A/N:  Wow, this is a long one. It actually started out as my shortest and somehow it became my longest so I decided it was more readable if I split it into two parts. I'll try to have  the second part up soon. Just a heads up, there are some pretty grizzly descriptions of wounds in this one. With that out of the way, please enjoy!

"I'm glad to hear your mission was a success." The jedi, Kenobi, said as he stood in front of you. Clone Force 99 was in the meeting room of a Command Ship to deliver their report and receive their next assignment. "I apologize for calling on you again right after a mission, but this is crucial for our attack on Grievous's blockade of our trade routes."

"Nothing to apologize for, sir." Hunter said. "Just point us in the right direction." Kenobi nodded before pulling up a holomap of a building with a tall structure in the middle of it. Atop it was a massive disk.

"This is a communication tower located on Raxus." Kenobi began. "On its own, it may not seem like much. But every signal we've managed to trace from Grievous was directed through this particular facility."

"That makes sense. It's the closest one to the blockade." Tech said.

"Indeed. Which is why it will be the focus for your mission." The Jedi said.

"Does that mean we get to blow it up?" Wrecker asked excitedly. Kenobi shook his head.

"No. If we outright destroyed the communication tower, Grievous would know immediately and simply reroute his transmissions." He altered the hologram to show the building's schematics and gestured to one of the rooms beneath the disk. "This is the control room where all transmissions from the communication tower are sent. What you need to do is send a transmission from this point to Grievous's blockade, informing him of an incoming attack.

When he receives this transmission, he will divert his forces to intercept. However, our real attack will come from the complete opposite side of the system. By the time he realizes, we should already be in position to divide the blockade."

"But if this tower is run by battle droids, how are we going to send out the transmission?" Wrecker asked.

"I can take care of that." Tech said. "We just need to locate the command droid. If I can hack into it and have it order the droids to send out the transmission, they should obey." Kenobi looked between the members of the Batch.

"I must inform you all that this mission is extremely dangerous. If your positions are compromised, we will be unable to send a rescue party. When you reach the planet, you will be completely on your own." He told them. Hunter nodded.

"We understand, sir." He said as Wrecker let out a laugh and crossed his arms.

"Not like you need to worry about us. We'll take care of it, no problem!" He stated. Kenobi smiled.

"I have full confidence in you." He assured before turning off the holomap and facing the Batch. "We've worked out the position near the facility with the least amount of droid patrols, however it's a day's walk both ways from the communication tower. Make sure you are sufficiently supplied when you set out." Hunter nodded.

"Got it." He said. Kenobi then turned his gentle eyes on you. You could see worry flash in them.

"I understand that you are a volunteer medic. If you go on this mission, you will be putting yourself in a lot of danger. You can stay behind and wait for them on the command ship, if you'd like." He said. You looked at the floor. Part of you was terrified. Maybe staying here was for the best. But if they got hurt, there would be no way for them to get help. If that happened, could you ever forgive yourself?

"I understand that, Master Kenobi, but it wouldn't be the first time I've stuck my neck out. I think I'll go with them." You replied.

"Alright, but you don't set out for another couple hours. If you change your mind, you are free to stay on the command ship." He said before facing the Batch. "May the Force be with you." They all gave him a nod before slipping their helmets on and making their way back to the hangar. As you approached the Marauder, Hunter stopped and turned to face you.

"Look, I know you want to come, but you need to stay here." He said. You froze and eyed him.

"I already made my choice, Hunter." You told him. He shook his head.

"It's far too dangerous. Besides, the trek from the ship to the tower is going to be difficult for us, not to mention you." He said.

"It's not the first time I've traveled on rough terrain. I've always kept up." You replied, growing frustrated.

"It's different. You were travelling with a whole battalion. We're going to need to move fast and... we might not be able to if you..." He seemed to try to pick his wording when Crosshair stepped up, his arms crossed.

"What he's saying is, you'll slow us down." He said. You took a step back at that before sharpening your gaze.

"And what if one of you gets hurt? There'll be no way to get you proper help. You heard Master Kenobi." You replied.

"Yeah, I especially heard the part where he specified how dangerous this mission is." Hunter began. "I'm responsible for your safety. You have to trust me."

"I DO trust you. That's why I'm coming with you guys." You said. Hunter was quiet and Wrecker took the opportunity to step forward.

"She has a point. If we get hurt out there, no one will be able to help us. One bad injury could compromise the whole mission." He said. You looked up at him, a bit surprised that he was standing up for you. "I mean, it's not the first time she's been in the thick of it. Remember the droids on Felucia?"

