Cody stood back as General Kenobi yanked the door off its track, marveling at the display of sheer power so rare from his General. He knew from many a conversation with Rex that such things were not uncommon to witness under Skywalker’s command, but Kenobi was such a reserved Jedi. He moved carefully, conservatively.
Not no, though. Now, he kicked the last of the debris aside and dropped down into the cell gracefully, forgoing the steps in favor of jumping. Cody followed.
“Obi-Wan, I’d begun to think you’d forgotten about me.” The bright voice of General Quinlan Vos came from the corner of the cell where the General was sprawled casually against the wall, arms lax and hanging from shackles above his head. Despite his easygoing act, he was in bad shape, dried blood and dirt covering much of his face and one leg mangled and held at an odd angle to the rest of his body. He made no move to stand as Kenobi and Cody approached. “And Commander Cody, too. Long time no see.”
Kenobi rolled his eyes, placing a hand on the cuffs and cracking them open. He grabbed General Vos’s wrists and helped him guide them back to his sides, careful not to touch Vos's exposed skin. With the way his clothes were ripped, though, it was a lost cause.
Cody knew of Vos’s psychometry, knew that it was some sort of Force-power that operated on skin contact, but other than that, he wasn’t sure. His Jedi had requested a fresh set of gloves for this mission and insisted that Cody not touch Vos unless absolutely necessary. Cody didn’t need to know more than that.
That didn’t mean he missed the way Vos’s head jerked to the side as soon as the General touched him. “I know,” Kenobi said. “I’m sorry. I did the best I could, but I’m sure they’ve picked up something.”
Vos shook his head, drawing his feet up under him and preparing to stand. “It’s fine. You haven’t found Cryo?”
“No, sir,” Cody answered, stepping back as Kenobi helped Vos to his feet. “But we have reason to believe she’s being held in the level above this one.”
Vos nodded. “I can feel her. Sounds about right.” He tried to take a step toward the door and his bad leg buckled. General Kenobi grabbed him, pulling him to his feet and draping Vos’s arm over his shoulders. “Thanks,” Vos muttered.
“Can you make it all the way to Cryo?” Kenobi asked.
“‘Course I can. Not going to keep my Commander waiting,” Vos said, plastering on another grin and taking a bold step forward. “Onward, Kenobi. Cryo awaits.”
The journey to Cryo’s cell block took much longer than Cody would have liked. Despite Obi-Wan’s assurances that no sweeps would be coming their way any time soon, he couldn’t stop glancing over his shoulder, one hand on his blaster, ready to defend his Jedi and their new companion.
To Vos’s credit, he was making remarkably good time. The hypo the General had stuck him with had brought him around a bit, dispelling the glazed look in his eyes and easing his limp, but he needed medical attention soon. Every few steps was accompanied by a muffled hiss of pain and once or twice they’d had to stop entirely and let the General lean against the wall, hands balled into white-knuckled fists and face pressed into Obi-Wan’s shoulder.
At last, they reached Cell Block 84 and, presumably, Commander Cryo. Cody had met the Commander once or twice, but they weren’t close. Still, she had a reputation as a quick thinker and a level headed leader. To work with Vos, she had to be.
“She’s in there,’ Vos said. “I can feel her.”
Kenobi nodded his agreement and the two Jedi stepped back. His General gestured to the door. “Take it away, Commander.”
“With pleasure, sir.” Cody aimed at the locking mechanism and fired until the noises stopped and the smoke started. Then, for good measure, he threw a few more shots at the joint between the door and the wall. It slid open a few inches with an agonized squeal and Cody grabbed the edge, wrenching it far enough for them to slip through.
He stepped inside and, for one terrifying moment, thought he was too late. A trooper was in there, alright, but she looked awful. The armor she had left was cracked and burnt and she was sprawled face-down on the floor, hands locked behind her back and hair a tangled, bloody mess covering her face. Then, Vos pushed past him, stumbling to her side and kneeling there.
