This chapter is dedicated to a reader who's been with me from the beginning: The_Grey_Jedi1/ARC2407Zach Thank you, Zach.
Fire rained down around them, chaos surrounding them in the form of a hail of stun shots.
"Sir, we're surrounded." Viper's raspy voice crackled over their helmet comms. "I'm pinned down and the twins both have been immobilized." Cav muted herself long enough to swear. She popped her head up over the low wall her and Whiteout were leaned against.
Yeah, there was no way they could win this.
Cavalry sighed and keyed into her controls of the training room to shut down the simulation and release anyone who had been shot from their frozen armor. She removed her helmet and marched into a debriefing room off to the side, keying to upload the data of the latest failure into her datapad before turning over her shoulder to take in her also helmet-less squad.
Cav pushed herself upright. "Right. Go grab some water we'll start again soon." She dismissed her team. Making little headway, Fives had pushed some paper around and gotten them a longer break... and a trip back to Kamino to work on their 'cohesion issues.' Which left them here. Running sim after sim without a single true win.
The results of a couple simulations had been insightful, to say the least. Viper begrudgingly followed orders when given, but was the first to give up when it got hard. She could work with that, at least. And Whiteout was a literal gift from the force itself, trusting her tactics and rallying Viper to have a little faith too.
This was workable, if not for the other two members.
Now, on paper and on their own judgement, Bait and Lure made a good team. A great team, even, fighting out of many tough spots back to back with wonderful efficiency. In some ways, it reminded her of herself and Neon when they were cadets, giving her a lot of unexpected heartache as she saw the ghost of her old ori'vode in even more of her daily life.
The twins could get out of just about every scrape they got in. However, ninety-five percent of the scrapes they got in could have been avoided by miles if they Just. Followed. Orders.
The first time around, preferably.
"I'm just saying, unofficially, this squad should be ran by the person with the most individual skill." Bait complained loudly as they all drank from their pouches of water.
"Watch yourself, Bait." Whiteout warned. "Mutiny is a good way to run laps."
Cav had only had them run laps once before, when, once again, her relayed orders had been all but ignored and left Whiteout stranded after he was the only one that obeyed. The others were all captured in record time shortly thereafter.
"Like you'd have to do them anyways. It's clear you're her favorite." Lure spat. Of the two, Lure was more tolerable than Bait, and was capable of listening once in a blue moon.
"I get no special treatment. I follow orders and don't get in trouble." Whiteout said cooly.
"Pfft. Who's gonna get us in trouble? Miss Captain's Favorite over there?" Bait curled his lip up at her. "The one who got him hurt so badly he's in physical therapy to regain use of his hands, and was only kept from being terminated at General Skywalker's insistence that he was still useful?"
Cav couldn't suppress a flinch. Bait noticed and pounced on her.
"You couldn't 'lead' yourself out of a paper bag, let alone command a squad. Any of us would do so much better than you." He was on his feet now, bending down slightly to get in her face. Ah. So that was it.
He wanted to take her place. Not only do that, but even try to embarrass her in the process.
"You want my job?" She asked quietly, not letting him fluster her. "Ok then. How about a wager?" Cavalry met his eyes, her face an even mask of stone.
"Sarg..." White began worriedly. Cav held up a hand, not breaking eye contact with Bait. Viper seemed to finally be a little interested on what was going on.
"A sparring match after third meal. Fists only, stripped down to blacks. No time limit, just you and me until one of us taps out or is unable to continue. If I win, you have to follow my orders without question for the rest of our time here on Kamino." Bait gave her a critical look.
"And if I win?"
Cavalry took a deep breath. "Then I will differ to you as head of this squad. You'll be the Sargent in everything but actual title."
There was a heavy silence. Bait had a glint in his eyes. "You're on, Sargent." He gave her a mocking salute.
"Dismissed. All of you." Cavalry barked sharply. Bait and Lure laughed and left. Viper gave her a considering look, then followed them out without a word.
Whiteout grabbed her by the arm before she could follow. "Cavalry this is bad." He whispered urgently.
"I don't ask much of you, Whiteout. Just have some faith in me." Cav firmly pulled his hand off of her, stepping out of his space and turning to face him. He shook his head, flicking blond hair out of his ruby eyes.
"Sir, that's not what I mean. What you suggested is highly illegal. Court marshaling level illegal. And Viper recorded you saying it. He's gonna turn it into the higher ups the second it doesn't look good." He said urgently.
"Ok."
"Ok?" Whiteout boarder line yelped. "Sarg, this dangerous."
"It's only illegal if I actually transfer command, White. Something I have no plans on doing." Cav gave him a flinty smile. "Like I said before, have faith in me." She left him standing there dumbfounded and headed back to her quarters to prep for her match against Bait. Third meal was a ways away but she ate a ration bar anyways, just to make sure she had a little in her system but not enough to throw up if she overdid it.
She headed to the specially padded rooms set aside for cadets to spar in. Whiteout was waiting for her outside.
"Bait's already in and ready." He said quietly. "No turning back if you go in."
Cavalry gave him a look. "There was no going back the moment I proposed the wager." She corrected him. "No sense backing down now. That's what he wants."
With that she pushed open the doors and readied herself for a sparring match that could mean the end of her life as she knew it.