Brains and Starfell walked through the still burning third floor of the guardhouse and came up to the roof. Widow had her binoculars out and was scanning the rooftops nearby. Brains looked out across the city and took in all the chaos. TIE fighters were swirling around the downtown and taking strafing runs to support the garrison troops still fighting. On the far side of the city, large green bolts from the main turbolasers on Doomhammer were hammering a neighbourhood. The sky around the refinery was buzzing with ships gathering outside the refinery wall and getting ready to start moving cargo.

The group turned behind them as they heard a series of blasts coming from the far side of the refinery. These weren’t random explosions like combat. It was controlled charges.

“Pioneer Battalion.” Starfell said. “They must be taking out portions of the wall to set up a landing area. Seems like the shooting is wrapping up and we’re getting to the boring part.”

Brains started gagging and doubled over.

“What the hell is that smell?”

Starfell laughed. “Bodies and napalm downstairs. Your bucket must have switched back to breathing outside air. Gonna heave?”

Brains dropped to his knees and was gagging with a hand on his throat.

“Keep your bucket on.” Widow said, “It’s still filtered. Pull your bucket off and you’re definitely throwing up.”

“What if he heaves in his bucket?” Starfell asked with a laugh.

Widow dropped to a kneed beside Brains and put a hand on his back. “Breathe, Brains, breathe. Deep breaths and you’ll calm down.”

The corporal’s voice came over the radio. “Starfell, Brains, where is that bridge uplink?”

“Working on it, Boss.” Starfell replied. “Freshie is trying not to lose his lunch. First time getting his hands dirty.”

Starfell looked down at Brains while he was on his knees and gagging. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it and get back to task. Bridge is waiting on us.”

Brains pulled off his helmet. His face was completely pale. His helmet dropped beside him as he lowered to his hands and knees and started heaving.

Widow moved her hand up to the back of his head and did her best to be consoling. “Let it out, Brains. You’ll feel better in minute.”

Brains finished emptying his stomach and started panting to catch his breath. Heavy breathing gave him an occasional gag from the smell of burnt hair and flesh. He lifted himself up to kneeling. Colour was slowly coming back to his face.

“Still a job to do.” Starfell said. “Widow, get back to scanning rooftops. Brains, bridge is waiting.”

“Right,” Brains said, having mostly caught his breath. He stood up and took some steps away from the mess he made on the roof. On the far side of the roof he dropped to a knee and keyboard swung out in front of him from the lower part of the sensor kit on his back. A holodisplay kicked up and he started working away.

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Starfell picked up Brains’ helmet and tossed it over to his feet. “Don’t forget your bucket. We’re plenty exposed up here and one of the locals might get cute.”

The green streaks of the main battery stopped raining on the far side of the city.

“Someone must have surrendered.” Widow said. “We’re secure now?”

“Doubtful.” Starfell replied. “This is rabble, not an organized force. I doubt there’s any chain of command or orders. Stay sharp. I’m heading back downstairs to check in with Boss.”

The next few minutes were dull. Brains worked away at his display and Widow looked through her scope and went from rooftop to rooftop. After a few minutes Boss came up the stairs along with most of Torch Squad.

“Brains, how are we doing?” He asked.

“Almost there, boss. Lots of data routing through and trying to sidestep...”

“Don’t need the technical details. Just keep at in at let me know when it’s all set up. Where’s Flutters?”

“Flutters got called over to where Hammer Squad’s shuttle crashed.” Starfell replied. “I hear they had a hard landing but some are walking. Once Brains is done are we heading back up? Looks real calm out here now.”

“Sorry Starfell,” Boss replied. “All the shuttles are moving cargo. No room for redeploying anyone. And the Major made clear with me that Brains is staying on that rooftop for the entire duration to help run air control. He’s here so we’re here. We’ll likely be the last one’s up.”

“Great.” Widow said. “Patrol duty. How long are we babysitting?”

“Major said 8 or 9 hours.”

The whole unit sighed almost in unison.

“So we just stand around and stare at a gate?” Forty-forty asked.

“The locals may still react.” Starfell said. “We’ll keep it secure and maybe we’ll get lucky with some target practice.”

“May as well get comfy.” Widow said. “Bootstraps, bring any cards?”

“Cards and snacks, as always.” Bootstraps laughed. “We could forage a bit in the houses nearby if we need to. Rations always taste like garbage. Locals probably have some liquor too.”

“Calm down, Bootstraps” Boss replied. “Let’s get everything secure and then start taking shifts watching over everything. Brains, how are you doing?”

“Just finished, Boss. If anything flares up they’ll want me running forward air control but otherwise this thing will run itself from here on it.”

“Great.” Boss replied. “Widow, you stay up here with Brains. Stay sharp. Starfell, Bootstraps, Forty-forty, make sure that gate is good and shut and won’t open for anyone. Samson, go help out Flutters and get him back here as soon as Hammer squad is sorted out.”

Torch squad split up and most of the stormtroopers went down the stairs. Widow pulled out binoculars and started scanning rooftops across the neighbourhood again.

The TIE fighters stopped their circling swarm of the downtown and started flying towards the refinery.

“Things must have calmed down over there.” Widow said. “Brains, get down here. We’ve been standing around exposed too long.”

Brains put his helmet back on and they both laid down on their stomachs near the edge of the roof. Widow had her rifle beside her with her binoculars out. Brains tapped a few buttons on his left wrist panel.

“Feeling yourself again? Gonna throw up?” She asked him.

“Simulations didn’t include the smell.” Brains replied. “Instructors said again and again that combat would be ‘just like the simulations’. Nobody told me about the smell.”

“Nothing is like the simulation” Widow replied. “Got a question for you, Brains. You said you were running navy sensors before this. If you could pass the navy exam, why are you grunting around in armour? Aren’t fleet postings pretty comfortable?”

Brains stopped working for a long pause.

“I was selected because of my ‘exemplary spacial awareness’ but I was looking for a change. I had a nine month tour on a cruiser. Corellian Run patrol. Back and forth. Every day I woke up, went to the same station, stared at the same screen, and scanned the same hyper-points. I went to the same cafeteria after my watch. Ate the same food, heard the same jokes, and went back to the same bed. Nine months. I was just numb and looking for a change.”

Widow laughed. “You don’t look numb now.”