Orobos sat in the back of the TIE as Max flew. It was really made for only one person but an extra seat had been added for him. It would have been uncomfortable for a human, but being 2 meters tall meant Orobos was cramped and was hunched low as he cleaned his rifle out for the sixth time, since there wasn't anything else for him to do.

"Whats our target, by the way?" He asked having not being able to attend the briefing. He had just got back from the mission with the squad and had to get some rest. He was only informed a couple of hours ago.

"A small Republic encampment.Just looks like some sympathisers. We, thats us, are to go in and round them up. Then call in a transport that'll fly them back to headquarters for questioning. See? Simple enough for even you to understand." Orobos reached for his Vibro-axe but paused. He wouldn't actually kill one of comrades and he didn't know how to fly anyway.

"Ah! Thats looks like a good place for a landing." max said.

They set down in a clearing in the jungle. Orobos stood out of the TIE relieved that he didn't have to spend another minute in there. He looked around at Max who had un-holstered a DH-17 pistol. Orobos laughed. The tiny pistol wouldn't do anything if any of the Rebels were wearing even the lightest armour.

"How in the name of Mustafar will that help you?!" he laughed.

Max said something about a rifle and a radio but Orobos had been focusing on whistling sound. It seemed to be getting closer. He knew he had heard that sound somewhere before. "Into the trees quick!" shouted Max as a small republic fighter flew over the clearing. Orobos spun on the spot and ran throwing himself on the ground as he reached the cover of the trees. the TIE exploded behind them.

"Look like we'll have to radio a transport now," he said as he looked at the wreckage of the TIE. Max had gone very still and quite.

"The radio..." mumbled Max.

"Yes..?" Orobos said as he scanned the area for any threats.

"I think I left it in the TIE." said Max apologetically.

"Now thats just bloody perfect, isn't it! So now, were stuck on an enemy planet, with no supplies, no craft, and no hope of survival!" shouted Orobos. He was fuming. Spending all that time cramped in the back of a TIE and now being stranded in the middle of supposedly enemy territory. He had left the credits in the TIE too.Max said there was a dock somewhere and began walking in the direction he had indicated.

"Wait," he called after him. "Where are you going?"

"To the dock." responded Max,

"Wait you aren't seriously considering going that way, are you?"

"Yes, I am. Its a ticket home."

"Its a wild goose chase!"

"Do you have a better idea!?" roared Max.


He realised that he was having an argument with possibly his only ally on an alien world and in enemy territory. he stopped shouting and started after Max who had started walking again. there was a rustling in the bushes right beside Max. Max pun around and pointed his blaster at the bush. A Rebel pilot appeared holding a pistol too. He looked around and saw Max and Orobos had their blasters trained on him. He dropped his blaster and took a step back. He looked only to be 17 or 18 years old.

"Not another step," growled Orobos. The Pilot stopped moving at once.

"Were you the one who destroyed the TIE back in the clearing," Max asked the Pilot. He shook his head.

"We could use him to bargain our way out of here if any more rebels show up?" Orobos stated. The Pilot mumbled somhting but Orobos and Max ignored him.

"What about when we get to the dock?" asked Max.

"Then we can dump him somewhere in the forest just outside the dock."

"No that won't work he'll warn others, we'll have to take him with us."

"Fine then but lets just get out of here before any more of them show up or we'll need a capital ship to get them all out of here."

They set of towards the dock at a jog Orobos at point the Pilot in the centre and Max at the rear keeping his blaster trained on the nervous pilot.

Max gave the New Republic pilot a kick in the back. He was slowing them down. Probably giving the patrols time to catch up with them. Max leaned close to the pilots ear and whispered.

  "You better hope no patrols catch us. Because whatever about Orobos up there, my first shot will be into your head." The enemy pilot gulped. He was young, eighteen at the most. "You hear me sonny?" Max whispered again. "Unless you want to end up with a hole in your head!"


  "Alright," screamed the pilot wheeling around. "Enough with the scare-crap!" Max couldn't believe this. This snot-nosed brat who was in fear for his life had just given him and order! Orobos snarled and jumped at the pilot, a quick warning shout of: "Orobos!" stopping him at the last minute.

    Max sucked his teeth, then clacked them against one another. What to do, what to do..... lets try scare tactics again.....

    "Hello? I heard shouting. Lt. Keefran? Is that you?"

    "Oh great," Orobos sighed. "Not another one. Come out here with your hands up!" Silence. "Now!" Orobos shouted, making even Max jump. There was click from behind a group of bushes.

    "Aw, shit!" exclaimed Max, as the enemy laser bolt ripped through the Mangrove trees. Flicking out his pistol, Max let off two shots in quick sucsession, neither finding their mark. Orobos lifted his E-22 to his shoulder and let a burst go. There was a cry of pain from the undergrowth, and then a crumpling noise.

    "Orobos, go get him."

