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kalevalakryze · 6 months ago

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Yhe'na Det Och'sa Chapter 7: Mi K’ya Ke Omaki

Summary:

"Would you die for me?"

"No. I would live for you."

Golly Gee Willikers, guys, it's been a minute. I have been Going Through It™ these last few months, but thanks to our wonderful and amazing Gabi ( @somewillwin) and all my lovely internet people in the Shin Tano discord, I've finally managed to get some time to work on another chapter! There's still so much more to go, and so much more to cover, so sit tight, and please continue having patience with me through these next few months especially. Shin is also going through it... and Ahsoka,,, and- yeah, everyone is going through it. and don't forget! ALL ART USED IN THIS SERIES AND CHAPTER IS BY SOMEWILLWIN ON TUMBLR/TWITTER | SOMEWILLLOSE ON INSTAGRAM. Make sure we give credit where it is due, and if you share art, make sure the love goes to Gabi because she really is keeping this whole thing going! WARNING: chapter imagery contains blood. The chapter contains descriptions of injury and suicidal ideation, and I feel like the influence of the dark side can count as a warning as well. Continue at your own risk. AO3 Link: Here!

“Ahsoka!” Kaeden protested for what had to be the hundredth time since they received the comm. “Do you really think there’s time to drop us off when we know where Shin’s at?”

“I am not risking your lives,” Ahsoka repeated like a broken record, fingers curled tight around the yoke of the ship's controls as anxiety pulled her muscles tight. She was no stranger to the way fear could manipulate decisions, no stranger to the dangers that lurked behind every choice made, and yet… with her world on the line once again, she found difficulty in arranging her thoughts, found discomfort in the age-old mantra of letting go.

“Commander, you can’t be serious,” Rex was strapped solidly in his seat, fingers pressing into the armrests to keep himself steady through flying that could only be taught by General Skywalker, passed on so similarly in his Padawan, weaving them through space until they could reach the closest discreet jump point in the system.

“I’m not discussing this with you!”

There was a time, long ago during the Clone Wars, when Rex had to face the reality of a Togruta’s predatory behavior when Fives got hurt and a fourteen-year-old had bowed over his prone form and bared her teeth at any medic that tried to get too close, wouldn’t move an inch until it was Kix slowly kneeling at his vod’s side.

He was reminded now of this instance, in the growl that rumbled in the woman’s chest and the way full lips had pulled back, sharp fangs protruding threateningly as she dared a fiery look back at the two humans, a warning echoed deep in their bones in the way artificial lights glinted off of passive blue orbs, almost making it look as if yellow were seeping into her irises with a toxic sludge.

There was a click, then the sound of seatbelts retracting into their holders as Kaeden unbuckled, feet unsteady against the ground as Ahsoka neared the safest hyperspace lane. “Ahsoka-“ It was a valiant effort to try and calm the frenzied Force-Sensitive, though it didn’t seem to have much of an effect.

“You weren’t there,” Ahsoka hissed. “You didn’t feel it,” her facial markings were scrunched, and Huyang was almost sure that the woman was going to destroy her steering console if she didn’t lighten the hold.

“What didn’t we feel, ‘Soka?” Kaeden pressed, hand still pressed against the taut muscle of her bicep, her other hand moving to cover her hands on the yoke.

“She died , Kaeden. And I just don’t have what we need on the ship to handle that. I can’t trust anyone else to get the space ready, that’s why I need you two to go,” She deflated with this admission.

Ahsoka had felt the deaths of thousands of Jedi at once, had felt her aliit killed in battle, and had come to terms with the death of her own Master and Grand Master once their presences had closed off to her. For Shin? It was almost like their presence revealed itself, only to torture Ahsoka with the feeling of it being ripped from the world.

There had been so much fear in the way it had bounced like bait on a string, when she’d meditated, the Force held no answers, no whispers of what could be done, or how she could get there faster. It had stayed torturously silent until the bond had strengthened, soured by darkness and the thick fog of their presence being so weak, unable to truly commit to a bond that stretched across systems when it hadn’t even seemed to want to stay tethered to the physical realm.

Kaeden had already secured an Alliance frigate to wait on Dac for them, and in the quiet that had followed Ahsoka’s confession, the medic had taken a moment, either to alert them to an earlier arrival before Shin was rescued or to step away and breathe through the sting in her eyes, unwilling to lay any more stress on Ahsoka’s shoulders.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence, save for Huyang’s mumbling of different coordinates or whatever they were apparently passing, along with, as they passed their clearance code to the spaceport closest to the medical frigatem randomized facts about Dac’s history and environment thanks to the Mon Calamari.

“Commander,” Rex began as they gathered near the shuttle doors. Before Ahsoka could correct him, she found that strong arms were wrapping around her midsection. She’d grown taller than him over the years… but it was nice to be able to drop her head into the familiar plastoid on his shoulder and squeeze him in her arms, knowing that despite everything, he was with her. “Bring the kid home, alright?”

Swelled with emotion, the Togruta only nodded as they parted. Kaeden stepped up next, as Rex slipped into the frigate, the medic moved to grab at Ahsoka’s face, thumbs brushing over the markings on her cheeks as the Force-Sensitive woman pressed into her. “Don’t forget, we need you to come home too,” She reminded gently, with a parting kiss to the crown of her head. Before Kaeden could depart, she paused in the doorway. “Bring our girl back,”

“ I will. ”

Jestfad was a mess, harder to navigate than some warzones, and drenched in the dark side. The electrical storm was threatening to short the entire ship, even Huyang's power cells found issues with the charge in the air, eyes flickering ominously as he did his best to keep himself and the ship moving as Ahsoka kept them free of direct strikes.

Worry was heavy in Ahsoka’s bones, urging her focus to remain only on getting through the storm. They just had to make it a little bit longer…

They broke through the worst of the storm, headlights cutting like a sharp blade through the thick fog that settled across the surface, beams swaying as they looked for anything that resembled a humanoid, coming up with boundless sights of storm-torn boulders and the like.

Shin would have been impossible to see if it hadn't been for the exactness of the coordinates that had been sent over the Fulcrum network, their small frame curled up under a stone monolith that absorbed lightning and kept her mostly safe; safer than Ahsoka was, open like prey waiting to be attacked. "Keep us in the air, we need to get out of here," She instructed, already making a mad dash for the door as they closed in on her position.

"I have a bad feeling about this!" Huyang called as Ahsoka dropped the ramp and readied the stairs to give her a boost in sliding down to the surface.

"All you need to feel right now is urgency, Huyang!" Ahsoka snipped from the open door, squinting as a bolt of lightning cut through her eyesight of Shin. The force swelled with a helpful exigency and her montrals rang with the aftershocks of the sharp crack of lightning further damaging their surroundings. "Now!"

The steps smoothed out immediately to send Ahsoka careening to the rocky surface of the planet hard . She had to hit the ground running to avoid the lightning that threatened to turn her to ash, but keeping herself moving after catching the state shin was in was another challenge in itself.

They were shaking from where their body curled in so tight, with how they sat with their hands folded in their lap, Ahsoka could make out the unnatural twists and angles their fingers made, and the gaping wounds that morbidly decorated their palms. Large chunks of skin were missing from her hands, barely scabbed over lacerations striping painfully across her fingers and knuckles racing almost halfway up her forearm. Blood soaked through the clothes they'd been taken in, blues and grays ruined with the dark, rust-colored evidence of the worst.

"Shin!" Ahsoka shouted over the storm, moving faster than she should have; Silver-blue eyes were half-glazed, jumping to her with absolute fear , unseeing and unregistering of the reality of Ahsoka’s presence.

"I'm sorry," The child had sobbed once Ahsoka grew near, montrals twitching at the rattle in their chest and the lethargy sinking into their being. Broken fingers flexed around nothing, and fear oozed from their being at a rate almost as concerning as all the blood.

All Ahsoka could offer to comfort them was her presence as she dropped to Shin’s side, ginger in the way she approached them and in the waves of pain that radiated off of them and into the very fibers of their bond. The wail of pain from them was agony in her head, one Ahsoka would not be quick to forget as she gathered her lanky kid up into her arms. "I know, I know-” As much as her heart ached to soothe Shin’s worries, to promise they had nothing to be sorry for, she had to be their Master more than their mother if she wanted any hope of getting them off that blasted moon.

Shin was light, physically at least, though she sunk into Ahsoka’s arms with the weight of a zillobeast, feverish forehead dropping against her lek as hot tears streaked down their face. “ Didn’t say anything ,” Shin rasped at last, voice all but a wheeze. “ They don’t know, ” The rattling in their chest seemed to shake their entire being, “I swear, m.. Ahsoka… please,” They couldn’t bring themselves to call her mom , not when the Inquisitor’s cutting remarks went far beyond their flesh.

Ahsoka paused, a strike of lightning caught the monolith, illuminating Shin’s face and the blood that stained sickly skin. “ Oh , Tazi Unt,” she wanted to cry, tell Shin that everything would be alright, and make everything all right. But the longer they stayed, the more dangerous it became both for her resilience in the force, and their physical wellbeing, and with each passing moment, the weaker Shin seemed to get.

The run back to the ship was harder, the storm grew stronger with every passing minute, and the shuttle was beginning to attract attention that they couldn't afford. "Huyang! We need to move, fast!" She shouted the minute her foot touched the durasteel ramp, muscles burning as Shin writhed in her arms uncomfortably, reaching but unable to truly hold onto the woman’s lek for comfort, failing to tether themselves into reality as their feverish state glazed over their eyes.

The ramp raised behind her as she all but flew into the cockpit, setting Shin down in the knick of time; A bolt struck the hull of the ship, and the next thing she knew, they were diving towards the ashen ground, plummeting to their deaths in seconds; Ahsoka had slammed into the pilots seat to grab at the controls, eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching ground, slamming her free hand into every available control around her, with the painful clicking of Huyang's haywire systems trying to reboot with such an intense electronic disturbance.

Faintly, she could hear Shin's erratic breaths, fighting to suck in wails to prove they were fine, even as fear flowed into their bond from the woman who just didn't have time to block it. They were trying to pull on the safety belts around them as their fate loomed ever closer, unable to even hook the straps into whatever was left of their hands, instead only able to watch and prepare themselves for the crash.

The underbelly of the shuttle scraped painfully against the planet as the power came back on, allowing Ahsoka's next hard yank at the controls to pull them up, and a well timed opening of the throttle to push them just out of the way of the next bolt of lightning that surely would have killed them.

Huyang clicked back to life with a start; the palm of his hand switching to the hyperdrive, engaging it quickly, with their emergency jump points already queued up for a speedy escape; Ahsoka didn't dare a look behind her, to the injured girl fighting to stay in their seat, shattered hands trying in vain to find some form of a handhold against the turbulence, only earning more bruises from the painful jostling in the seat as they fought to maintain stability in their lane.

Eventually, the ship steadied, and Ahsoka was able to take her attention away from the control panels at last, autopilot engaging with just a few buttons to maintain the course, listening to the broken gasps as Huyang knelt before Shin’s seat, and the sickening sound of bones being pulled into place along the splints. She couldn’t watch, but she couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, either.

“You’re okay, Tazi Unt , you’re alright,” She repeated those words like a mantra, even when the brunette’s head turned to bury into her stomach, attempting to spare themselves the sight that lay before them. “You’re doing so good,” She’d promised, cupping the back of the girl’s head with her hand, wincing at the indents and scabs along their scalp that felt too much like another being’s fingernails.

