide.
It laughed. A sick, wheezing chuckle that made Jake's stomach twist.
He glared.
It looked down at him.
"You...Friend....." it rasped.
Before he felt confused Jake felt a pull. His body lifted, rising against his will.
He kicked, struggled, but the thing only clasped its hands together, watching.
Jake's breath shuddered. Fear curled in his gut.
But—
If this was a dream, then he had one last say in it.
Jake raised a hand.
And flipped it off.
"Jake?" Adas smooth voice filled his ears, Jake shook himself awake as he sat up, the cloth he used to be laying on now wrapped around him. He yawned as his vision center forwards, his mind processing what the hell was that....oh right Ada.
"Ooh uh....heyo" Jake gave her a quick glance and an obviously fake smile, Ada huffed, beforing grabbing the teens shoulder and turn him to her.
"Oi! tell me that was?! you were shaking like a bantha without its fur and kept repeating R4s name...." Ada paused as she saw the wide eyed expression on Jakes face. "Nightmare?"
The boy felt his face go warm "Pfff...im...to old for that" Jake reasoned.
"Bullshit" Ada spoke with immediate confidence.
Jake just sighed "yeah...bullshit indeed"
That made Ada smile a bit, and while Jake couldnt see that, her shoulder rose up slightly, hinting at some sort of joy, which made Jake smile.
"Dont have to tell me what about, but...just dont do that again"
Jake scoffed.
"As if i control my dreams" He said tapping his head.
"Well maybe if you learned how to use that brain you could" Adas snarky reply was obviously a playful joke via its tone, Jake decided to play along.
"oh my poor feelings..oh no" The teens words where soaked with sarcasam, but before the mando could put the smirk on her face into words, they both heard a glitchy chuckle from the door to her ship.
"heh...heh....I think im starting to get your humor friends!" Rustys exicted voice exclaimed to the world, Jake was thankful for the B1s presence, no offense to the droid, but its lack of awarness about....well anything...made it the perfect companion to distract Jakes mind, hopefully delying it from caving in on itself.
Both the teens within the ships shared a glance as they giggled.
"Sure you are" Ada replied, putting a hand on her hip as she walked past the B1, hopping past the staircase.
Jake scoffed as a small smile grew onto his face...
...
Maybe he as overreacting, to much had been on his mind lately, stupid fucking impe-
Jake thoughts broke as he heard the B1 screech. "Hey?! im trying as hard as my programming allows"
Jake lifted himself as he held back laughing, Rusty puttin a metallic hand to his chest with a clunk as looked at Ada at the bottom of the stairs.
"Gasp.mp4! my feelings?!" The B1s voice cracked with attempted sarcasam. Jake walked up and slung an arm over the B1s shoulder, Ada put her view onto him as Rustys joint made whirr, bringing the droids head to stare at Jake.
"Thats.....my line" Jake said tapping the B1s head, the droid unmoving, as the boy hopped down the ships steps, skipping a step with every hop. The Mustafarian hanger wasnt all that..
well...
saying it wasnt pretty was a vast understatment to any normal person. The walls still lined with the gooey sludge that Jake remembered coated the halls, the Bugs in their familar forms crawled around the floors and walls, as massive beetle like mounts where attached the large pillars by suprisingly thin ropes. Other bugs went about more mundane tasks, as some scrubbed down the fighters that had survived the space battle, while others tended to minor repairs on pipes and ventelaion, all damaged by Imperial fire...
speaking of...
Jakes brows shifted as he looked around for a few moments, where were the others? Ada look at him witha slight head tilt, as Rusty behind them stumbled down the steps, Adas ships door hissing shut.
...
Jakes mind blanked for a moment.
did doors hiss?
Jake pondered for a second, well technicaly the release of steam does produce something similar to a hiss, but its more of a-
"RRAARWAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH"
"aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Jake threw himself of the floor as his eyes went wide, he stumbled back, and if it wernt for Ada laughing her ass off, barely able to take in breaths as Teeshs stood behind where he was with toothy grin while chuckled, he wouldve lit the entire area with blaster bolts. Jake gave off a sigh as he looked over, seeing that in his own...
temporary panic..
Rusty had also been scared shitless....
boltless?...
it didnt matter, what did matter was that the B1, now panicking, was running around in circles with his arms flailing about, while letting off a pathetic yell.
