AN: Throwback to the original Mothma! :D I'm trying to get back into writing regularly...so hopefully this is good. 

Cassian hit the metal flooring of the ship, causing a loud thump. Talia hurriedly got out of her chair and knelt down next to him, cringing as pain shot up her hurt leg. She pushed it aside for a moment and checked for a pulse. She couldn't find a pulse in his neck, so she checked his wrist. Barely...but he's alive.

Talia grabbed onto the pilot's chair and hoisted herself up. She put on the communications headset and pushed a few buttons to open the line. Her brown eyes glanced down at the helpless rebel in worry. Why did he have to be so stubborn? He knew he was injured...yet he still went along with the mission. I don't know if that's dedication, or just foolishness. Either way, the mission was a success. She thought he would be proud at the accomplishment. "This is Captain Andor's copilot. He's fainted from overexertion, and I need assistance."

One of the pilots responded immediately, "Guide the ship in after us. We'll get him help as soon as we land." He ended the transmission to send another out to the base for medical assistance.

The ship jerked out of hyperspace and stopped before a planet covered in different hues of greens and browns. Clouds swirled over the atmosphere and revealed hints of blues that could've been considered oceans or seas. The X-Wings steadily flew down to the right, following the flight path to the base.

A rough excitement built up in her system. Being at an official Rebel base for the first time seemed exhilarating. All those people, the work, the mission...they were building a better future for the children of today. Talia couldn't think of anything more noble. The aircrafts flew over the lush green forest and grassy terrain of Dantooine.

Then, there it was.

A giant wall surrounded the exterior of the base and formed a square with rounded corners. The main building sat directly in the middle of the base, and a large hangar attached to it. Other hangars were scattered around along the other corners of the field alongside the watchtowers. Other buildings were scattered around, for what Talia could only assume as housing and storage.

The team landed in the main hangar, setting all the ships down carefully without hitting any pilots at work. The hangar was large on the inside as well, and some rather tattered-looking ships sat along the wall. Newer fighter ships were brought to the front, ready to go in case of an attack. Pilots, mechanics, and more busy bodies scurried around the hangar at work, until they noticed the new X-Wings file in.

Talia let out a short breath, a tinge of a smile playing on her lips. I'm here. I'm actually here... Her bright emotions faded away once she attempted to stand. Pain surged through her leg, causing her to wince and quickly grab a hold of the pilot's chair. Her free hand pushed a few buttons on the console, allowing the freighter door to open.

Rebels of all race types piled into the ship. Dressellians, Shistavanens, Bothans, Sullustans, Iakarus, Lasats, and Sabats, and more were seen among the crowd of many faces. Some helped heave Captain Andor to medbay. Others held cleaning supplies, ready to clean up the blood and grime that was left behind. Talia motioned for aid, and two rebels stepped forward. A blue male Twi'lek grabbed one arm and put it over his shoulder, while a female human did so on the other side.

Talia's heart ached when she saw the Twi'lek. She hadn't seen one in forever, not since... A thought sprang up in her mind as they exited the ship, and she quickly spoke up, "I need you two to guide me to medbay. I have to close my eyes."

"Ma'am?" The Twi'lek questioned in confusion. He turned his head slightly to look at her, but saw the resolution on her expression. She wasn't going to change her mind.

"I'm a spy, and am currently following Captain Andor's orders. I can't see anything other than the hangar and medbay. This is for everyone's protection." Captain Andor wanted it to remain a secret, then let it be. Talia thought to herself. It was the only thing she could give to him right now in exchange for saving her life. She closed her brown eyes and let the other two lead the way.

The girl holding her declared in a rough voice, "I appreciate your dedication."

Dedication to the Rebellion was all Talia had left in the universe, and from the looks of it, it seemed Captain Andor was stuck in the same situation. Talia sighed internally and listened in on her environment. Rebels rushed in and out of corridors. Some talked about the new X-Wings. Others whispered to each other, and only the whistling of their words could be heard. Footsteps, droids whirring, engines starting up, it all clouded her mind to the point where she couldn't focus on just one thing.