Their hands were in such disarray, tendons and bone made themselves known, ripping through pal, bloodied skin, and Huyang had to scramble to catch up and get some form of control in straightening them out. But to prevent further injury was to bring more pain, and in bringing her more pain, Ahsoka was stuck with their cries echoing in her head, and the way their small frame had shaken so violently in the chair.

When Shin’s cries of pain quieted and turned into something more haunting; whimpers and sucked in breaths, turning to silence aside from the absolute worse, Ahsoka knew they couldn’t continue. “Huyang, we don’t have anything to help, we can’t do this,” She croaked, hands hovering over Shin’s shoulders, unsure of whether or not she should soothe, or aid.

Somewhere, long ago, far away on a battlefield surrounded by men who looked the same, Ahsoka could hear the echos of her own voice, younger, back then, with the shrapnel from an IED tearing through sepia-colored skin- “Let me die-” The fourteen-year-old had begged as a Clone’s steady hand pulled everything from metal to bone shards from her skin.

“Let me die… Please.” The twelve-year-old sobbed into Ahsoka’s stomach, surely unaware of what they were asking for, unaware of everything but the way their bones cracked under Huyang’s fingers as he tried to reset the placement. “Huyang,” Ahsoka pleaded, voice thick with unshed emotion. “Stop.”

“Lady Tano, she needs medical attention, and you’ve dispatched our only medic-”

“Call her, then, please… Anything but this,”

With hyperspace came silence, and with the silence of the ship around them came the sound of Ahsoka’s own heart thudding in her chest, and an airy rattling that couldn’t have come from the ship- Shin’s chest rose and fell, yes, though it was rapid and unsteady, they couldn’t draw in enough oxygen and-

“Ahsoka? Did you get her?” Kaeden’s voice came from the small comm disc in Huyang’s hand, the sound of materials being moved around following her words.

“Kaeden, she can’t breathe,” The Togruta rushed, oxygen entering her lungs for the first time since Huyang stopped his relentless first aid, warm fingers pressed against their pulse point, the rhythm weak against her fingers, eyes blinking open slowly to watch as her mother’s eyes jumped around their face, to watch Huyang, as if Kaeden could slip from the comm to help, and makers, what she wouldn’t give for that right now.

“It’s okay, Ahsoka-” There was a small clatter on the other end. “In your cabin, I left a bag. There’s an oxygen canister and everything you should need-”

Shin tried to focus, really she did. But Kaeden’s voice sounded like it was coming from far underwater, and the persistent lingering feeling of drowning stayed clogged in lungs that struggled to fill with enough oxygen. “ Meht ?” Shin called, her voice crackling under a wheeze. Huyang’s fingers around their wrist stopped the child from reaching out as Ahsoka pulled away from them. Why was she leaving them? She didn’t talk… “Meht, please-” Their voice came in a broken sob, lungs constricting as they tried in vain to rise past Huyang. The Inquisitor was right, and Ahsoka never considered them hers and-

There was just no more energy left to cry, no water left to sustain the tears that contorted their bruised and bloody face as a high, broken sound leaked past split lips, aching with the sorrows no one their age should have known. “She will be back, young Tano,” Huyang tried to ease them as he wound a strip of gauze across their hands, the rich smell of bacta stinging her nose even after the worst was covered. “Here she comes-” His voice couldn’t go as soft as he was trying to portray, the distortion felt like an out-of-body experience as he leaned back, away from Shin-

“ Please ,” Again, they keened, unable to turn their head to catch Ahsoka juggling items back through the door, only the heart-sinking sight of even Huyang moving away from her. “ I didn’t say anything, please ,” She couldn’t sob, could only crackle out against blood-stained lips and try to plead her case, to beg for their forgiveness and only hope to be accepted.

The hand that cradled the side of their head had been startling- Black gloves shoving into brunette tangles, gathering them up in strong hands to twist, and pull, or to hold a flailing body under the surface until the fight had left it, only to use the handhold to drag them up and force air back into their lungs. She did not notice the warmth or the way Ahsoka had jumped back twice as much, how every ounce of progress they’d made in getting Shin to accept her safety had been extinguished like a campfire on Kamino.

“No,” Ahsoka listened with pursed lips and the beast of grief heavy in her heart. “Let me die,” Shin’s hands raised, broken fingers useless in their attempt to curl into a fist to protect their face, blind to the broken horror on Ahsoka’s face as the girl shrank away from her in fear, expecting Ahsoka to hurt them.

“Shin!” It was Kaeden’s voice on the comm this time, hazy and alternating the line between reality and delirium. “Right here, okay, just listen to me, alright? Just breathe,” She spoke slow enough to earn her their attention but was unable to aid in calming the way they sucked in air too fast.

“Can’t-”

“It’s okay, baby, your mom is going to help you, okay? She’s right there, she’s right next to you, okay?” The medic couldn’t see, the comm wasn’t equipped for video imaging, but she trusted, maybe even in the Force, that Ahsoka was right where she promised. “ ‘soka, do you know how to set that up?”

“Yeah, yes, I got it-” Keeping her voice level was a lesson she’d learned long ago; it helped her brothers feel more at peace, whether they’d died on the battlefield, or in the relative comfort of the medical wings as long as she didn’t allow her own fear to waver in her voice. “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere. I won’t leave you… Not this time, never again…”

Quiet reassurances were passed between mother and daughter as thin tubing was carefully laid out, looping behind their ears before the cannulas were placed at their nose. “Your mom is going to help you breathe, alright, just let the air in. Ahsoka, when she’s ready, turn the knob on the canister forty-five degrees counter-clockwise.”

Shin coughed and sputtered at the oxygen pushing into her lungs, lidded eyes flying open to the sight of Ahsoka trying to adjust the tubing, aching to touch them but unwilling to brush against their skin again, lest she be the reason they went back again. “You’re alright, Tazi Unt ,” She cooed, settling herself into a kneeling position at their side,two fingers pressing gently against the center of their chest, listening as their breathing struggled to even out while feeling for the rest of the damage that tore through their small frame, hidden beneath their ill-fitting tunic.

“You’re doing so good, baby girl,” Kaeden called, easing Shin into finding some sort of compliance, relieving their struggle against the aid offered.

“Ahsoka, I need you to keep listening to their breathing, have Huyang take over the controls for a bit,” Huyang’s eyes met Ahsoka’s and without a word, the droid rose to his feet, sliding into Ahsoka’s chair and adjusting everything to himself as he brought their course up on a map, taking them out of autopilot so he could work around through the different shortcuts the Rebellion had found.

“Meht?” Shin was blinking up at her, bleary-eyed and beaten down, shoulders shaking with the looming threat of freezing cold water, long dried, but sticking far beyond their skin brought an intense chill. “I swear…” They coughed, a thick and sickly sounding thing as they struggled to allow the oxygen to help them breathe.

“I believe you,” Ahsoka promised, fingers hovering where they wanted so badly to reassure them through touch again. “No one blames you, strong girl. We only want to help it stop hurting, but… we won’t be able to do anything more until we get to Kaeden, okay…?”

The hypospray was in her pocket, she knew she needed to help Shin to sleep, but it was wrong to do such a thing, to even suggest it after all they’d been through, knowing that any kind of a needle brought into the mix wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near them-

“Please… hurts.” They croaked, closing the distance between their feverish forehead and Ahsoka’s hovering hand of their own accord, seeking comfort in the way Ahsoka’s thumb brushed across the old and ruined paint across their cheeks. Offering her permission to touch them once again. “I don’t want… “ They paused, unsure in their delirious request. The Force answered for her, instead of pain or chains, the child’s request came in the phantom feeling of arms wound against her. “It’s okay, Tazi Unt… I can do that for you, anything you need.” She promised gently, using the aid of the Force to help adjust their position in the chair, keeping their hands steady through the Force until she could slide herself in beneath them, their weight resting fully against her chest as the seat creaked under their combined weight.

Shin’s head tucked into Ahsoka’s neck, though the woman had to loosely wrap her fingers around their wrists to keep them still, their resistance weak as they struggled against the urge to reach for her mother’s lek. Their erratic breathing slowed once their weight was settled, allowing Ahsoka’s mind to drift away from the weight of the sedative stashed in her pockets,

“Ahsoka?” Kaeden’s voice on the comm reminded the Togruta of her virtual presence. “I know it’s calm now… but I need you to keep an eye on Shin’s breathing, even the slightest change and we’ll need to adjust our entire approach.”

“I… She’s as steady as she can be, right now,” Their heart still thundered in their chest, pulse thrumming wildly against the pads of Ahsoka’s thumbs where they pressed into the point on her wrist, feeling the broken rise and fall of their chest as the girl fought to retain every lesson they’d ever been given on easing that pain into the force where it could dissipate.

“Did you use..?”

“No… I don’t think I can…” Ahsoka’s eyes slid shut in reverence, lips pulling into a frown as Shin’s weight twitched against her. All she’d wanted was to have them back in her arms, but now, with their breath coming in broken puffs against her chest, all she found that she wanted was some way to relieve them from their pain. “ I’m sorry, ” Her nose brushed against the veritable womp-rat’s nest of their head, nose crinkling at how wrong Shin smelled when iron, dirt, and grease hung on them like a thick smog.

“She’s going to be alright, Ahsoka. You found her, she’s safe . Huyang will get you guys back here, and we can treat them properly… we’ll make this work.”

Ahsoka’s sound of discontent is trapped between her teeth as she worries a fang into her bottom lip. Kaeden spoke, but Fulcrum did not listen, focused entirely on the whistling in Shin’s lungs as exhaustion pulled their consciousness under, the hiss of the oxygen pushing into their nose through the cannulas the only other sound she could find it in her to care about.

“Ahsoka…?” Kaeden called, though Ahsoka could not gauge how much time had passed, wild eyes filled with worry and tunneled on the small human form curled into her chest. “Hey, you still with me?”

“Yeah…” Her voice croaked, hoarse as the hailstorm of emotion that refused to bleed into the force dragged down on each syllable.

“Shut your eyes a bit- I’ll keep my ears out if Shin moves, okay? And Huyang will wake you up- Right Huyang?” She called towards the droid piloting the ship, satisfied with the sound of his servos whirring as his head nodded in the affirmative, even if she couldn’t see him; they’d always had an understanding when it came to their two Fulcrum agents.

Emotions swirled inside Ahsoka’s chest, dark and rotting- She breathed through it, always had, and always would- Shin was safe . Shin needed her at her best… It was logic she could get behind, the logic that she could rationalize as the days' worth of sleep deprivation caught up with her. An exhale, and the rot subsided, blooming into something lighter , even if the roots were tainted in toxic sludge.

A dark covered hand reached out for their face, this time, Shin did not flinch away in fear, to their horror, they found their cheek pressing into morbid fingers, something sinful on their tongue as fingers dragged through their hair. “You’re more like me than you want to admit.” The Monster breathed, putrid breath ghosting across their cheeks, filling poison in their lungs.

Fingers curled in their hair, tugging harshly as the child’s head was wrenched back. “Show me.” Shin heard their own voice rasp out, and felt the words betray her on her own lips. “ Teach me .”

A flash of orange, green dust caught in the wind, something… purple-

Their eyes opened in a flash, breathing stuttering as their heart thundered. Restraints dug into her skin, something beeped nearby. Unable to gather the strength to look, Shin’s eyes slammed shut tight. But Ahsoka came… She was supposed to be safe!

Testing at her restraints, she found that the Inquisitor hadn’t locked their wrists to the chair. Broken fingers protested at the movement, though they persisted, moving to rub the snot on their nose away on their forearm- The tubes near their face gave them pause and their next inhale was thick with growing emotion. What were they doing to her now? Was that green dust something else to make her talk…? She was so tired… Why didn’t they just kill her already?Her pinkie curled around a tube, it hurt, but she couldn’t just lay there while they pumped her full of… whatever this was. “Please… Just let me die.” They croaked in a broken whisper, pulling in vein at the tubes that looped back behind her ears.