    "Another one? Wait a minute! This guy's already slowing us down, we cant afford any more delays."

    "I don't want to take him with us. Just make sure he's not too badly hurt."

    "And then what? He reports back to camp, tell them there's an Imperial Stormtrooper and an Imperial pilot out there with a hostage. In two hours they could have whole battalions combing this jungle." There was a long silence, broken occasionaly by moans of pain from the wounded soldier.

  "He...." began Max. "He may have supplies. And credits we could use to our advantage. And what if he was on a speeder-bike? We could use that to get to the river." Another pause.
 
  "Okay then," Orobos growled, and trapsed into the bushes. He remerged a few moments later, dragging behind him the barely breathing New Republic soldier. He had been shot in the throat, and blood had gushed all over his uniform, it was on his face and in his spittle. He woke up slightly at the sound of closer voices, before fainting after seeing a Stormtrooper pulling him by the scruff of the neck. Max looked over at the enemy pilot. His face had turned white, his eyes were bulging out of his skull. When he moved his lips first, his voice was so silent max coudn't hear it. But the second time, Max heard.

  "Damrill...." The pilot began to weep silently.

  "You know this guy?" queried Max, and the answer he got sickened him to his stomach.

  "Of course I know him." mumbled the pilot, holding off the tears. "He's my brother." Max stared at Orobos whos expressions had gone meek and humbled. "Its alright Damrill. Its okay. Everything's gonna be fine." He turned to Max and Orobos. "Do you guys have any medi-kits? Bacta, bandages, anything?!" There was a tone of desperation in the young mans voice that got to Max. he turned away from the gruesome scene. It was too awful.
He quickly asked Orobos:

  "You know healing plants when you see them, don't you?" Orobos answered slowly.

    "Yes, I can get a good painkiller if I need it."
 
    "Well, find some then while I cook up some of the food in that guys rucksack." Orobos turned and walked off into the jungle, as Max set up the New Republic soldiers gas-fire. He pulled out a rations tin and began to plop them into a billie-can that the soldier had in there also. it was then he found the two things he needed most. Down at the botton of the bag, Max found two water canteens and a large blanket. He pulled the blanket out and unfolded it, laying it over the now sleeping New Republic soldier. With his vibro-blade that he always carried with him, he cut a few wide strips and began to compress them onto the enemy's wound. The soldier groaned slightly but didn't wake. A few minutes later Orobos retuned with some tree bark, which he said were a very good painkiller. But Max wasn't listening. He felt too hollow on the inside. He removed the compress, ground the bark into a powder with some rocks and placed it on the wound, the compress following. It was getting dark, and movement would be difficult in the jungle during the night. Max looked at the sky, and then at Orobos, who nodded in silent comprehension.

  They ate their food quickly, every few minutes a groan coming from the wounded enemy. Max tried to get snug in the dirt but couldn't. The groans were keeping him awake. It was gonna be a long night......

Orobos watched the night sky slowly grow brighter. It was about three o' clock in the morning. The injured soldier hadn't woken at all but groaned from time to time. Orobos started to nod off so stood up and walked over to Max. He bent down and prodded him awake.

"Uh.. what?" said Max sleepily,

"Your shift I'm afraid,"

"Um.. ok.." Max groaned and stood up stretching,"Anything happen?"

"Nope."

Max walked over to the stump Orobos had been sitting on and sat down. Orobos took of his helmet, his grieves and his boots and lay down. He tossed for a while trying to get comfortable but finding that that was impossible in his armour so settled to lying on his back which was the least un-comfortable position.

Orobos drifted of to sleep and to the familiar dream, "He was in the snow flat on his stomach looking at some fierce white creature in front of him. It hadn't seen him yet. A small axe came whizzing out of the corner of his vision and hit the creature in the back. It let a howl and spun around. Orobos was up and swung at the creature with his Vibro-axe. It ducked but it grazed it's shoulder. With a low threatening growl it swung its arm at Orobos and sent him flying. It stood over him. Just then a black shadow flashed past the creature and there was blood all over Orobos. The creature had fallen backwards and was lying in the snow which was turning red all around it."

He was prodded awake by the young pilot.

"What Orobos," asked coldly,

"The pilot says we've gotta be moving" the rebel responded jerking his finger over his shoulder at Max.

Orobos stood up and put his helmet, boots and grieves back on. He walked over to Max who had just packed up the last of the equipment and was now standing over the injured soldier.

"What will we do about him?" Orobos asked,

"I'm not sure but we can't leave him here or we can't let them go back to the rebels,"

"To true.. but what then?"

It took them a while but they had erected a short stretcher out of branches and the blanket that the soldier had in his backpack. Max and the Pilot carried the man as Orobos led them in front with his blaster. Orobos fell back a bit to talk to Max.

"This is too slow we're going to have to do something about him, at this rate we won't reach the dock until the day after tomorrow,"

"I know but we can't do anything right now so lets keep going."