"That's different, Wrecker. We had no idea a patrol would find the ship." Hunter added and Wrecker shrugged.

"But she handled herself fine, didn't she?" He said. Hunter looked at Crosshair.

"What do you think?" He asked him. The sniper glanced at him.

"As if you have to ask." He said. Hunter turned his attention to Tech.

"You're the deciding vote. What do you say?" He asked. Tech thought for a moment.

"There are good points on both sides." He replied.

"I'm going to need an answer." Hunter said.

"Well, it's true that this is a dangerous mission, but that can be said about any assignment we're given. And if any of us do get injured, it's for the best that there's a medic standing by. If we have to move a little slower, I'd say it's worth it rather than risking the mission due to possible injury." He responded. Hunter let out a sigh before looking back at you. You met his gaze hopefully. Finally, he gave in.

"Alright. Let's get ready for take off." He said. You smiled and gave him a curt nod before you all boarded the ship. As Hunter stepped inside, he turned to Tech.

"Do an evaluation on how much rations we should pack. We don't want to go in without enough, but we still need to travel light." He said.

"Yeah." Crosshair began before looking at you. You could feel his glare from behind his visor. "We don't want any dead weight." You leaned away at his words and looked to the side, Wrecker giving him a shove. You tried not to let whatever Crosshair said get to you, but part of you wondered if he was right.

***

You didn't say much on the way there. Kenobi had sent coordinates for your flight route to Raxus. His ships had initiated a small attack on the blockade, drawing some of the forces away from the planet and allowing the Marauder to slip by unseen. When the ship landed and the ramp opened, you all stepped out. You all had a pack of rations and a sleep roll, though Wrecker offered to carry yours. You now found yourself gazing over Raxus. You were standing in a forest and, through the trees, there were rolling hills and distant mountains. The sun rose behind you, coloring the sky a light blue as fluffy clouds drifted by lazily. Hunter pulled out his holomap and studied it for a while.

"It's a straight shot until we reach the river. When we cross it, we'll have to cut through the mountains. Then it's open fields until we get to the facility. There won't be a lot of cover, so we'll have to wait until nightfall to break in." He explained. "There are droid patrol routes along the way and not all of them are mapped out. We'll have to move cautiously, understood?" Everyone replied with a nod.

"Alright, follow my lead." Hunter said as he started off toward the mountains. You watched after them for a second, gripping the strap of your pack. You couldn't shake the feeling that maybe they were better off with you back on the command ship.

"You okay?" Wrecker's voice brought you back to reality. You looked up at him and forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm alright." You said before following after the others.

"We'll need to stay on the move as much as possible, so we'll only have two meals a day." Tech said as he stepped over a large tree root. "One mid-day, and one at night when we set up camp." Wrecker grumbled at this, ducking under a low hanging branch while Tech continued.

"We're still a few miles from the first droid patrol route, but we should remain on high alert." He said. After that, silence fell over the group. Everyone seemed to be straining their senses to pick up the slightest sign of the enemy. As the minutes became hours, nothing was said. That is, until Hunter held up a hand, his fingers curled into a fist. Everyone stopped as he knelt by the soil. You watched as he examined it.

"What's he doing?" You whispered to Tech.

"Tracking." He replied. "We all have enhanced skills due to our mutations. Wrecker's superhuman strength, Crosshair's sight, my intellect, and Hunter's enhanced senses." You watched as Hunter studied the soil. His eyes had landed on a subtle set of footprints beneath the leaves. Clearly a battle droid had left these. He grabbed some of the soil and brushed it in his fingers. Despite how rich it was, it crumbled easily. It was recently stirred. He looked forward.

"A patrol came through here not long ago." He said. "We should be able to keep going, but they might still be in the area. Keep your feet light."

"Got it." Wrecker said before you continued on. You felt your heart rate increase at the thought of running into battle droids. You scanned the trees for the slightest gleam of metal and strained your ears for so much as the snap of a twig. Before long, you all had finally reached the edge of the forest. You looked ahead at the rolling hills and let out a relieved sigh.

"Finally. Any droids will be a lot easier to spot out here." You said.

"The same for us." Crosshair pointed out as he stepped forward. "If we're going to stop, now is probably the best time."

"I agree. We're going to need to move quickly. It's important we keep up our strength." Tech said. Hunter nodded.

"Alright. Get a bite to eat, everyone. And Crosshair," Hunter began, turning to the sniper. "When we reach the top of the hill, I want you to use your scope to look ahead. See if you can find the best path across the river." Crosshair dipped his head in acknowledgement as you slipped your bag off your shoulders and dug through it. You pulled a ration pack out and tore it open. As you took a bite, you noticed that Wrecker had sat down a few feet away, his back against a sturdy oak. His helmet was at his side as he looked at the sky, taking a chunk out of his own ration pack. You approached him shyly.