“She’s alive,” he said, and Cody came back to himself, joining his General on the other side of Cryo while Vos flipped her over as gently as possible.
Cody’s vocorder picked up on the hiss of air he let out at the sight of Cryo’s face, prompting his General to put a hand on his shoulder. Cryo had been beaten about the face like Vos and it showed in the swelling around her eyes and mouth, the bruise covering most of her left cheek. Mottled purple and blue and black marks showed on her collar where her blacks slipped down or ripped.
“Ah, shit, Cryo,” Vos muttered, pushing her hair off her face and pressing his fingers to her neck. “Pulse is slow but strong,” he announced. “Breathing is good. Obes, can you take care of the cuffs?”
Cody had to swallow his laugh at the nickname. Obes? Maybe Vos and Kenobi were closer than their previous encounter would suggest.
Kenobi obliges, breaking Cryo’s cuffs and bringing her arms up to a more natural position. “Break in the right wrist,” he said. “Be careful.”
“I’m always careful. Cody, you got any more stims?”
Cody produced one from his belt, handing it to the General. He took it and set it down next to him. “Alright, Cryo,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s see if we can get you conscious before I stab you with this thing.” The General put a hand on her cheek and patted lightly. “Commander,” he called, loud enough that Cody looked back to the door in fear of detection. She didn’t stir. “Come on, Cryo, gimme something. I know you’re in there.” He jostles her shoulder. “Commander, wake up.”
Nothing. Cody shook his head minutely, trying to drive away images of catatonic siblings, Kix tending to them in hopes of them ever waking up. Gone, but still breathing. He can’t watch another sibling die.
Somewhere down the hallway came the sound of droids, clanking joints and nasal voices. “Quinlan, we’ve got to go,” Kenobi urged.
Quinlan sighed. “Sorry, Commander. This is going to hurt.” Then, he plunged the hypo into her neck.
Cryo jackknifed upright with a terrible, rasping breath and began to cough, choking on nothing. General Vos and Cody reached for her at the same time, pulling her upright. Cody pounded her back as she sputtered and gasped and heaved her way back to consciousness, burning with fever and trembling in their arms. She’d need prompt medical care as well.
After a brief, tense moment in which Cody was sure the droids would come running, Cryo relaxed, slumping back against Cody and looking up at Quinlan with bloodshot eyes. “Gen’ral,” she wheezed. “Was beginning to think you forgot about me.” Kenobi snorted a laugh and she frowned. “W’so funny?”
“Nothing,” the General assured her. “Like General, like Commander, that’s all. Now, I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we’ve got to go.”
Out in the hallway, the droids drew closer. Cody could hear them muttering amongst themselves and tripping over things, deceptively deadly for such clumsy machines. He unclipped a light blaster from his belt and handed it to the Commander. “Ready?”
She nodded, sitting up and taking Vos’s offered hands. “As I’ll ever be.” She grunted as Vos pulled her to her feet, falling against the wall for a moment before regaining her balance. Good. They were already half-carrying Vos, they didn’t need another hobbled soldier.
General Kenobi stood with Cody, pulling out his lightsaber and settling into a ready position. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a blaster. Cody’d never seen the General use a ranged weapon before. His eyebrows shot up, but then he handed the blaster to General Vos, who flicked the safety off and set it to ‘kill.’
“Bring it on, clankers,” Vos muttered, bracing himself against the wall. Then, to the group, “Here they come.”
“Hey, what’s this?” one asked. “Looks like the door’s been opened.”
Then, the first droid looked into the cell. “Prisoners!” Obi-Wan activated his lightsaber. “Jedi! I mean, prisoners and Jedi! Blast ‘em!”
Cody, Cryo, and Vos opened fire before the droids could properly react. The first wave fell, and then Obi-Wan leapt out of the cell, swinging his lightsaber in a blur of power. Cody grabbed General Vos around the waist and dragged him out with him, Cryo behind them.