“Shin…? Sweetheart is that you?”

Her voice was warm, drowsiness dragged her voice an octave deeper- a naive part of Shin had always loved it when Kaeden would tell her stories in her sleepy voice.

“Meht…” Broken and tired, Shin’s head relaxed back into the warm flesh of Ahsoka’s shoulder, eyes cracking open enough at last to peer up at the once familiar lights and panels all across the ceiling. “They won’t let me die…”

“No… We aren’t going to let you die, d'bhem. ” A whine formed in the base of Shin’s throat, a sound as broken and desolate as they looked outside. Something clattered on Kaeden’s end, though Shin could not speculate when the predator under her shifted her weight, a sleepy grumble that came in the form of a rumbling chest and a squeeze of her arms reminded the girl of her situation.

“If I’m not going to die..” Shin dared a look at her hands, finding immediate regret in the way bile, nothing but stomach acid, gurgled up their throat, threatening to expel past their lips at the sight before them. Swallowing thickly, Shin focused instead on the ceiling once more, breathing heavily through her nose, silently thankful for the support they were given. “I can’t be a Jedi… Not like this… I’m ruined.” They whispered, tension leaving their body as they went boneless in warm, restricting arms. “ She isn’t going to want me around anymore.”

“That’s not true. It’ll never be true. We want you, we want you with us all the time, sweetheart… and we will make it better…” A pause, someone’s voice called out on Kaeden’s side. “What’s that thing Ahsoka’s always saying? Do or do not…?”

“There is no try,” Shin’s cheek pressed into Ahsoka’s bicep, freezing body seeking to find some warmth in their mother’s unnatural body heat. There was an uncomfortable shifting as the child wiggled, struggling to raise their head enough to take in Ahsoka’s face for what felt like the first time.

Dark bags hung under the Togruta’s eyes, stress lines etched into the creases of her face, and even her facial markings seemed to be permanently scrunched up as she failed to find relaxation in a fitful slumber. “...Is she okay?”

A pause, the clatter of Kaeden setting something down as she took a measured breath. “She’s just worried about you, Tazi grut .”

Shin’s breathing stuttered again, throat itching with a cough they were unwilling to release, not wanting to risk waking Ahsoka up after causing her so much strife. “ I’m sorry, I never meant to wo-”

“Babygirl,” Kaeden cut her off effectively, “When you love someone, you’re always going to worry. Even Huyang can’t turn that one off.”

“Oh…” Shin’s chin tucked into her chest bashfully. “Did… Did I worry you…?”

Warm laughter bubbled from the line, tight with the stressors depressing on this brief moment of reprieve. “Very, very , much. But I’ll see you very soon, and I’m going to be here the whole way, I’m not going anywhere, so don’t you go where I can’t follow.” Her plea was hidden in false merriment, although Shin could hear it clear as day. “Do you think you can try getting some more sleep for me? I’m not sure how much further you have to go…”

Shin could see the way Huyang’s metallic fingers flexed against the controls- Tried not to think about curling their own fingers, or the way her own were broken in a similar fashion. “Can I take this off…?” Their forearm brushed against the tubing that crossed along her cheek.

“Sorry, baby… Not just yet,” And maybe it was the genuine sympathy in the woman’s voice, or maybe it was exhaustion threatening to take them back that had Shin’s arm dropping, broken hands resting over Ahsoka’s gauntlets, smearing blood across the material as they pressed into the familiar garment.

“Okay… You’ll be here when…?” Shin wouldn’t dare to finish, unsure what would be waiting for them, if this was another hallucination, or if the Force would be relenting enough to allow this moment to be real, even if she could feel the way her life threatened to slip through her own mangled fingers.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, my little hunter.”

Silence followed, the ship rattled, Shin’s broken breathing accentuated by the whisper of snores sneaking past Ahsoka’s lips. “Hey Huyang…?” Their voice was timid where it broke the tense tranquility. “Can you tell me about the Purgill again…?”

The droid cleared his nonexistent throat, clearly glad to be doing something other than bringing further harm to Shin or piloting through the emptiness of hyperspace. “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away…”

The proximity alarms blared; doing nothing to ease the swirling pit of anxiety in Rex’s stomach, fingers flexing around the handles of his blasters as they watched the ship pop out of hyperspace, peering through thick transparisteel as he may have all those years ago, once again waiting for Ahsoka return with someone he cared for.. “It’s okay, Rex, we’re safe-” Kaeden’s voice was gentle, pulling him from his thoughts, away from the memories of fallen brothers and Jetti that had been brought home in starships just like the T-6.

Brown eyes looked at her with a pain built upon years of fighting that she could barely begin to understand. “T-6 one-niner-seven-four you are clear to land,” Kaeden could hear the flight crew through the shuttle’s speakers echoing through her comm.

The silence was thick, both humans could feel their hearts thundering in their ears, neither daring to break the silence until purposeful footsteps rang through the hall leading to the operating room. “Fulcrum, we can prep her sooner if you-” Kaeden could only imagine the look on Ahsoka’s face as the voice froze in its tracks. The doors hissed open, revealing Ahsoka, with her lips still curled and fangs bared in a warning, with something that screamed danger lurking in the flecks of yellow that seemed to poison her irises, and with a lump of human in her arms, all awkward angles and dried blood. She needed something to hold onto- to ground herself. Thankfully, Rex’s arm was in reach. Her fingers curled around the ancient plastoid, feeling the soldier’s hand reach to grab her elbow, taking the same support being given as they leaned on each other. She took a breath, letting her eyes slide shut as Ahsoka’s long strides closed the distance. She couldn’t look at this personally, couldn’t look at the fractured bundle in Ahsoka’s arms as Shin. “Kaeden.” Ahsoka’s voice cracked. She’d hoped in vain that the crackling in their earlier conversation was due to the comms, had hoped she wouldn’t have to hear the ache in each syllable. She released her hold on Rex, straightening up as she reached for the bundle in Ahsoka’s arms. “I’ll take them from here, Ahsoka.” Her voice wavered, forcing her to clear her throat as the bundle was passed into her arms. She couldn’t tell who was trembling more, Ahsoka, Shin, or herself? She’d caught a glance at the pre-teen's face, all pale skin and a multitude of bruises, pounding on that invisible barrier she’d stuffed her emotions behind.

“Come on, Commander. Kid’s in good hands.” Rex’s voice was rough as he reached for Ahsoka, grabbing her elbow and expertly ignoring the way she mirrored the deadly Akul from her planet, saw past the twinge in her jaw that threatened teeth that itched to tear into his flesh, muscles that spasmed, taut and ready to spring into action for even the notion that he would take her away from her own.

With Rex and Ahsoka retreating, the small team of trusted medics finally felt safe enough to step in, careful hands helping as the woman laid Shin out against the operating table. They were no strangers to the cruelties of the Empire, not at this point, not when the Empire grew bolder in their blatant disrespect for all life.

“Careful.” She hissed, just under her breath as a faceless attendant slid the fabric shears through the ruined tunic, all careful stitching and loving repairs forgotten in favor of granting them access to the battlefield painted against a child's skin. “Oh, makers. ” Kaeden paused, her head snapping to the side, bile rising in her throat- she stumbled back, and felt another medic place their hands on her back, steadying her when the sight became overwhelming

“If it’s too much, we understand-”

“I’m fine.” The woman spoke all too quickly. “Continue prepping her, Jlik’fi, help me scrub in, please.”

Rex learned all too well than when it came to his General, it was better to let him pace when Ahsoka was stuck in the sick bay. Letting the Knight wear holes in his boots and only interfering when gloves hands would reach to pull at his hair or hint at some form of danger- some way to let the worry out that would leave the maintenance squad trying to fix the dents. Thankfully, Ahsoka didn’t have hair to pull on as she stalked the length of the small quarters he’d been ushered into, and as wild as she was when she was a kid, she’d never been big on the violent outbursts..

She did, however, have dried blood coating her skin, blood that wasn’t hers , blood that should have been safely flowing through her padawans’ veins, not painting her skin in all its horror.

Blunt nails scraped at her arms, flecking rust-colored remnants away and leaving white scratches in their wake. “Commander,” Rex heaved a great sigh as he stood. Ahsoka sure wasn’t a youngling anymore, and the Togruta had outgrown him tenfold, all broad shoulders and lean muscle, montrals sprouting like a crown from the sides of her head. He’d never been scared of her before, but there was something… off. Something that screamed danger, just like Anakin, a red flag that no one knew to catch onto. “Ahsoka.” He repeated for what had to have been the hundredth time, trying to get the Force-Sensitive to acknowledge his existence before she worried a hole into her lip, where fangs indented the skin of her lip, threatening to break the skin.

“She’s in there with the best of the best-“

“What if it’s not enough?” She hissed, voice dropping, weighted down by that ache that went deeper than her bones, the pain that seemed to permeate her being in the very force.

Rex blinked, a slow, contemplative expression furrowing his features as he reached to scratch his fingers through his beard. Ahsoka was always a woman of action , she didn’t get caught up in the ‘what-ifs’.

“We have to let her try, though. All we can do right now is make sure, when Shin wakes up, that we’re here, right where she needs us.” He reasoned, scooting himself to sit on the edge of his seat, fingers curling around the edge of the table he’d sat himself at. “C’mon, kid. Sit with an old man.”

“I’m older than you.” She lacked the emotion, the impish look that would cross their faces when they teased each other about age, but it was a start .

“Well, only one of us can get the senior citizen discount at forty-twos.”

“Rex, it’s literally a clone bar, built by your brothers.” Her pacing came to an end as she slid bonelessly into the seat opposite him. Trembling fingers came to rest on the tabletop, though he was quick to cover her hands with his own, hiding the dried blood that clung to her skin under the guise of squeezing her hands in his own.

“Yeah well… meli-room, meel-roo-un.” A smile cracked his lips as he shook his head, playfully dismissive of her argument. “Now c’mon. What’s that thing you Jetti are obsessed with? Meditation?”

“ You want to meditate ?” Fulcrum asked incredulously, the facial markings above her eyes furrowing in disbelief as he shrugged.

“Give it a shot before you carve a hole into the floor…” he just didn’t want to watch her lose herself, didn’t want to watch her plummet the same way Anakin had after she’d left. He could never help but feel like there was more he could have done, and when it came to his vod’ika , he was determined to do all in his power to never feel that strange, encompassing guilt once more.

“Alright… alright.” She slipped her hand from his in order to rub at the side of her montral, surely aching from the intense stress of the day.

Rex couldn’t help how closely he paid attention to the way the gold-flecked in her eyes lessened with her agreement, how her eyes slid shut but her chest still rose and fell too fast to achieve a proper meditation. He found his own worry easing now that the gnawing unknown fled from his vod’ika, leaving her as she was- exhausted and sick with worry, but Ahsoka all the same.

With a quiet groan, the clone rose from his seat, putting himself on the floor right beside her, legs folded beneath him with his head leaning against her knee, one hand resting against her ankle as he lent her his strength.

The Togruta’s hand dropped from the tabletop, curling against the plastoid armor at his shoulder before dropping to his chest plate, following a grove left from a battle she could hardly remember.

Rex’s breathing became more pronounced, giving her something to follow as her fingertips rested over his heart.

