Mira's P.O.V.

I hope Master Gallia's okay.

Mira ignited her lightsaber, glancing over at Rain. Rain wasn't looking at her. In fact, it had been a long time since Rain had looked her in the eye or talked to her. Rain hadn't seemed herself since the battle on Kamino. She had become quiet and withdrawn, even strangely compliant. Of course, Mira was glad that Rain no longer had to be called before the Council for misdemeanours, but she found she was missing who her sister used to be more and more.

"Stay close to me," Master Plo Koon instructed, his lightsaber at the ready, "We're going to make straight for the bridge. That's where they'll have Adi."

They were preparing to board a Separatist ship in an attempt to rescue Master Adi Gallia, who had been captured by General Grievous and his fleet on a return voyage to Coruscant.

The clones took up their positions behind the three Jedi, and the doors to the docking bay opened. They were immediately greeted by blaster fire, which the clones returned. Droidekas, super droids, and B1s stood lined up across the entrance.

This isn't going to be easy.

Mira followed in Master Koon's wake as he fought his way forward step by step, his lightsaber swinging in quick succession through forms four and five. Rain extended her hand, tapping into the force and smashing the droidekas into the super droids, taking out a large number of them simultaneously. Master Koon took the opportunity to surge forward and cut down the remaining droids. As the last B1 toppled to the ground, Plo turned to Rain.

"Good work, padawan Callyn," he said, "Perhaps if we can free Master Gallia and work together, we will be able to corner and capture Grievous."

"You're changing the plan, sir?" Commander Wolffe asked.

"Yes," Plo confirmed, "We're going to capture this ship. Commander, I want you to split your battalion into three groups. We can cover more ground that way. The Callyn twins will each lead one group, and you'll come with me, Commander. We'll head for the bridge while the padawans root out the other droids on the ship. We'll regroup here afterward. Let's go!"

The 104th battalion divided themselves into three equal parties before heading off with their respective leader.

"Good luck!" Mira called after her sister.

Rain just nodded in return. Mira led her group away in the opposite direction, following several long twisting corridors until they ran into a unit of super droids. The droids seemed to have anticipated them because they were quick to attack.

Our movement is probably being tracked. I hope Master Koon can get to the bridge soon.

"Fall back and take cover!" Mira shouted.

The clones complied, scurrying back the way they'd come and turning a corner they'd passed through earlier. They lined up against the wall, blasters at the ready. The heavy clanking of the slowly pursuing super droids filled the hall, ringing in Mira's ears.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Can't they walk more quietly?

As soon as the super droids stepped into view, the clones peppered them with blaster fire, felling them one by one. Mira stepped forward, sighing at the sight of the droids piled on top of each other.

These battle droids are never very smart, are they?

Her comlink beeped and she answered it.

"Master Koon, is Master Gallia free?"

"Yes. We're preparing to regroup at the docking bay."

"I'll be right there."

Mira tried to call Rain on her wrist-com but she was greeted by the sound of silence. She shrugged it off, assuming it had gotten damaged in battle.

She and her group returned to the docking bay to find that Master Koon and Master Gallia were already there. They were accompanied by an astromech and a gold-colored protocol droid that was rambling on and on about miniature people. Mira wondered if perhaps the droid needed maintenance.

"General Grievous has fled, sir," one clone addressed Master Koon, "The ship is ours."

"Good. Where is young Rain?"

"I don't think her comlink is working, Master," Mira spoke up, "Let me go find her."

"Very well. Contact us as soon as you find her. Shall we head to the bridge, Master Gallia?"

Mira broke off from the others, heading in the direction Rain had gone earlier. After a minute, she noticed footsteps following her and she spun around to see Commander Wolffe.

"Commander?" she said, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"Begging your pardon, miss, but I didn't think it would be good for you to go alone, just in case, you know? Also, I wanted to get away from that babbling protocol droid."

Mira laughed, letting the Commander fall into step beside her, "Where did those two come from anyway?"

Wolffe shrugged, "Who knows? They said they were Republic droids that had been travelling with Master Gallia when her cruiser came under attack. I'd say it was lucky for them that they ended up here."

The two of them wound their way down corridor after corridor until they reached the main ship hangar. There were several abandoned fighters there.

"Doesn't look like there's anyone here," Wolffe remarked.

Mira crossed the hangar, then stopped dead in her tracks. At her feet, obscured from view by a fighter only a few moments prior, was Rain's entire unit lying dead. Wolffe gasped in horror, tearing off his helmet and rushing to the side of one immobile trooper. He checked his pulse before racing to the next clone.

"Grievous must have done this," Mira said, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, "But where's Rain? Do you think...she might have been captured?"

Wolffe didn't answer right away, still weaving his way through the corpses of his fellow clones. As he checked yet again for a pulse, he stiffened and gestured excitedly for Mira. She ran over, kneeling next to the trooper.

"He's alive," Wolffe said, "He'll need medical attention."

Mira nodded in agreement, moving to help Wolffe lift the man off the floor. Suddenly the trooper's eyes snapped open and he coughed violently.

"Easy, soldier," Wolffe said, "Can you tell us where you're wounded?"

The clone blinked at his commanding officer a few times before recognition dawned in his eyes.

"Commander!" he said hoarsely, "We almost had Grievous! We got between him and his ship and we surrounded him. We thought we'd won for sure."

"What happened?" Mira asked.

The trooper stifled another cough before turning bewildered and sad eyes on the girl.

"Your sister...she turned on us. She killed all her own men and fled with Grievous."

Mira stared at him.

"No, that's not right," she protested.

"I saw it with my own eyes."

"You're wrong!" Mira shouted, leaping to her feet, "This is a mistake! Rain would never join the Separatists!"

Wolffe met her gaze and she turned away, feeling confused. The sudden glint of metal caught her eye and she looked up to see the hilt of a lightsaber lying a few feet away. She went over and picked it up. It was Rain's, there was no mistaking it. She gripped it tightly, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

Why would Rain do something like this?