Soon, the two rebels encountered a door and passed through it. The large door shut behind them, silencing the noise coming from the outside. A whole new fiasco started. Talia opened her eyes when the rebels set her onto a bed and glimpsed around.

Doctors swarmed around Captain Andor in an attempt to stop the bleeding and patch him up to the best of their ability. Their hands were already stained in blood, whether it was from handling his clothes, or his wounds.

A doctor that was on standby greeted Talia and treated her wound. The doctor was quiet for a long moment, his green eyes fixated on the wrappings. He slowly spoke up after glancing up at her a few times, "Thank you for saving Captain Andor."

"You're welcome, but it wasn't like that. He saved me," Talia replied softly, her eyes fixated on nothing in particular. She sighed and felt a panging erupt in the back of her skull, as if the bombs of battle were still booming around her. Cassian didn't have to come back for her, yet he risked his life to do it. She hissed in pain when the doctor moved her leg a certain way and closed her eyes to get her mind onto something else.

If only it were that simple.

She lay there for an hour before the other doctors were finished operating on Cassian. Meanwhile, other wounded soldiers came in one at a time, fresh off of the battlefield. Blood soon covered the floor, and cries of agony filled the room.

Talia stood up and rested up against the wall. She motioned to a doctor that the bed was free, and after a bit of disagreement, the doctor helped a wounded soldier claim the bed. Talia put her weight on her good leg and grimaced at the slight pain rising from her wound. A whoosh sound came from the hospital's door closing, and her brown eyes flickered up to it.

Standing there in the doorway was none other than Senator Mon Mothma herself.

She was just as Talia recalled. Thin and gracious in the way she carried herself. Same short red hair, soft blue eyes, and the small frown that settled on her lips. Talia couldn't remember if she had ever seen her smile before. Mothma glimpsed around the room at all of the wounded soldiers, a look of guilt and sadness slowly overcoming her features. When her eyes landed on Talia, she calmly strolled over. "I did not believe General Draven's quick report when you were mentioned to be in battle, yet here you are."

Talia straightened her posture, as much as her pained leg would let her, and smiled softly at the senator. "Captain Andor was wounded, ma'am. I couldn't let him leave Kuat alone."

A little hint of surprise sprinkled into the senator's expression, but she tried to play it off. "I always appreciate rebels who are willing to back each other when in need. Thank you for aiding Captain Andor. If he's told you his real name, he must trust you." Mon Mothma glanced over at the bed the spy had given up, and motioned to it, "You have a big heart as well, Ms. Revik."

Talia nodded a bit and softened her voice, "The wounded need it more than I do." She glanced over at the door as a man stepped in. Once he saw the senator, he stepped aside and waited. Talia held out her hand for a hand shake and declared, "Thank you for recruiting me into the Rebellion, Senator Mothma. I've been thankful every day since..." she trailed off, pushing memories from that fateful day out of her mind. The death, the pain, the cries of agony and heartbreak, it seemed like it could've happened yesterday. Talia shook herself out of it and continued, "I hope my contributions have been helpful."

The senator took Talia's hand and shook it, but softly set her other hand on top of it, much like Talia's mother used to. "Your contributions have certainly aided many rebels. You—as are all rebels out in the field— are crucial to this operation. You are so much more than just a spy. You build the foundation of which hope is built on." Mothma glanced over at the door to see General Draven becoming quickly impatient. "I must go. I will send a pilot to transport you home after Captain Antilles debriefs you. Thank you for your bravery out in the field."

The Senator left the room in a calm manner, despite all the wounds, death, and destruction. I wonder what it's like to carry such a heavy weight on her shoulders. The whole Rebellion is on the verge of failure, yet she remains so graceful. I wouldn't be able to do that. Talia massaged the back of her aching neck and sighed to herself. Butterflies swam around in her stomach, and for a moment, she felt light. She helped save the day, saw Mon Mothma once again, and helped save lives. Is this how all rebels feel?

She spotted a chair in the corner and pulled it out, about to drag it next to Cassian's bed until Captain Antilles came into the room aiding a wounded man. Talia pushed the chair closer to them, knowing there were no more beds for the man to lay on. Antilles set the soldier in the chair carefully; the soldier yelped out, but quickly muffled it to keep from waking any of the sleeping rebels. A nurse entered the room right away and assisted him.