Eventually, her own breathing evened out, the Togruta seemed to slip back, away from the immediate stressors of reality as she dipped into the vast pool of life that was the Force, surely seeking answers or calm beyond what a mere mortal could ever provide.

“We’ll be okay, commander.” He grumbled, voice barely breaking the white noise of the air recyclers humming in the walls.

Rex didn’t know how long it took, or how much time had passed before one of Kaeden’s medics poked their head into the room, rousing both Clone War survivors from their separate stupors. He did know, however, that when he looked at Ahsoka, the gold in her eyes was gone, and that worrying gnawing on his heart had subsided as she rose from her seat to follow them back to the room aboard the frigate.

Kaeden looked as exhausted as everyone felt, all but collapsed into a chair at Shin’s bedside in the frigid room. Warmed blankets covered the frail body in bed, with a skinny wrist poking beneath the covers, tubes, and wires going this way, and that while medical equipment and droids beeped a symphony of life around them.

Warm brown fingers curled around Shin’s wrist, just above the length of bandages that curled around the girl's hands and up her wrists, grounding herself to the steady thrumming of blood in her veins as she waited.

“Kaeden,” Ahsoka greeted in a whisper, eyes taking over the room. The rest of the medical team had filed out on Kaeden’s request, leaving the family with much-needed silence.

“She’s okay.” Kaeden rasped, thumb brushing against the small patch of unmarred skin beneath her fingers.

Ahsoka crowded her field of vision when she knelt before her, taking her attention with soft eyes and kind fingers tapping against her chin. The question was silent, passed between the two women with a glance. “I’m okay,” she promised, free hand reaching to wrap around Ahsoka’s wrist, thumb pressing into the pulse point in a gentle swipe. “Get your girl.”

With permission, Ahsoka finally allowed herself to take in the sight of the child- her child as they laid out before her. Her hair was cut and shaved in a patchwork where the team had needed to handle the injuries that had danced across the delicate surface of her head. Stitches and bandages broke up the expanse of pale skin and bruises on their path to disappear beneath the thin shirt provided. Even in sleep, Shin’s face was contorted in pain, nose wrinkled at the smell of bacta across her bruises that permeated even her medically aided dreams, with small twitches and spasms firing through various muscles as the haze of sedatives wore down.

“ Oh, Shin. ” Ahsoka whispered, taking her place at her Padawan’s side, reaching out to ghost her fingers along the mess of bandages, careful to avoid the wires that let the humans hear the unstable thrum of her heart, to know that she was alive, to promise that she was there , with them, when the minuscule rise and fall of her chest failed to ease their concerns.

Ahsoka’s very bones seemed to rattle inside their prison of flesh and muscle. She recognized this for what it was- with each wave of pain that thrumemd in time with her heart beat, she focused on the feeling, the attachment, so dangerous to someone like her, like them . Even now, she could feel the way the ache for revenge itched under her skin, the way something darker whispered in her mind. You can make sure no one ever hurts her again .

Drawing her legs onto the chair with her, the Togruta repositioned herself, heavy eyes falling closed with the sound of Shin’s breathing and the beeping of the monitors tethering her to the world around her. She’d been down this road before, many years ago, had lost countless brothers and felt the same simmering danger under the surface, a poison that threatened to sink into her bones and take control.

Attachments led to pain, Jedi were taught to forgo all attachments, to let go and become something greater .

Something rumbled in Ahsoka’s chest, unknown, uncultivated, something the Jedi would have never bothered to teach her to understand, a feeling and a hurt so primal, unlike anything she’d ever known the dark side to be capable of- a low, keening sound escaped her lips. She was no stranger to the behaviors of Torguta, but she’d been left to assume that such a… visceral reaction to one of her pack being injured would have been long removed from her abilities.

The sound dragged Kaeden from her solemn reverence. She was familiar with the Force-Senstive’s silence when she’d meditated, had only ever heard the warrior speak in quiet words that commanded attention. Even injured herself, Ahsoka had never emitted such a noise, not in all the time she, nor Rex, had known her. And despite Shin’s own human biology, it seemed that the noise resonated in her, too. Enough for glassy eyes to crack open and a hand to lift just mere centimeters from the bed. “Meht.” Shin had croaked, voice barely loud enough to register past all the equipment.

To Ahsoka, though- The rasp in their voice was an answer, not just to the question pressing on all their shoulders, but to that deeper ache in her chest, lessening when she opened her own eyes and saw herself reflected in watery depths. “I’m here, Tazi Unt. ” She leaned across the bed until the tips of her Lek dragged against the scratchy material of the sheets, letting her fingers ghost over the sliver of skin that poked out of the bandages along Shin’s arm. “ You are here.”

She could feel the way Shin’s muscles quivered, the strain keeping her arm raised was taking. With a gentle press, Ahsoka succeeded in easing the girl's arm into dropping back into the bed, a look of relief- albeit minor in comparison to everything else, crossing their face, allowing the girl just a moment of peace.

It didn’t last, of course. Nothing good ever seemed to. The girls mind finally seemed to break through the barriers of painkillers, racing to catch her up to speed with the burning sting in her flesh and the fractures in her bones that ran deep enough to penetrate their very soul. “Ahsoka…” The woman blinked- Her name from those lips was wrong , yet she could not stand to correct them, not when she’d failed them as both Master and Mother. “Don’t…. Don’t lose yourself for me.” They grumbled, weariness dragging them back down as the weight settled back across her shoulders. “I’m… You’re not- I…”

A bandaged hand brushed against her lekku, making them both wince: Ahsoka in shock, and Shin in what could only be pain. “Hush now, Shin… Just. Get some rest, okay?” Ahsoka pressed forward until her lips came to rest at the crown of Shin's head, pulling back just enough to watch as exhaustion dragged their eyelids down and their breathing deepened into something as close to a restful sleep as any of them could hope to get anytime soon.

Translations Togruti Mi K’ya Ke Omak - I want to live Tazi Unt - Little one Meht - Mother d'bhem - love Tazi Grut - Little Hunter Mando'a Aliit - Family Jetti - Jedi Vod - Brother/Sister Ori'Vod - Older Brother/Sister Vod'ika - Little Brother / Sister

#Shin Tano AU #somewillwin #Ahsoka Tano #Shin Hati #star wars #fanfiction #read warnings

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arcsimper5 · 1 year ago

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Omg omg so...

I am IN LOVE with Martyrs and Kings by the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit, it is such a perfect fic, Maree is a beautiful and wonderful OC and the entire thing is just perfection! (link here, if you haven't read it, please, please do, your life will be better for it).

And I recently had an idea for a one shot spin off (following on from the most recent addition, the Halloween special of Martyrs and Kings AND ZOMBIES which is also amazing and should be read!) and approached the amazing author to ask if I could write it, and the below is the result!

It ended up a lot longer than I thought it would, but I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you again to the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit for allowing me this opportunity!

Without further ado, I present:

Marching On

Post Stasis!Kix x Maree (OC)

Rating: Mature (mentions of death, grief, memory loss/dementia, major character death, swearing, minor threat)

Warnings: this is ANGST IN PURE FORM. I cried writing this. You may cry reading this. I apologise.

Summary: Kix gets the chance for closure at long last, though it may come from an unexpected source.

A soft humming stirred Kix from his sleep, an annoyed groan leaving his lips as the soft light of Maree’s lamp flooded his vision, his eyes fluttering against it. Burying his head under the covers, he frowned at the gentle laugh she let out, one of her hands coming to rest on his head over the covers, fingers drumming softly.

“Good morning to you too,” she chuckled softly, Kix responding with another annoyed grunt.

“W’s the time?” he murmured thickly, daring to peek over the duvet, wincing again at the light.

“Early,” Maree sighed, her other hand occupied with a datapad, bottom lip worried between her teeth as she scrolled through one of the documents. “Go back to sleep if you want, love.”

Kix sighed deeply, resigning himself to being awake as he shuffled up against the metal headboard of their bed, blinking the remaining sleep from his eyes. Tucking the covers under his arms, he let out another sigh, shuffling closer to Maree and slinging an arm over her waist, just above the barely there swell of her stomach.

Still feeling nauseous?” he asked softly, fingers moving to trace the beginnings of her bump through her nightdress, the sensation drawing a fond smile to her lips.

“Not too bad,” she admitted, “got woken up by a comm and kind of got caught up in some research.”

“Hmm?” Kix hummed curiously, “What kind?”

Maree let out another sigh, one that morphed into a yawn, her body pressed against Kix’s warmth as he pulled her closer, peering at the datapad.

“Could be something, could be nothing,” she murmured, the hesitation in her voice giving Kix pause, “but it’s interesting nonetheless.”

Grunting, Kix sat up a little more, opening his arms and drawing Maree onto his chest, relishing in her smile as she accepted the offer gratefully, pressing a kiss to his exposed sternum as she shifted, practically curling up in his lap.

“Let’s hear what’s got my love all caught up at…” he glanced at the time, “kriffing hells, cyare, what happened to our lay in?”

“Sorry, love,” Maree giggled, pressing another kiss to his chin in apology before scrolling back to the start of the report, images and text flashing by. “You remember when we were at the archives on Coruscant and you mentioned Clone Force 99, and the child they took with them when they defected?”

Kix stiffened a tiny bit before drawing in a deep breath, nodding as he processed her words.

Waiting until she was sure he was okay for her to continue, Maree dragged another soft kiss over the stubble on his chin, silently reassuring him until he nodded gently, ready for what came next.

“Well I really was fascinated by it, the whole squad, in fact. And the child… Well it seems that she may have been an unaltered clone, similar to Boba Fett. And yet, the records of her are sparse at best. She may have been held at a secure Imperial compound for some time, Mount Tantiss, but the only records that exist on that are ones relating to a clean up operation after an attack by the Rebellion.”

Kix’s interest piqued as he saw the reports listing a few CT numbers he recognised, hovering his hand over the pad, asking silent permission. Maree handed it over without hesitation, watching cautiously as he scrolled slowly, his breath hitching.

“Rex was there,” he mumbled, his throat constricting a little, “and Gregor… kriff, I think I only met him once at 79’s. He was a Commando. Echo… that’s no surprise, he was loyal to Rex, wherever he went, Echo would have followed…”

He continued reading, frowning at the redacted details.

“It says the rebellion stole some ‘assets’. What could that mean?”

Maree sighed deeply, sitting up a little more, one of her hands moving to thread through Kix’s hair as he continued to read.

“Clones, probably,” she murmured, the sadness in her tone not lost on Kix. “After the rise of the Empire, the clone army was slowly decommissioned. A lot of them went AWOL, others were taken to train TK troopers, their replacements, but most just… disappeared. It was like they just vanished. A handful were officially retired, but the records end after that.”

“Kriffing hells…”

Kix’s face was contorted with anger, Maree tugging his hair a little, keeping him in the moment.

Over the months they’d spent together, she’d come to know his tells, the way he moved and reacted when things got overwhelming for him.

The motion kept him grounded, his lips parting to draw in a sharp breath, hands trembling as he handed back the datapad.

“You okay?” she questioned gently, Kix nodding a little too fast. It was easy to forget that what was history for her could so easily have been Kix’s life.

“I… I will be,” he breathed, giving her waist a small squeeze. “Knowing Rex was there, actively fighting… I guess part of me wishes I had been too.”

Maree’s chest constricted, Kix leaning down to give her a reassuring kiss.

“Though I can’t say I’m sad to have been bought here, to you.”

The reminder was pointed, Maree smiling as she met his lips, more grateful than ever of his thoughtfulness.

“I love you,” she smiled softly, Kix returning the gesture, dark brown eyes sparkling with adoration when he met her gaze.

“And I love you. Forever.”