"You mind if I sit here?" You asked as he looked up at you. He gave you a smile.

"Not at all." You returned his smile as you positioned yourself next to him. You stared at your ration pack for a second.

"I, uh, wanted to thank you for standing up for me back there." You said. "It means a lot."

"Oh, that? It's nothin'." Wrecker replied, taking another bite of his food. You kept your eyes on your rations. He took notice of your expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked and you shrugged.

"Just not hungry, that's all." You said. He elbowed you gently.

"Come on, somethings eatin' you up." He stated. You rested your arms on your knees and looked up at the clouds.

"I just get the feeling that the others don't believe in me. And sometimes, I wonder if they're right." You said. "I don't have the training you guys do. Maybe I should've stayed behind." Wrecker furrowed his brow.

"Don't say stuff like that. You were assigned to us for a reason, weren't you?"

"Yeah, but what if I slow you guys down?"

"You've been keeping up fine, so far. Besides, it's like Tech said. Having a medic around is worth moving a little slower." Wrecker pointed out. He nodded toward the others. "Trust me, they believe in you. If Hunter wants you to stay behind, it's because he's worried about you."

"But what about Crosshair?" You said. Wrecker finished up the last of his rations before folding his hands behind his head.

"Just give him a while." He answered before looking at you. "Don't work yourself up about it. You're one of us." You smiled again and Wrecker sent one back. He then gestured to your rations.

"Now eat up. We're moving out soon." You looked back at your food and took a bite.

"Thanks, Wrecker."

***

The sun had begun to set as you all dashed quietly over the hills. Every now and then, you had to duck away from probe droids or wait for a patrol to pass by, but you soon heard the sound of rushing water. As you made it to the top of the next hill, your eyes fell on the river. You gnawed at your cheek as you noticed the rushing current. It was clear enough for you to see the jagged rocks beneath the surface. This was the best place Crosshair could find?

"We're clear." Hunter said before leading the way down the hill. When he got to the bank, he was able to get a better assessment of the water's depth. He looked over the group. "It's shallow enough for US to cross but..." He looked at you, everyone else doing the same. You tensed at the sudden focus of attention.

"I'll take care of it." Wrecker promised. "You guys go ahead." Hunter gave him a nod.

"Watch your footing. The current's strong and I doubt those rocks are forgiving." He warned before taking the first step into the water. Tech followed, then Crosshair. You watched nervously as they cut through the water. It came up just above Hunter's center at its deepest.

"Hold on tight." Wrecker said before scooping you up into his arms with a surprised cry. Your cheeks grew warm as he stepped into the water. "Ah, why's it gotta be so cold?" You shyly gripped his shoulders as he moved through the rushing current. You couldn't take your eyes off the sharp stones beneath his feet. It was a good thing his shoes were armored. It felt like forever before you were finally on the other side and you were able to breathe again. He set you down on the grass carefully.

"Th-thank you." You stammered, brushing yourself off. He gave you a nod before you both joined the others. Hunter was examining his holomap.

"We'll be able to set up camp in the mountains. After that, it's nothing but open field." He said before looking up. "Now let's move." You inwardly groaned. You didn't want to show it, but your legs had begun to ache and your feet were sore. Not to mention you were running out of breath faster than normal. You forced yourself to push on as you all made your way to the mountains. The grass slowly grew more sparse and the soil gradually became more solid. The terrain became rocky as you looked at the mountains looming in front of you. They seemed to swallow you alive. The sun was disappearing behind the peaks when Hunter pulled to the side.

"We'll set up camp here." He said. "I'll keep watch until midnight. Then we head for the communication tower." Within the hour, Crosshair was able to get a fire going while Wrecker set up the sleep rolls. By the time you finished your ration pack, your eyelids were heavy and you could barely stand. You slipped into your sleep roll, setting your gaze on the fire. Before long, you were fast asleep. The others were settling down as well, their helmets set aside, when Hunter's eyes perked up. Tech noticed him scanning the area.

"What is it?" He asked. Hunter narrowed his eyes.

"Do you smell that?" He said. The others exchanged a glance.

"Uh, no I don't smell anything." Wrecker answered.

"Well, Wrecker put my sleep roll next to his. Hard to smell anything above that." Crosshair put in.

"I haven't noticed anything." Tech said. Hunter continued to scan the area. There was nothing.

