[right][h3]Corte II
Grolsk Reserve[/h3][/right][hr]

Corte Adala slid down a snowbank and into a shallow trench, blaster fire on her heels. She waited a moment, exhaling delicately. Her breath formed a cloud in the cool, still air. 

After several seconds, each of which felt like a minute or more, Vash crested the bank and slid down to meet her. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief. That had been close. They’d traded fire with no less than a platoon of snowtroopers on the ridge. They’d made them pay in blood as they advanced, but there was no stopping the advance—that is, until one of the troopers tripped a landmine. They’d run for it as soon as the snowtroopers scattered at the explosion, holding their breath and hoping beyond hope that the stray blaster fire wouldn't catch them in the back.

The two of them had made it. Private Josko Bravic had not.

Corte motioned for Vash to keep watch, and the Falleen kept his carbine trained on the crest of the snowbank. Corte brought her wrist up to speak into the comm.

“Glaato, you still there?” 

“Still here, Lieutenant,” the sergeant replied. “Are you almost here?”

“Got pinned down, lost a man on the way.” Corte leaned against the wall of the trench, catching her breath. “We have new orders. Screen is falling back to the rally point. We’re a click from you, I think,” she said, scoping out their surroundings, trying to remember where along the trenches she and Vash were, “I don’t think we can make it over to you. Too hot. Fall back to the rally, we’ll meet you.” 

“Understood. Be safe out there.”

“You too, Sergeant. Out,” Corte replied, and the comm went silent. “Rally is a click away,” she said, hefting her rifle, “give or take a few meters.” 

They followed the trench until they found a tree. They went up, over and around, concealing themselves from the watchful eyes of any pursuers. Corte crouched at the edge of the brush and scanned their rear through a pair of macrobinoculars, but there were no snowtroopers to be seen. They were clear, for the moment. They trekked on, staying low.