Maree giggled softly, pressing another kiss to Kix’s head as she drew the datapad out of his hands, scrolling down a little more.

“So, as well as all this, I had Brosna take on a little research project, and he got a hit on an outer rim planet. It seems that the child Clone Force 99 took with them when they defected, might still be alive. And if she truly is an unaltered clone…”

Kix took a moment to process, his heart skipping a beat.

“She’d biologically be my sister.”

The realisation sent him reeling. Since the moment he’d come round from his stasis sickness, he’d resigned himself to being alone. His brothers were all long dead, every connection broken and shattered by the Empire’s time in power.

And yet now… Now he had Maree, a child of his own on his way, and a genetic sister.

“I want to meet her,” he decided aloud, eyes stinging with unshed tears as he met Maree’s gaze, his hand absent-mindedly running over her stomach. “I want… I want to meet her. If she was with Clone Force 99, with Rex? She might know more about what happened. She would have known Echo. I… I might be able to get some answers.”

Maree hesitated for a moment, caught between the comfort of Kix’s hand on her stomach, gently rubbing over the swollen flesh, and the distress in his voice. She remembered all too keenly what had happened after the revelation around Jesse’s fate back on Coruscant, barely suppressing a shiver at the memory of him leaving in the middle of the night.

Dropping her datapad to the bed, she laced her hands with his, taking a deep breath before leaning in, brushing her lips over his, nodding slowly.

“Kix…. Love… I… I just don’t want you getting too invested in this. We don’t know what she’ll be like, or how old she is. There might not be… well… she might be older than we think. She might not remember…”

She sighed, squeezing his fingers, unable to meet his intense gaze even as she felt it boring into her.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I couldn’t… It’s selfish, but I… I don’t think I could cope with you leaving again. Not now. Not when…”

She didn’t even realise tears were leaking from her eyes until one ran down her chin, dripping heavily onto the back of her hand where it laid, interlaced with Kix’s over her stomach.

Wiping her face furiously, she felt shame and sadness run over her, shaking her head.

“Maker, I’m sorry,” she sniffed, blinking away more tears, “it’s these damn hormones, and…”

“Maree…”

The call of her name finally brought her gaze back to meet Kix’s, his eyes searching hers as he turned her towards him, sinking down until he was face to face with her once more, his free hand moving to cup her face. As his thumb ran over her cheek, swiping away the trail of tears, she forced a weak smile, one he returned.

“I am not leaving you ever again,” he reassured her firmly, taking a shuddering breath as he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. It was an intimate action she had become used to, a sign of affection used by clone troopers and Mandalorians, lost to time until now, and every time it happened, she felt a pleasant shiver run through her. “Especially not now,” he finally continued, closing his eyes.

His own tears were falling now, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

“I would never risk this, us, for anything. I just… I need to know. I want to… to say goodbye. As ridiculous as it may sound.”

“It’s not ridiculous at all,” Maree reassured him thickly, tilting her head to brush their lips together once again, “and I will not pretend I even begin to understand what you’ve been through. But if this will help you… If this is what you want? We’ll go. I’ll get the coordinates, and we’ll go.”

“Thank you.”

It was little more than a whisper, but those two words held so much pain, so much hope, so much longing, that it caused Maree’s heart to constrict again.

“There’s still a few more hours until the day-cycle starts,” she breathed, kissing him lightly once again, tossing her datapad onto the floor beside the bed as she snuggled back into Kix’s hold, relishing his scent. “Let’s get some more sleep.”

“Now there’s a plan,” Kix smiled softly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, his hand still laced with hers over her stomach as they drew the duvet back over themselves, cocooning their bodies off from the world once again. “I love you.”

“Love you,” Maree yawned, giggling as Kix kissed her nose, contentment and warmth surrounding her as they drifted back to sleep, a thousand possibilities of what their next step would bring dancing through their minds.

*-*-*

Pabu was beautiful, Maree decided very quickly upon disembarking the Stinger.

After very little persuading (and only a little arguing), Kix and Maree had embarked on their fact finding mission with Reveth, Quiggold and Ithano in tow, insistent they tag along in case of any ‘unwanted attention’, and definitely not for the fact that one of the main attractions of the island was the perfect weather cycles.

That had definitely not piqued the crew’s interest. And Reveth had definitely not bought her bathing suit.

Fortunately, the moment they exited the ship, the demeanour of everyone changed for the better, Kix grinning as he looked around at his shipmates.

Quiggold had shed his omnipresent cloak the moment the sun had hit his skin, the humidity from the ocean surrounding the picturesque town soaking into him, his energy higher than any of them could ever remember it being.

“What a delightful place!” he remarked happily, inhaling the salty scent of the sea as he stood clad in his shirt and shorts, feet twisting onto the ground as if feeling the rhythm of the waves. “I must visit the beach! It’s been far too long since I’ve indulged in a salt scrub.”

“Don’t go traumatising anyone, will ya?” Reveth chuckled, though the awe in her eyes as she looked up at the massive tower behind where their shuttle had landed was undeniable. “What do ya think is in there?” she breathed, almost to herself. “Something valuable, I’d bet!”

“Try not to tick off the locals before we’ve even left the landing pad, Rev,” Kix pleaded teasingly, the twi’lek rolling her eyes and mock saluting.

“Like I would,” she huffed, “I’m a charmer, me.”

Ithano let out a soft huff of laughter, Kix staring for a moment before shaking his head again, looking back to Maree, his breath catching in his throat as he went to speak.

The sunlight filtering through the massive tree above them danced over her, illuminating her hair and features, the effect almost angelic. Wide eyed, she glanced around the square, her simple white blouse and loose khaki cargo pants perfect for the weather, which she seemed to be positively basking in. As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air, Kix swore he fell in love all over again, the gentle slide of her hand over her bump, a seemingly unconscious action making his heart stutter in his chest.

“Hello? Kix? Are you even listening to me?”

Blinking as Reveth stepped in front of him, waving her skeletal metal arm in his face, Kix shook his head, crashing back to reality as the twi’lek eyed him suspiciously.

“What?” he finally answered obliviously, Reveth rolling her eyes at him.

“I said ‘what’s the plan’? You have any idea where this sister of yours is?”

Kix blinked a couple more times before shaking his head, their mission slinking back into his mind with startling clarity.

“Uh, no,” he admitted a little sheepishly, grateful when Maree moved to join the conversation, Ithano caught between listening and eyeing one of the local taverns that sat just off of the square. “We, uh… all we got was a location.”

“We could always ask around?” Maree suggested brightly. “I’m sure there must be someone around who remembers a group of clones and a child arriving here, even if it was fifty years ago. Tales like that don’t just fade out.”

“Did you say ‘clones’?”

A small voice caught them unaware, the group splitting to get a look at their little eavesdropper, a small, dark skinned child with thick, black curly hair pulled up by a golden accessory and wide, chestnut eyes gazing up at them in amazement.

Kix looked to Maree for a moment, lost at how to respond, watching as she bent down on one knee, bringing herself to the little girl’s eye level, smiling kindly.

“We did!” she grinned good naturedly. “We’re looking for information about some clones that would have come here a long time ago, probably when your mother was just a little girl.”

Reveth folded her arms as she regarded the child, unsure.

“You sure this isn’t some kind of trick?” she hissed to Ithano, who simply shrugged, sharing a look with Kix.

“Who would be trying to trap us here? This place is remote as remote gets.”

The twi’lek huffed, frowning at the small girl.

“I still don’t like it.”

“There haven’t been clones here in aaaaages,” she grinned dramatically, “but my gramma Phee might know!” the girl exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the heels of her cork sandals, twisting the hem of her white and blue embroidered dress as she looked up at them wide eyed, “I can show you her house! She used to fly in a ship, and she knew a lot of people.”

“Sounds like as good a place as any to start,” Maree mused, wincing as she stood from crouching, Kix immediately by her side, worry written over his features. “Just stiff,” she reassured him, looking back down to the little girl, who was now beaming. “I’m Maree, this is Kix, Reveth and Ithano,” she introduced them quickly. “What’s your name?”

“Ad’ika,” the girl smiled back, Maree shooting Kix an odd look when his grip on her hand tightened, his smile fading quickly. “Follow me!”

With a skip in her step, she darted down the stone brick street, the slope steady and well worn.

Reveth huffed as she and Ithano quickly made to follow the child, Maree smiling in reassurance to the twi’lek as she nodded to Kix with a questioning look, silently reassuring her he was okay.

“Kix?” she prompted softly, “What’s wrong?”

“That’s not her name,” he murmured lowly, eyes narrowing for a moment before he marched off after his crew mates, practically dragging Maree along with him, confusion consuming her thoughts.

“What? What do you mean?” she asked, gasping as she almost tripped on one of the steps, Kix slowing his pace just a little.

“Ad’ika. It’s mando’a. Clone language. It means ‘little one’ or ‘child’. That’s not a name.”

“So Reveth might be right?” Maree gasped, eyes widening in fear, “This could be a trap?”

“A trap for who though?” Kix thought aloud, looking at the corner Ithano and Reveth had rounded hesitantly, drawing to stop and turning to Maree, pressing a hand to her shoulder.

“I don’t like this at all,” he admitted quickly, eyes darting around, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. “You should head back to the ship. I’ll find the others and round them up. Lock the ship until we get back. Even if I do have a sister, putting you at risk isn’t worth it.”

“So… It’s true then…”

Another, unfamiliar voice caught them unaware, Maree practically yelping as Kix shoved her behind him, shielding her with his body as a figure emerged from the end of the street, the shuffling of feet preceding their arrival.

Despite all of his misgivings, Kix let his guard down a little as an older woman, easily in her late sixties or early seventies, emerged, dressed in an intricately patterned blue and green tunic and shorts, a necklace of seashells adorning her neck.

Her hair was tightly curled and grey, pulled back into a loose ponytail, her face round and welcoming, but her eyes were shrewd and sharp, searching Kix’s face with an intensity unexpected of her age.

“Maker… I haven’t seen that face for years,” she sighed, stepping further into the light, taking in Kix’s features, and the way his hand hovered over his blaster. “No need for all that,” she chuckled, nodding to his blaster, “just can’t be too sure in these parts. Plenty of folk come looking for the Clone memorial looking to make a quick buck on relics they left behind. That, and we keep an eye on pirates round these parts.”

Kix’s eyes widened, mind whirring as he put the pieces together.

“Where are you taking them?” he snapped, hand resting on the holster of his blaster, “If you hurt them…”

The woman laughed loudly, the sound echoed by some small, green furred creatures in the trees above her, their mimicry turning into happy chittering in short order.

“You’re very jumpy, aren’t you? Your friends are at Phee’s, where she’ll feed them, water them and tell them a thousand stories from her time as a pirate,” she grinned, Maree leaning around Kix to get a better look at the woman.

“There’s a clone memorial here?” she asked, Kix moving his hand away a little, allowing her to step next to him.

The woman nodded, eyeing her up and down for a moment. She made no attempt to disguise the way her gaze lingered on Maree’s stomach, or the way Kix’s hand rested protectively over it.

“Come with me,” she smiled, “there’s someone you should meet.”

“And why should we trust you?” Kix growled lowly, Maree taken aback by the hostility in his voice, though she agreed with the sentiment.

As the woman turned, she flicked her hair and laughed, sharp eyes locking with Kix’s before she began to move.

“Because I was here when Clone Force 99 arrived.”

*-*-*

“Lyanna, I swear to the Force, if you’ve bought those tourists here again, I’ll…”

The occupant of the house the woman led them to instantly froze the moment she laid eyes on Kix, the glass decanter in her hand falling onto the tile floor and shattering into a thousand pieces.