"Forget it. Get some rest." He told them. One by one, they all drifted off until Hunter was on his own. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. It seemed to hang in the air. It was giving him a headache. But whenever he looked around, there was nothing. He drew his knife, casting a glance over the clearing, before examining the blade. It's been a while since he sharpened it.

The cluttering of distant rocks drew his attention and he looked around sharply. Still nothing. But the smell was stronger. He spun the blade into a tight grip. A gentle breeze whistled from behind him and it carried the stench with it, so strong it made his head swim. He whipped around and looked at the rocky rise they'd built their camp against. A massive creature slowly crept over the cliff edge, it's eyes glinting in the moonlight. It was illuminated lightly by the fire. It was canine in appearance, its shoulder easily towering over six feet, and it's hackles were raised along its neck. Hunter's eyes widened as it looked at him and peeled its lips back, revealing rows of sharp teeth in its long muzzle. A low growl rattled from its mouth.

"Everyone! Get up, now!" He shouted, his voice booming off the walls of the mountains and waking the others immediately.

"W-what's going on?" You asked sleepily. But you had your answer as soon as you looked up and you let out a scream.

"Watch out!" Wrecker yelled as he leapt from his sleep roll and jumped in front of you, just as the creature pounced. It's claws shrieked against his shoulder guards as he strained under its weight. You pressed yourself against the rock wall, adrenaline racing through you. He let out a cry as it cut into the gaps of his armor. Crosshair whipped out a blaster and aimed, landing a shot on its forepaw. It roared and turned its attention on him. It launched itself off Wreckers shoulders and collided with the sniper, knocking his blaster away and pinning him to the ground. He threw his arm over his throat just in time to stop its teeth from sinking into it. Tech fired a string of bullets but he couldn't aim for any vital spots. Not while there was a chance of hitting Crosshair.

Hunter took initiative, charging it head on and leaping on its shoulders. He reeled his arm up and plunged his blade into its eye. It screeched and tried to shake him off. Finding his second wind Wrecker ran toward the beast and collided against its side with enough force to knock it off Crosshair, who swiftly grabbed his blaster. It pounced for Wrecker again, but he braced himself. When it landed on him, he was able to hold it at bay, grabbing it with one hand on it's throat and his other arm pressed against its chest.

Taking careful aim, Crosshair raised his blaster and pulled the trigger. It found its mark directly in the creature's good eye. With one last shriek, it went limp and silence once again fell over the camp. Wrecker fought for breath as he stared into the empty pits where its eyes had been. He stepped back and it fell to the ground with a heavy thud. He rocked on his feet, holding one of his arms. Blood was steadily dripping from it.

"Wrecker!" Hunter called as he made his way to his side.

"I'm alright, Sarge." He said. "Just a little cut up." Hunter shook his head.

"Sit down. You need medical attention, now." Hunter looked up at you, but you were still pressed against the wall, shaking with your eyes glued on the creature. Hunter approached you and gripped your shoulders.

"Hey, come on." He said, soft but stern. "Snap out of it. Wrecker needs your help." You blinked a few times and looked at him. Finally, the terror in your eyes faded.

"Y-yeah, I'm on it." You said, your voice breaking. You grabbed your bag and made your way toward Wrecker. When you saw the state he was in, your mind cleared immediately. You made quick work of pulling off the armor on his arms and chest. You could clearly see deep claw marks in both arms where there had been gaps in his armor. Blood steadily ran from them, soaking his blacks.

"Oh, Wrecker, I'm sorry." You said as you began to clean his wounds. He laughed at this.

"About what?"

"That creature was going for me and you took the hit." You replied. He shrugged and smiled.

"I've been hurt worse than this." He said, pausing to wince as you pressed a cloth against one of the injuries." This won't slow me down."

"When you are done patching up Wrecker, Crosshair also needs some attention." Tech said from the other side of the camp.

"It's just one wound. I'll survive." Crosshair protested, crossing his arms.

"I wouldn't recommend that. Animal bites have a high chance of getting infected. Especially the bite of the Raxus DeerHound." Tech said as he looked over his datapad. "Interesting fact about the Raxus DeerHound. They are known to grow up to fifteen feet in length and weigh up to-"

"Ugh." Wrecker sighed as Tech continued. You laughed to yourself as you began to wrap bandages over his cuts. Soon, you tied up the last one and got to your feet. You were about to walk toward Crosshair when you turned to face him.

"Thanks, Wrecker. If it hadn't been for you, I would probably be dead." You said. He waved a hand at you.

"We've all got each other's back. Like I said, you're one of us."