By the time they reached the hallway, Obi-Wan had taken care of the small group of droids, but he didn’t look particularly happy about it. “We’ve got a problem,” he said. “They’ve called for backup.”
“Fantastic,” Cody sighed. “Run?”
“Run.”
Running through a Seppie ship filled with hostiles while dragging two recently-tortured soldiers and trying to fire over his shoulder would go down in history as one of the more nerve-wracking moments of his life. Vos couldn’t make it more than three steps at a time without his knee giving out, Cryo was rapidly losing what little consciousness she’d attained, and Cody and Obi-Wan were quickly falling prey to the mental monster that is stress.
“Hey, Obi?” Vos pants, falling against him and stalling the group as they stumbled around another corner. “How are we getting out of here?”
“We are,” Obi-Wan jammed his lightsaber into the door ahead of them, “improvising. I’ve been told that there are a few small transport ships in the hangar bay nearest to our location.”
“ Fuck,” General Vos intoned passionately, neatly summing up Cody’s feelings on the situation as he blasted a trio of droids making their way down the hallway. Kriffing Jedi aim. It wasn’t fair.
General Kenobi cut one last door open and the four of them tumbled into the hangar bay. For one foolish moment, Cody hoped that they’d be able to find a ship and leave before the worst of the reinforcements arrived.
Then, he saw the battalion of droids waiting, blasters ready.
Cryo skidded to a stop next to Cody and cursed violently. “What now, Generals?”
Vos collapsed against Kenobi’s side, heaving painful-sounding breaths. “Now, we take a moment to mourn a cover identity. Obi-Wan?”
Kenobi reached into his cloak once more, this time drawing out a lightsaber. Vos dropped his blaster and took the saber. The sound of it igniting seemed to be the battle cry, for it was then that the droids descended on them.
Cody didn’t know how many droids he shot, but it was more than he thought he’d be able to manage. As was their style, he and his Jedi plunged themselves into the thick of it, back to back and fighting with all they were worth. Right beside them, Cryo and Vos did the same, Vos and Kenobi staying opposite each other and creating a sort of cocoon of light. Every time a stray blaster bolt made it by one, the other was there to catch it.
Cryo and Cody fired shot after shot, but the droids kept coming. It was only by the mercy of a few Force pushes that they managed to stay alive long enough to realize their doom.
“This isn’t working,” Cryo shouted over the din. “We need to get to a ship.”
“Agreed,” Kenobi said. “Any - ah - any suggestions?”
Suddenly, General Vos stepped away from the group. “Trust me.” Then, he disappeared, slipped away into the thinning crowd of droids.
“Vos! Bantha shit.” Kenobi sent a volley of blaster bolts back at the approaching droids before tapping Cody’s wrist, signalling him to tuck and roll. Cody alerted Cryo and the three of them went tumbling behind a stack of containers.
“Is everyone alright?” Kenobi asked.
“Yes, sir,” Cody said.
“Relatively speaking, yes,” Cryo manages. She’d slumped against the containers, one arm wrapped around her waist and face creased with pain. “How should we proceed, sir?”
“Unfortunately, I trust Quinlan Vos with my life. Whatever he’s got planned will work, we’ve just got to live until then.” Cody’s Jedi pulled his feet back under him, reigniting his saber and fixing a determined expression on his scraped face. “Ready?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Let’s go.”
Cody, Cryo, and their Jedi vaulted over the containers, guns and lightsaber blazing. Cryo was an amazingly good shot, picking off five droids before she hit the ground. Kenobi, for his part, swung his saber in a wide, devastating arc, deactivating half a dozen droids in one go. Cody sprayed fire into the too-tightly-knit group of droids approaching from the left. His legs and lungs burned, but he shoved the pain to the back of his mind, falling back behind Kenobi and into the rhythm of battle. Aim, shoot, dodge. Aim, shoot, dodge. They made little progress.