Her features were instantly recognisable, Maree inhaling a sharp breath as they lingered at the door, Lyanna rushing forward to help the other woman clean up, even as she stared in shock, familiar brown eyes wide and brimming with tears.

“It’s… that’s… not possible,” she breathed, her short, greyish white curls ringing her face as she began to cry, Lyanna quickly abandoning the now full dustpan and brush to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Sorry, ‘Mega. I know I should have warned you, but you know how quick word spreads…”

“It’s… it’s fine,” she tried, swallowing hard as she took a tentative step towards Kix, the medic reaching back for Maree once again, unsure.

“It’s her, love,” she murmured into Kix’s ear, nudging him forward, down the steps into the tiled kitchen, “it’s your sister.”

Kix blinked a few times, recognising his brothers in this woman; the nose, the eyes, the tight lips.

She was one of them. A clone.

“W-Who are you?” she stammered, searching Kix’s face, lingering on the barely visible edges of his tattoo for a moment, “How…”

“Kix,” he managed after a moment, the name barely gasped, “My… My name is Kix.”

“Kix,” she repeated, as if saying his name too loudly might scare him away, a smile breaking through the uncertainty on her face. “Echo told me about you, from the 501st… You were their medic… You… I’m Omega. I… I’m your…”

“Sister,” Kix finished for her, taking a step forward to meet her, the word bringing more tears to his eyes. “I know.”

Omega let out a sob, practically launching herself forward with a speed unbecoming of someone of her age, wrapping her arms around Kix, hugging him tightly.

After a moment of surprise, he let out a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding, releasing a shuddering sigh into her shoulder as he hugged her back, tears streaming down his face too.

“I thought we were the last ones,” Omega sobbed into him, squeezing even tighter before she released him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “He’s going to be so happy to see you!”

Omega’s gaze moved up to Maree, her smile widening as she gestured her forward, meeting her in a hug as well, names exchanged as Kix looked back at Omega, confused.

“Who?” he breathed, confusion making his head spin. Every one of his brothers would have been dead… Who could possibly be left?

“Come on, I’ll show you.”

*-*-*

Even before he could make out the facial features of the man sat in a chair at the end of the small garden of Omega’s house, his gaze locked on the expanse of ocean beyond the cliffs below, Kix recognised the stark outline of a scomp in place of a right forearm and mechanical legs crossed over one another, his breath hitching in his throat.

“Echo,” he croaked, the figure turning towards him a little too slowly, sunlight spilling over his face as he rocked back in his chair to find the source of the voice, confused.

“Fives?”

Kix’s heart broke a little, another soft nudge from Maree sending him forwards, stumbling over his own feet as he made his way towards his long lost brother, practically falling to his knees in front of him.

“Echo,” Kix repeated, crying in earnest, uncaring now, “it’s me. It’s Kix.”

“Kix…” Echo chuckled softly. “I knew a Kix once. Great medic. Cheated at sabacc like a mother-kriffer. He went missing, just after… after…”

Realisation seemed to cross Echo’s face as his eyes refocused, settling on Kix’s face.

The medic took in the sight of his brother, the thinning grey curls on his head, the ports from his time with the Techno Union still present and sunken now, wrinkles and lines littering his skin. And yet, he looked… content. Relaxed. As if he was just another old man enjoying his retirement in a sunny paradise, not a veteran of the Clone Wars.

His armour was long gone, replaced with soft cotton fabric, a tunic and shorts in white and blue, still holding onto the memory of the war.

“Kix?” Echo whispered, leaning in a little closer. “Is… Is that… Is it really you?”

“It’s me, vod,” Kix sobbed, reaching out for Echo’s flesh hand, clutching at it. The skin felt loose and wrinkled, but it was him, and it was real, and Echo was alive and here with him. “It’s me.”

Maree watched on with tears running down her face as Echo let out a cry of his own, practically falling out of his chair to hug Kix, the two of them sobbing and holding each other as years of pain and loneliness slipped away from them, clutching at each other like a lifeline.

“H-How?” Kix gasped as Omega moved forward, helping him to his feet and offering him a chair at the table opposite Echo, the two of them smiling through the tears now, barely contained euphoria flooding through them. Omega draped a blanket over Echo’s shoulders, the cyborg giving her a fond smile in return, and she drew up two more chairs for her and Maree, watching curiously as Kix reached for his lover’s hand, twining their fingers together for comfort.

“Techno Union bastards,” Echo chuckled coldly, shaking his scomp at Kix before sighing, spinning it around slowly. “Wanted to make good on their ‘investment’.”

Kix frowned in confusion, looking to Omega, who reached across the table and slipped her hand into Echo's, squeezing it in comfort.

“The Techno Union altered his DNA to remove the accelerated ageing gene that the Kaminoans deliberately implanted in all Clones during creation,” she smiled weakly. “Seems that they didn’t want a short term project with Echo.”

“The Techno Union?” Maree asked quietly, Kix nodding.

“Echo was held by them after he was left for dead at the Citadel on Lola Sayu during a rescue mission gone wrong. They gave him the cybernetics and used him as an algorithm to fight against his own brothers until Clone Force 99 freed him on Skako Minor.”

“You mean…” Maree’s eyes widened as she looked over Echo, taking in his implants and frail frame, the slightly lighter tone of his skin, his features visible even under the years of living he’d done, “he’s… He’s the Hero of Annaxes?”

“Annaxes?” Echo perked up suddenly, grinning ear to ear, “Yeah, fried all those kriffing clankers. Boom!” He let out a throaty laugh. “Wrecker used to say that. Boom! Blew them all up.”

He hesitated for a moment, looking to Omega, his expression falling a little.

“Is Wrecker home yet? It’s getting dark. You know how Hunter worries…”

Maree watched as Omega’s expression turned pained, a smile forced through the hurt as she nodded, squeezing Echo’s hand.

“Wrecker’s fine,” she reassured him thickly, swallowing hard. “He’s waiting for you. Remember?”

“Waiting…” Echo repeated, his gaze falling to his hand where it joined with Omega’s, nodding slowly. “Waiting. With… With Fives…”

Suddenly his eyes flickered back up to Omega’s face, his expression turning fond.

“You’ve grown up so much, ‘Mega,” he sighed, tapping her fingers with his own. “When did you get so tall? You look after us so well. What would we do without you?”

Kix’s heart broke a little more as Omega fought back tears, smiling through the distress, simply squeezing Echo’s hand back fondly.

“Gotta look after my little brothers,” she teased, Echo laughing loudly for a moment before it morphed into a cough, a mechanical wheezing coming from his chest.

Behind them, Lyanna appeared with a wheelchair, nodding to Omega, who helped Echo to stand.

“Come on, ori’vod. Time to get you inside in the warm,” she sniffed, Lyana smiling reassuringly as Echo transferred easily into the chair, readjusting the blanket and grinning at Omega.

“Love you, little ‘Mega,” he chuckled softly. “Oh, and tell that Kix… Tell him… Rex… yes… Rex. He was looking for him.”

“I will, Echo,” Omega smiled sadly, nodding to Lyanna as she took him inside, closing the door behind them.

Immediately, Maree was out of her chair, wrapping her arms around Omega, who broke down against her, sobbing hard.

“I, I’m sorry,” she stammered as the two sat down together, Omega desperately trying to dry her face with her hand, “It’s been… It’s been a long time since we spoke about the others, and… the last few years, his cybernetics have been… I’ve done my best, but Tech always used to… he used to do it, and I…”

Maree shushed her gently, looking up at Kix, the grief on his face apparent.

He was too late. Echo was all but gone, his last brother worn away by time and old age. And for a moment he was angry. Not at Echo, but at himself.

At least one of his brothers had gotten to live a long, happy life, retiring to paradise, and yet he had the audacity to be angry at that? That he wasn’t young enough to remember Kix?

No. He’d lived an entire, full life after the War, like every brother should have. That wasn’t something that should be mourned.

“Kix, are you okay?” Maree asked gently, reaching for his hand as Omega settled back into her chair, drying her tears.

Drawing in a shuddering breath, he forced a smile, nodding.

“Yeah. It’s… It’s just a lot,” he admitted, looking towards Omega. “How long do you think he has?” he managed, swallowing hard.

Omega shrugged, laughing at herself.

“Hours? Days? Weeks?” she shook her head. “Tech would be so disappointed in me for guessing. The truth is, I don’t know. He just seems like… Like he’s been waiting for something,” she sighed, looking at Kix with a frightened expression.

“Can I talk to him?” the medic asked softly. “I promise I won’t say anything that’ll upset him. I just… I’d like to hear his stories.”

“He’s got more than enough of them,” Omega sighed, nodding. “I’m going to turn in soon. You’re welcome to stay too,” she directed to Maree, who nodded in thanks, meeting Kix’s gaze.

“We should probably comm the others before they launch a full on siege looking for us,” she chuckled, Omega’s eyes widening a little. “Don’t worry,” Maree reassured her, “they wouldn’t get far. Not for lack of trying, though.”

The woman laughed, shaking her head.

“Sounds like the Batch back in the day. I’d like to meet them. I’ll comm Phee. Echo’s room is on the ground floor, first door on the left,” she informed Kix, who nodded, standing up from his chair and dropping a soft kiss to Maree’s head before heading inside, making for his brother’s room.

“How did he survive?” Omega asked Maree after Kix had disappeared inside, her gaze a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

“He found out about the chips,” Maree sighed softly, looking back towards the house, “and the Separatists found out about him. Captured him, tortured him, and locked him in a cryo-stasis chamber. That ship crashed, and fifty years later, Ithano and his crew found him and took him in.”

“That was nice of them,” Omega remarked, the statement said without malice or sarcasm, simply a genuine remark. “And you? How did you and Kix…”

“He came looking for answers,” Maree smiled sadly, “when I worked on Hosnian Prime. I studied the Clone Wars as a speciality subject. When he came to me, I assumed he had a Clone for a father, or grandfather. But as things went on…”

They sat together in silence for a time as the sun began to set and the night drew in, the beginnings of stars twinkling in the sky.

“Would you like to see the memorial?” Omega asked suddenly, breaking Maree’s reverie. “I usually go down just after dark to see them.”

Maree hesitated for a moment before nodding sagely, the weight of the offer not lost on her.

“If that’s okay?”

“Of course,” Omega smiled, a youthful energy seeming to overtake her, “it’s down by the pier. It’s beautiful at night. We made sure they had one of the best spots, after everything they did for us.”

“Will you tell me?” Maree prompted, excited at the prospect of learning about this lost piece of history from an era she thought she knew so well.

Omega simply grinned, gesturing for her to follow.

*-*-*

“Echo? You awake?”

Kix crept into the room quietly, greeted by a soft grumble, his lips tilting up into a smile.

“Briefing’s not til oh-eight hundred,’ Echo grumbled, ‘g’back to sleep.”

Kix let out a huff of laughter, shaking his head as he moved to sit on the end of the bed, noting Echo’s prosthetics laid out neatly on the floor next to it.

Tucked up to his neck by a thick duvet and a handwoven blanket, he looked utterly relaxed, his eyes fluttering.

“I know, Vod,” Kix offered gently, “I just wanted to check in on you.” “Thanks, Kix, but I’m fine. Same ol’ aches and pains. They’ll go.” “One day,” Kix finished for him with a grin, Echo returning it softly.

“How are the others?” Echo murmured, sitting up as much as he could. “I heard Jesse became an ARC.”

“He sure did,” Kix smiled sadly, the lump in his throat returning, “but hey, what about you? I want to hear all about your missions with the Batch. Omega said you guys got up to some crazy stuff.”