Jake, Teesh, Ada, and now Clank and Tac who had just arrived hearing the commotion, allowed the B1 to run about for a few moments before the droid ran face first into Ada ship, stumbling back and hitting the ground with a humorous dink.
"pff....Droidsssss" Teesh spoke as he shifted his view over the Jake, patting the boys shoulder. Ada still giggling to herself in amusment as she watched a worried Clank heaved the B1 up to his feet.
"Hey...that was just rude" Jake words were followed by a fake pout as he crossed his arms.
"uh huh....sssssure...." Teesh said nodding his head, the bright lights of the hanger giving the reptile slitted eyes more of an edge, depsite his relaxed pose.
"EIther way, the new lead bug wantsssss to talk to usssss" Teeshes words registered into Jakes brain as he gave off a sigh. For once he didnt feel like helping people, he just wanted some time with his friends..
a notion that....made him feel bad..
helping people was apart of who he was, even if you include his..rage induced outbursts, the teen had shown time and time again that he wanted to help everyone. Even the TK Troopers, who have tried to dismantle, blast, or shock his droids and his friends several time, Jake didnt want to kill them, only using stun blasts when he could.
Jake shook off the thought..no need to be doing an internal monolouge while someone was waiting for them.
"Alright..." Jake nodded, the boy walked a few steps to call over the droids.
"You finished up those repairs?" Ada asked the lizard, who looked down at her.
"Well no sssshit little lady, or elsssse i wouldnt be here" Teeshes reply was laced with sarcasam.
Jake turned when he heard the nickname, it was obviously meant to prode the mandolorian, try and get a reaction that the reptile would relish, finding it funny.
Which was fair enough.
Hell a few days ago the boy wouldve gladly laughed at what he could only assume was going to be angered reaction of the girl. But...
something didnt sit right with him...
he hadnt the slightest clue as to what this pang in his chest felt like, but whatever it was overturned his shy frame, as he spoke aloud before Ada could hope to respond.
"dont be calling her that will ya?" Jakes words were coated in humor, probably an attempt to mask whatever was actually making him say this, either way, Teesh snickered.
"Fine fine" The lizard wave his hand before looking off at something else.
Ada turned to Jake with a slight tilt to her head, Jake expected some halff-ass, I dont need help, response, considering her culture.
"Thanks Jake.....coulve done it myself, but thanks"
Well, sass was to be expected in her response, Jake only replying with a nervous grin as the droids finally stopped behind him.
"Alright, letssss go sssse what the bug wants eh?" Teesh spoke with an eye roll at the two teens interaction, before getting up and walking, shoving his clawed hands into the pockets of his tattered leather jacket.
Jake only gave a nod as he started to follow, the droids walking behind him as Ada walked by his side as the boy passed her.
"You cant tell, but im smiling" Ada spoke with a half chuckle.
Jake didnt know what to respond with, so he just smiled back.
"I cant smile..." Rustys crackling voice emitted behind the two as Clank slolwy pat the B1s back, as said droid stared at the ground while walking. Jake and Ada could only chuckle.
"Its okay buddy, you can still be happy right?" Jake spoke with affirmation as he turned his head, Ada also turning, but her attention seeming to be more on Jakes face then his words, not like anyone could tell though, with the helmet.
Jakes words helped the B1 feel a bit better, letting Jake turn back around, raising his arms up as his shirt rattled with metal at the movement, not like Jake could finish his stretch though.
"....AAGGhhH?!" Jake nearly wheezed out his lungs as he curled forwards at the sudden spike of pain, his legs stumbled for a moment before he kept walking.
"You okay?" Ada asked with a bit more urgency than he expected.
Jake sighed as he slolwy put his arms to his sides. "Yeah yeah...Its ju-"
Before the boy could finish, he was interrupted by the familar stale voice of Tac, Jake could only give a deadpan look to Ada who only shrugged as they turned their heads to listen.
"The near fatal injury your form as sustained to your chest, while having healed well due to bacta infusement, is still healing, I suggest you do not make any serious actions that include your chest muscles sir" Tacs voice, stale as ever, still informed them of what was happening. Even if Jake already knew that.
"ah, that makes sense" Ada spoke with a hint of concern as she looked back at Jake...
Bummer he didnt need bandages anymore..
Ada wouldve liked to reaply them...
wait..
what? Adas hidden face shifted between calm to confused to embarresed as the thought passed her mind, not the time to think about it, they were almost at the Command Bridge, Teesh a few meters ahead.