Captain Antilles stepped aside and thanked Talia for helping. She nodded quietly, a small smile playing on her lips. Finally seeing the good she was doing really made an impact. Antilles ran a hand through his sweaty hair to smooth it over and huffed before chuckling to himself. "We really proved the Empire wrong this time."

Talia set a hand on a bed frame to keep herself balanced as she replied, "The soldiers are much more organized than I thought."

"Senators Organa and Mothma instill it in our minds that organization is our top priority. Without it, we're just going to get ourselves killed..." he trailed off for a brief moment. "I don't know where we would be without those two women. They're fierce and strong in their own ways."

A female senator Organa? I really need to catch up on my senators...

Antilles dug in his pocket and handed Talia a holochip. "Incom left this for us. There's something on it Captain Andor is going to want to see."

"I'll make sure to give it to him then." Talia glanced at the holochip before shoving it in her pocket. "Thank you for coming in at the last second. We wouldn't have made it out of there without you and the rest of the battalion."

"I would have been up to my neck with guilt if I hadn't. We have to stick together." The wounded soldier he had aided stood up and complained about needing to go back to his quarters. Antilles watched him leave, muttered something under his breath, and turned towards the door to go after him. He stopped for a quick second and turned his head back to side-glance at Talia. "Thank you for helping Captain Andor."

"You're welcome." Talia smiled softly and watched him leave. Her smile faded and she glanced away from the door. She pulled the empty chair up to Cassian's bed and sat down, relieving the strain on her wounded leg.

Medbay quieted down after a while and most of the patients had either fallen asleep, or fainted from shock. A few groans of pain rose up here and there as some mumbled in their sleep, but other than that, all that could be heard was all of the soft breathing and the beeps of the medical machines. The floors had been mopped and sanitized from all the blood that had once been there. The robot nurses and other staff had stepped out for a bit to regain their sanity. No more soldiers entered or passed through the medical center.

They must've taken the others to another facility. Talia thought to herself. She stretched out her good leg and leaned back in the chair in an attempt to get comfortable. Talia let out a deep breath and turned her tired eyes to Cassian.

Cassian Andor's chest rose and fell steadily. His eyes looked back and forth underneath his eyelids, and his eyebrows twitched from time-to-time. Blood bled through the white makeshift hospital shirt they had put on him. Talia watched his wound, but only a few more drops bled through until it stopped altogether.

Talia put the blanket up further on Cassian to keep him warm and returned to resting. Her eyes drooped every few minutes, but she could never fully fall into a slumber. Someone would cough and it sounded like the boom of a cannon blast. A bed scraping against the floor imitated a TIE fighter flying through the air. A groan turned into a scream or a death cry. She pushed herself to stay up and count the tiles on the floor, or even work out her cover story.

A few minutes turned into a few hours. The whole concept of not being able to explore the rebel base tortured her down to her core, for her childish wonder stuck with her. This was where the magic happened. This was where the best of the best stayed and made plans to destroy the Empire. Mon Mothma and other senators that were rumored to be with the Rebellion rendezvoused here at times. All of them at one place! Imagine that. There were even talks about some hotshot young senator that had different ideals than the rest of the mindless lot.

Talia restlessly sighed and set her head on an empty space of Cassian's bed. It was best not to go against Captain Andor's judgment only because he was right. Her future was unpredictable and it was best to play it safe. Otherwise, she'd be out the door and exploring.

The nurses came back in to check on the patients one by one. Vitals were okay, but some extra services were required for some wounds. Once all was well, they finally made it over to the Captain. His wound got fresh cloth and bandages. He didn't wake up a bit. He was out like a light.

This is probably the first real rest he's gotten in a while... Talia's lips formed into a tight line as she sat up right. She glanced up to see a rebel pilot walk into the room and motion for her to join him out in the hall. Talia set her hand on Cassian's arm gently and wished him farewell in her mind before setting off with the pilot, eyes closed all the way to the hangar.