Echo seemed to zone out for a moment, his eyes searching Kix’s. Not finding what he was looking for, his smile returned quickly, chest shaking with laughter as he shook his head.

“You wouldn’t believe half of it,” he huffed, Kix shuffling closer, giving Echo his full attention.

“Try me.”

“Well,” Echo smirked, making him look years younger as mischief flashed in his eyes, “there was a time, we had to get some crates from a nest of Aggrocrabs…”

*-*-*

Omega hadn’t been lying, Maree mused to herself as she looked over the calm ocean waves, the reflection of stars sparkling across the tiny waves that lapped at the shore.

“It really is beautiful,” she whispered as she took in the serene beauty of the stone statue of a clone trooper, obviously lovingly hand carved from stone, standing in pride of place over the small pier just below.

At the base, flower rings and candles littered the floor, handmade ornaments and coins from all over the galaxy.

“After the Clone Rebellion, a lot of them came back here,” Omega explained softly, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. “They’d lost so much, but what they had, what we all had left, we gave to Pabu. We built homes, families, but not quickly enough. The accelerated ageing caught up with them, and…”

Her breath hitched in her throat, an apologetic smile gracing her lips.

“There are over two hundred clone troopers here,” she explained quietly. “We cremated them, and they were scattered on the beach. This is a place where we come to remember, where we can be close to them again.”

Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, she let her memories flow, more tears falling.

“This was my second real home. The first was the Marauder, our ship. But when we came here…”

As she opened her eyes, Maree watched the play of emotions over the older woman’s face.

“Tech would take me flying over the island, giving me lessons. Wrecker built the sea wall almost single handedly, and Hunter would help with rebuilding the houses and hunting for food. They loved it here. Until… The Empire…”

She trailed off, looking back out to sea.

“They’re gone now,” she sighed deeply, “and Echo saw all of them go, one by one. He felt so guilty about outliving them, even though it wasn’t his fault.”

Maree nodded, her stomach twisting a little.

“I think Kix feels the same,” she admitted with a sigh. “He woke up thinking he could still save his brothers, save the Republic. It’s taken him a long time to accept that he couldn’t. I just hope speaking to Echo helps him. He deserves happiness, he’s been through so much.”

Omega’s smile softened as she looked Maree over, her gaze lingering on the slight swell of her stomach.

“It seems like he’s found that with you,” she offered softly, turning back to look at the Memorial. “You know, after we found out Echo wasn’t ageing as fast as the others, I tried to find a cure for them. We did so many tests, taking DNA samples, comparing mine, Echo’s and every other clone we could find. The Techno Union databanks were all purged, and there wasn’t much left of the Kaminoan’s research…”

She trailed off as Maree joined her in staring out into the ocean.

Kix’s lifespan was always going to be shorter than hers. She knew that when she committed herself to him, and it wasn’t something she tried to dwell on too much. But knowing Omega had seen so much of it, that they’d tried… Something inside her broke as she ran her hand over her stomach, emotions welling inside her.

“It’s not fair, what they went through,” she sobbed, tears blurring her vision. “Even now, Kix can’t escape it. The war ended fifty years ago, and he’s still suffering.”

Turning into Omega as the older woman wrapped an arm around her shoulder, she sobbed hard and harder, mourning for a future that hadn’t even come yet. They had more years left together, she knew, but it was all going to end too soon.

“It’s not fair,” she choked out again, shaking her head. “It’s not,” Omega agreed plainly, grabbing Maree’s hand and placing a small data stick into it, their eyes meeting as Maree looked down at it in confusion.

“Wha…”

“It’s not fair,” Omega repeated thickly, “but this can change that.”

Maree’s heart skipped a beat or two as she stared, wide eyed at Omega, trying to process what she was saying.

“I… I don’t understand…”

With the moonlight dancing over her face, Omega suddenly looked so much older. She looked tired, the years finally taking their toll. Drawing in a long breath, she forced a smile, meeting Maree’s gaze with a familiar intensity.

“I figured it out too late for most of them,” Omega sniffed, more tears rolling down her cheeks, “but it gave Hunter and Wrecker a few more years, at least. But for Kix… He’d age normally. No dying too young. No accelerated ageing. You can grow old together. The way it’s meant to be.”

Maree stared at the datastick in her hand, her mind stalling, forgetting how to breathe for a moment.

“You… You did it?” she croaked, looking back to Omega, hope blooming in her chest, “You stopped it?”

“I did,” Omega cried, “and finally, I can help someone with it. You and Kix can be together properly, not rushing, not scrambling to live a full life in half the time you should have. I… I owe the others that.”

Unable to do anything else, Maree clutched at the datastick and hugged Omega tightly, the two of them sharing their grief and their hope.

“Thank you,” Maree gasped eventually, her heart swelling with emotion, “I… I can’t put into words how much this means. Thank you!”

“Just take care of my brother,” Omega sniffed, her voice cracking, “they love so intensely. He’ll never let you down.”

“I will. I promise you.”

*-*-*

By the time Omega and Maree made it back to the house, it was silent and dark, both creeping down the hallway to look in on Echo’s room, their hearts warmed by the sight that greeted them.

The brothers were laid next to each other in the small bed, their foreheads pressed together as they slept. The soft mechanical whirring of Echo’s cybernetics didn’t seem to bother the medic, his face completely relaxed in sleep, Omega sighing as she watched them.

Gesturing silently to Maree, they backed out of the room, sharing a warm smile. Their family was safe and content, and they could ask for nothing more.

After Omega showed Maree to the spare room, bidding her goodnight and laughing softly as Maree fell into the plush mattress, relishing in how soft it was, Maree pulled out her comm, checking it idly as she pulled her hair loose and placed the ties onto the bedside table, giggling to herself at some of the messages.

Of course, there were several from Reveth, all sorts of colourful language used, the text becoming less and less legible as they went on and becoming more in depth about how awesome this ‘Phee’ was.

Ithano had only sent two, one stating they were ‘fine’ and the other reading ‘try the beer’.

Maree let out a snort of laughter as she stripped her clothes off and hung them on the chair on the far side of the room, slipping under the duvet with a deep sense of satisfaction, scrolling through the last of the comms.

Quiggold had only sent one, and to their group message at that; a holo of himself stood on the sea wall, wet with sea water and smiling toothily. It seemed he was having the time of his life, and Maree was glad that the at times uptight Gabdorian had finally been able to let loose.

With another deep sigh, she set her comm to the side and settled into the comfortable bed, quickly falling into a dreamless sleep. Whatever the morning brought, she knew they would be okay.

*-*-*

The next day was a busy one.

Before anyone had even woken properly, Ithano, Reventh and Quiggold appeared at the front door with the child who had led them away the day before and an elderly woman with warm, dark skin and thick grey curls hung with golden coils in tow, their laughter audible from the end of the street.

Maree heard the door go and the familiar voice of Omega greeting them, soon followed by the smell of cooking meats and the strong scent of coffee. It was too tempting, and she soon found herself washed, dressed and heading downstairs, eyes softening as she bumped into Kix at the foot of them, supporting Echo to hobble to the kitchen.

“Morning,” he smiled gently, Maree returning the gesture, nodding to Echo, who was eyeing her with interest.

“Well hello,” he chuckled throatily, “nobody told me we had such a radiant visitor to our home! Kix, is this your girl?”

The medic flushed brightly, nudging Echo gently in a show of faux displeasure as he sighed, looking Maree over, his gaze full of adoration.

“Sure is,” he grinned, “definitely worth the wait.”

Maree flushed brightly, leaning in to peck his cheek before making way for the two of them to pass, Echo grinning toothily at her.

“We should take her to 79’s,” Echo chortled, Kix smiling sadly, “show her off. Jesse and Fives will be so jealous.”

Kix simply laughed, nodding.

“They will, vod. I know they will.”

“Gotta find me a nice girl too,” Echo hummed happily, grinning, “though did I ever tell you about Riyo? Pantoran senator I worked with, the most amazing tits…”

“Echo!” Omega chastised him as she brought a plate of fried meat and eggs over to the table, rolling her eyes, “Child present!”

“Oh, sorry, sprout,” he chuckled sheepishly, winking at Omega as he settled at the table with Kix’s help, Maree shaking her head fondly as the other woman met her gaze, huffing. “Phee! You made it!” he exclaimed suddenly, looking at the elderly woman at the end of the table, her smile matching his. “Is Tech with you?”

Phee simply laughed softly, a sadness permeating her very presence as she shook her head, sighing.

“Hey Echo. No, he’s… away,” she smiled weakly. “We’re all going to meet up soon. Promise.”

“Good, good,” Echo nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Miss that nerd.”

“Gramma, what’s a nerd?” came a little voice from beside Phee, the little girl from the day before tugging at her gold and red robe, wide eyes staring up at her.

Maree couldn’t help but smile at the little girl as Kix pulled out a chair for her, helping her to sit before dropping a soft kiss into her hair, pulling it back over her shoulders where it still hung loose.

“A nerd is a clever person, someone who is really good at computers, like your grandpa Tech,” Phee explained calmly, stroking the little girl’s curls as she smiled down at her.

“Oooh,” the girl nodded, thinking hard, “like Revy?”

“Hey!” Reveth protested, Maree watching with curiosity as the twi’lek grabbed the little girl, tickling her sides and picking her up, drawing shrieking giggles from the child as she struggled and wiggling in her grip, completely unbothered by the presence of her robotic arm. “I told you, squirt, I’m a slicer. Not a nerd!”

Ithano watched with interest for a moment before turning to look between Kix and Maree, nodding to them both in greeting.

“There is nothing wrong with being technologically fluent,” Quiggold interjected, Reveth rolling her eyes as she placed the child on the ground again, winking at her as she ran to take her own seat at the far end of the table, waving to Maree.

The easy banter continued over breakfast, Omega’s smile growing as she listened and laughed, coming to sit next to Maree, Lyanna arriving shortly after the meal began with some fresh rolls from the bakery a few streets away, divvying them up between the gathering.

Kix watched with an amused smile as Maree broke one of the rolls open and inhaled the scent of the freshly baked bread, eyes fluttering closed as she hummed in contentment.

“Enjoying yourself?” he teased, Maree frowning good naturedly at him.

“It’s been far too long since I had fresh bread,” she lamented as Omega passed her the butter, a generous serving scooped into the fluffy inside of the roll, beginning to soften immediately. “I used to live near this wonderful little bakery until a pirate came and swept me off my feet and dragged me into a life of adventure.”

“Oh?” Kix queried smugly, “I hope he was worth it.”

“Definitely,” she winked, giggling as Kix leaned over to press a kiss to the side of her head, the two sharing a moment while the conversation flowed around them.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Phee asked from the head of the table, eyes fond as she watched the interaction between Maree and Kix, grinning as Echo’s attention turned to her, his eyes bright.

“I think I’d like to sit in the garden again,” he grinned happily, “Wrecker’s plants are growing in nicely, right ‘Mega?”

“Who’s Wrecker?” Reveth asked with a mouth full of bread, earning her a sharp elbow from Ithano, remaining stoic even as the twi’lek growled in response.

“Wrecker,” Echo laughed, “my vod. One of my vod. Big guy, can’t miss him.”

Kix let out a huff of laughter, shaking his head.

“You know I watched him lift an entire gunship on his own once?” he grinned, Maree’s eyes widening with shock. “Just threw it like it was a dumpster.”

“Really?” Phee chuckled lightly, tilting her head to one side as Kix nodded.