Jakes mind, at the lack of stimuli, seemed to go right back to where it was. Unbeknowst to those around him, the boys fist clenched as he internally yelled at this nagging sadness.
He hated it...
Like a switch of a light he would go from nearly sobbing his eyes out, to having a few fun moments with friends, and then right back to feeling down. He depsied the feeling...
But then again he despised that he despised the feeling...such emotions were born out of the loss of his droids, the...death of Racket only serving as a reminder to R4...and Bucket, the loyal astromech and confident B1, who perished horrible deaths beforehand. He wanted to feel bad for them, but he also didnt want it to consume him...
If only his thoughts could control his emotions..
life would be easier, thats for damm sure...
The group gathered around the sludge covered holo table, currently offline, as the New lead Bug, calling itself "Ravascorch" walked in. As Jake peered at the new leader as it walked by it was very obvious that this bug wasnt bred to be leader like the last one, he stood at the same height as the soliders around him, even if the bug tried his best to make his posture taller, and he wore the same armor. Not that Jake cared, made to be leader or not this insect called the shots on this ship, Teesh and Ada seemed to share this feeling as they all fell silent as the bug walked around the table to tap the panals, its dark eyes glancing at the three droids that stood off to the side, the three staring silently, even Rusty, which was a rare sight.
Teeshes tounge flicked for only a moment before he spoke up.
"Ssssssooo bug, whatsss the deal"
Jake and Ada shared a glance as the insect chittered softly.
"Y-yuoo Wents to go...uh....sssuh? NaaeBuoo yes yes?" The bugs were broken and mangled, clearly it wasnt as fluent in common as the other leader.
But its words were clear as day.
It was asking if Jake wanted to go to naboo, and now with the ship he was standing in, one jump to hyperspace is all it would take.....
but....
why...?
...
Jakes eye glazed over in thought as both Teesh and Ada stared at him, the bug waiting with endless patience on the other side of the table.
This is all he wanted right? to go see his family? his birth place... But then again, R4s final immagery, still ingraved in his soul showed everyone related to him, even the brother he never knew he had get wiped like a stain off this plain they call life.
So what was the point of going? to see home? as much as Jake wanted to say that he knew it was dumb, Tac had informed him many times that Naboo was a heavily fortified imperial base now, and the last thing he wanted was loose more....
He sighed...
As if sensing his thoughts Adas body moved an inch back with suprise as her eye read the words he was about to say before he spoke them, Teesh looking down with a similar hint of confusion within his slitted eye.
"No....we wont go to Naboo"
The walk back to Adas ship was silent, as the droids walked behind and the footsteps of the squad was all that Jake could hear. Teesh and Ada shared a nod, neither taking action to talk to the boy just yet. The mustafarians agreed that theyd return home to re stock, and Jake and his friends could go off on their own, and that if they ever needed help the bugs would be their.
Jake didnt think of that though....he had denied the wish he had been reaching for this whole time...
A muscle pulled at the corner of his lips..... A sad smile.
Freedom....Finally
------------------------------------------------------------------LOcatiON Orbiting Tatooine-----------
The wreckage still floats about slowly orbiting the sand planet, chunks of durasteel pieces scatter in the vastness of space....
Gideons ship... its hanger blown beyond recognition as entire ship is nearly blown in half, a closer look revealing the floating corpses of troopers, their faces stuck in terror.
The bridge. The automatic entrance door still sealed as everything slowly hovered around thanks to the hole in the glass, leading into space. gently...a Droidekka leg floats past, thumping into a chair, both items floating off in seperate directions.
Static Rung in Moff gideons ears as his eyes widened watching the Droidekka currently atop him start engulf in flames. In desperation, he grabbed the TK helmet of the dead trooper beside him and slammed it on his head.
B O O M
Then nothing....
Gideon felt...weightless, he breathed labored as his eyes opened, he tightned his fist as he threw off the scarred Droidekka remains...
Dark seared blood float around him globs as he looked at his form, missing his left arm, and chunks of himselfwrigling through the tears in his armor, he wouldve groaned in pain if he had the breath...
Lights...
so bright.....
Gideons eyes closed as his arms could barely move without the assistance of the now shattered bones...
Then...a force of pulling, aching his body as he was dragged into the ship... his mind fading away as the star filled background of space turned to steel, and his back hammered the floor. A figure stood above him, his expersion hiddened by a beaked mask.