Suddenly, a trembling roar originating from the far side of the hangar shook the floor, drawing the attention of every droid present.
“Ah, that’ll be Quinlan,” Kenobi remarked. A ship lifted free of its moorings, hovering over the droids before turning their way. “Get down,” Kenobi screamed, and then Cody was picked up and lifted, thrown across the hangar and deposited just this side of gently against the far wall. Cryo landed next to him and their Jedi fell overtop of them both, bracing himself so low to the ground that his forehead touched Cody’s.
Then, the hangar burst into noise and heat. That sneaky bastard had turned the clankers’ own guns against them.
The fire lasted a few seconds at most and then Cody was up again, pulled to his feet by the scruff of his neck like a little lothcat. By then, he was used to being yanked around in high-stress environments. Jedi reaction time and all that.
A transport ship materialized out of the smoke, hovering over them with the ramp down. Cody jumped, tucking and rolling as the General pulled Cryo up with him. The three of them collapsed to the floor as the ramp sealed shut again and the ship rocked, shooting what remained of Cody’s sense of balance dead.
“Obi-Wan, I need you up here,” Vos hollered. Oh, that couldn’t be good. The ship rocked again, this time accompanied by a distinctly explosion-like sound. Cody shot to his feet and followed his General.
In the cockpit, Vos was at the controls while Kenobi manned the guns. He wasn’t looking at the scanners but, then again, he never did. It was a Kenobi thing.
“Quinlan, I can’t hold all of them off,” Obi-Wan warned, shooting furiously at the enemy behind them.
“Give me a second, just give me one more second…”
“ Quinlan….”
Another shot rocked the ship. Vos’s hands flew over the controls, plotting their hyperspace course with a speed Cody’d never seen in a sentient. “Almost, almost, almost…”
Cryo stumbled into the cockpit, leaning against the doorframe and biting her nails as she watched the Generals work.
“Now!” Vos slammed the final lever back and the ship jerked into hyperspace.
Forty-five minutes later found them in the living area of the ship, which had thankfully been equipped with medical supplies and basic amenities. Cryo and Vos had been stabilized and then taken turns in the shower. With at least four more hours in hyperspace until the rendezvous point, it seemed the perfect time to catch some uninterrupted rest. Cryo certainly seemed to think so, passed out as she was on the makeshift cot they’d assembled in the corner.
Cody himself was curled up in the little corner booth, stripped down to his blacks and using an old coat as a pillow. It was cold on the ship, but not unpleasantly so, and the mission had taken it out of him. He drifted in and out of sleep in a pleasant sort of haze, lulled into relaxation by the presence of his Jedi and his sister.
General Kenobi had chosen to meditate on the small couch, feet flat on the floor, eyes closed, back straight, the picture of Jedi serenity. General Vos was, for some reason, not on the couch with him. Instead, he’d chosen to sit at Kenobi’s feet and lean against his leg, arm wrapped around his calf and eyes closed. He looked calmer there, less the ball of frenetic energy Cody knew him to be and more a deep well of energy of the sort Cody’d come to associate with the Jetii.
The events which unfolded before him then seemed deeply private, and Cody was sure that he wouldn’t have been present to see them if either Jedi thought he was awake.
General Kenobi shifted, opening his eyes just enough to glance down at Vos. “Quin, you should come up here and sleep.” He pulled his leg away as if to bring it onto the couch, but Vos held on tighter, wrinkling his nose and making a small nose of displeasure.
He looked up at Kenobi with an intensity that pierced Cody to his core, the kind that spoke of bonds deeper than ‘normal’ people could ever conceive of. “Stay?” His hand closed around Kenobi’s ankle and his temple met his knee, locs spreading over Kenobi’s lap.
General Kenobi smiled softly, threading his fingers into the roots of Quinlan’s hair. “Of course.” They both closed their eyes.
Cody fell asleep shortly after.