“Oh yeah, picked up my brother like he was nothing as well. Wouldn’t have wanted to be on his bad side!”

Omega giggled, the sound almost foreign, Echo turning to beam at her as she did.

“He taught me how to disarm bombs too.”

“He what?” Kix spluttered in disbelief, Maree hiding her mouth behind her hand as she tried not to laugh at his reaction. “But you were just a kid!”

“Hey, I’m still older than you, vod’ika,” Omega reminded him sternly, her face softening into a brilliant smile. “You should have seen Hunter’s reaction when he taught me how to twirl his knife!”

“Now, this is a story I can get behind,” Reveth smirked, Ithano leaning in to listen as Quiggold pulled out his datapad, seemingly making notes as Omega smiled at Echo, the old clone nodding in encouragement, settling in for the story.

“Well we’d just finished a mission on Jakku, and we were heading back to the ship when I saw Hunter spinning his vibroblade and asked him if I could try…”

*-*-*

The day sped by all too quickly.

Even when breakfast was long finished, the group remained at the table, listening to Omega’s tales of her brothers, Echo adding in his own memories when he could as the crew of the Stinger listened in amazement, Kix explaining some terminology when they were unsure.

He was equally amazed by the tales, by Omega’s bravery, even as a child, and of the group’s loyalty to each other.

When it came to the parts where Echo left to help Rex with the Clone rebellion, he was utterly unsurprised, smiling proudly at the determination Echo still showed, his own pride in his actions apparent.

The stories continued as they spilled into the garden, the bright midday sun beating down on them as Lyanna and Omega cleaned up and got lunch ready, blankets and chairs laid out and even the sofa moved into the garden by Reveth and Ithano to accommodate such a big group.

Phee took her turn as well, telling stories of her adventures with the Clones, of their treasure hunts gone awry, of bringing them to Pabu, and how she’d fallen for Tech.

By the time they were done laughing, eating and reminiscing, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon.

One by one, Phee and her little grandchild, then Lyanna left, only the crew of the Stinger remaining with Echo and Omega, Ithano, Reveth and Quiggold moving inside as the temperature began to drop.

With blankets drawn around them, Maree and Kix sat with Echo and Omega, listening as Echo recounted tales from the 501st, much to Omega’s delight.

Kix’s cheeks were hurting from laughing so hard, Echo’s voice rough from speaking for so long, dried tears of joy on both of their faces.

“And the time Fives replaced the blue paint with neon pink, and Rex didn’t even notice because we’d sabotaged the caf machine!”

“I don’t know how he coped with you two,” Kix chuckled, Echo nodding, his memories flowing as they reminisced.

The last beams of sunlight began to disappear over the horizon as their laughter faded, leaving them in a comfortable silence, Echo’s body heaving with the occasional laugh, the sound of his cybernetics so much louder than Kix could ever remember.

“He had a soft spot for us after Rishi,” Echo explained simply, waving his hand. “After we lost Cutup and… and… oh, what were their names? Hev… Hevy? And… and…”

His focus seemed to fade, eyes glazing over as Omega placed another blanket around his shoulders, his hand coming up to pat hers as he smiled lazily up at her.

“Do you want to go inside?” she asked softly, the old clone shaking his head, settling further back into his chair.

“No, I’m alright,” he replied firmly, reaching for her hand and squeezing it again, none of them missing how he was shivering. “I’m enjoying this. Catching up. Seeing my brother.”

“As long as you’re warm enough,” she grinned, looking between her brothers, “you’ve had a lot of catching up to do.”

Echo nodded sagely, his chest rattling loudly as he drew in a sharp breath, frowning.

“‘Mega… Can you get Tech? Think that my… my pipes need some work again.”

Kix met Omega’s gaze with a sympathetic expression, not missing how she winced at the name, sighing as she knelt down in front of him, holding his hand in hers.

“Tech’s a bit busy at the moment, Echo,” Omega explained gently, “but I’ll make sure he pops by later.”

Echo huffed, frowning as he shifted to look at Kix, his eyes widening a little in recognition.

“Kix… Rex was looking for you!” he smiled, the medic’s heart aching.

“I know, vod,” he reassured Echo, reaching to place his hand over Omega’s, reassuring her silently..

“He sent us out looking for years,” Echo chuckled softly, “we looked everywhere. You just vanished. I always said you’d be okay.”

Drawing another deep, rattling breath, Echo beamed at Kix, his face relaxing.

“You’re okay, Kix.” Tears spilled over the medic’s face as Echo nodded, confident in his own words. “You’re okay.”

Kix’s breath hitched as he shifted closer to Echo, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

In a way, he knew.

Echo was slipping away.

Like one last hurrah, their reminiscing seemed to have drained him, his eyes fluttering as Omega let out a broken sob, leaning up to stroke through his curls as he smiled gently, the whirring of his cybernetics beginning to slow.

“Omega,” he called in little more than a whisper, “little ‘Mega. You’re so brave. So strong. Love you, ‘Mega.”

“I love you too,” she sobbed, leaning in to kiss his forehead. Echo relaxed back into the chair, his breathing slowing. “I love you so much, Echo.”

“Hunter was right,” Echo grinned weakly, “better than all of us. Take… Takin’ care of me…”

With another shuddering breath, Echo reached for Kix’s hand gently, his strength fading.

“Hey… ‘m g’na see Fives,” he slurred the lights on his headpiece beginning to flicker dimly, “and… my… our vod.”

Kix nodded through his tears, grief wracking his body.

“Tell him he’s the bravest idiot I know, and he and Jesse had better save me a seat,” he laughed wetly, Echo chuckling in return.

“Oya, Kix,” he breathed, his chest rising and falling once more before it seemed to stutter, his eyes closing, lips falling lax as every muscle in his body seemed to relax all at once, his final breath drawn.

The whir of his cybernetics faded to complete silence as the lights on his headpiece blinked for the last time, fading to nothing as his body shut down, his head lolling onto his chest, his soul finally free.

“Oya,” Kix sobbed, “Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la.”

As he fell to the floor, Kix embraced Omega, the two of them sobbing into each other, tears soaking each other’s shoulders.

He was finally at peace, back with Fives, back with the rest of the Batch. And they were no longer alone. And yet it still hurt more than they could express, nothing but sobs and hitched breath between them as Maree knelt next to them both, drawing them into a joint embrace, shedding tears of her own for her family.

*-*-*

The funeral was a small affair. Exactly how Echo would have wanted it to be.

A simple service, Kix giving a eulogy punctuated by anecdotes about their time together, a tribute to how special Echo had been. Omega finished the service with a poem of her own making, tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked over her family and friends, Phee’s face shining with tears, surrounded by her own family as she nodded encouragement, a communal farewell to someone who was quite obviously adored.

As numb as Kix felt, he concentrated on the feel of Maree’s hand in his, squeezing and reassuring throughout the short service, her nudge of encouragement appreciated as Omega offered her hand to him, the two of them moving to the end of the pier with the urn containing Echo’s ashes.

With both of their hands holding it, they shared a nod before opening the lid and tipping it towards the sea, the contents caught by the wind, drifting through the air towards the open ocean.

He watched with a soft smile as a sudden gust of wind tore through the bay, seeming to seize the ashes and lift them higher and higher, twirling in what could only be described as a playful manner, creating a beautiful swirling pattern as it rose into the sky.

A warmth settled on his skin that had nothing to do with the balmy sunlight, instead, a weight seeming to lift from inside him as he let out a choked laugh, tears spilling over.

“Fives,” he sobbed quietly, “that has to be Fives.”

Omega simply smiled and nodded as she placed the urn at their feet, lacing her hand with Kix’s as they gazed upward, watching the last of Echo’s mortal form vanish.

“They’re together again,” Omega smiled through her grief, leaning into him a little, “they’re all together again.”

As the crowd dispersed, the crew of the Stinger remained by the memorial at the pier, lighting candles in memory of Echo, Reveth and Ithano sharing their own stories with Phee as Quiggold educated the nearby children about his species, many of them curious.

Kix drew Maree onto one of the benches nearby as Omega laid down one last offering at the shrine, her breath hitching with sobs as she placed Echo’s scomp delicately at the base, the appendage leaning against the worn stone in a place of honour.

Next to the scomp, a small box remained, one she picked up tenderly and opened, coming to sit next to Maree, grateful for her embrace as they all shuffled together.

“This is all I have left of them now,” she murmured sadly, picking a worn piece of red fabric from the box, what seemed to be a bandana. The colour was faded, a white skull painted onto the front almost grey from old age. It was tattered and well loved, Omega stroking lovingly over the skull before placing it back in the box, next retrieving a pair of battered goggles.

Again, she stroked over the metal rim, smiling to herself as she remembered her adventures with her brothers.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get long with him,” she directed to Kix, sniffing as she closed the box, the memories too much for now. “If I’d known…”

“I got to say goodbye,” Kix murmured through his tears, “and that was all I could have asked for.”

Omega nodded, silently standing and returning the box to the memorial, her eyes lingering on Echo’s scomp, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

“He was happy,” she sighed, turning to face Kix and Maree again, looking between them, “he was really happy. He loved it here, and everyone loved him. And I hope that… I hope that this gives you at least a bit of closure,” she managed, turning her attention to Maree, “and if you’re looking for somewhere to settle down for a while… as a parent… there’s no finer place to raise a child.”

Kix swallowed hard, meeting Maree’s gaze as his hand slipped over her stomach, his smile returning as he felt over the swell of it, frowning when he felt something sharp in her pocket.

“What’s that?” he asked curiously, Maree’s eyes widening.

In all of the goings on, she’d forgotten about Omega’s gift.

Tentatively pulling it from her pocket, she placed it in Kix’s palm, the datastick seemingly insignificant. Confused, Kix tilted his head slightly in silent question, Maree’s own tears welling up again.

“Omega gave it to me,” she explained quietly, biting her bottom lip. “She figured it out. The cure, I mean, for your accelerated ageing. We can stop it. We can build a life, a proper one. No rush, no fighting for time. Just us. The three of us.”

Kix stared at the stick in his hand for a few long moments, processing the information.

This tiny little thing was going to change his life. Give him more time with Maree, give him more time with his child.

One last gift from his brothers and sister.

“I… I….”

“You don’t have to make a decision right now,” Maree reassured him gently, closing her hands over his, cradling the stick, “but… mmmph!”

She never got to finish her sentence as Kix caught her lips in a passionate kiss, his free hand wrapping around the back of her neck, holding her close.

“I don’t need to think,” he murmured against her lips as they broke apart, tears escaping as their gazes met once again. “I know what I want. And I want this.”

Omega could only smile as she headed back to the house, memories flowing through every step.

For so long, she’d been so scared she’d be alone. And yet, now she had discovered another brother, another family.

And for once, Hunter’s declaration to her when they’d first settled on Pabu made sense, her throat constricting as she reached the house, running a hand over the stone next to the front door, a familiar scrawl from her childhood memorialised permanently in the duracrete, along with five handprints of various sizes, long worn deeper by the weather.

‘A home is not a home without the people who make it.’

“Welcome home,” she murmured as she re-entered the house, smiling to herself as a familiar warmth flooded through her.

They’d never truly be gone. She’d never be alone.

#star wars #tcw #the bad batch #the clone wars #star wars the clone wars #clone wars #tbb #tbb echo #clone trooper kix #post stasis kix #fanfic #tbb fanfic #the bad batch fanfic #tcw fanfic #dystopicjumpsuit #daniwrites

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ahsoka-its-all-of-us · 2 years ago

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Okay so inspired by @longlivetheclones I am making a very dumb list of what instruments the clones would play because why shouldn’t I?

Cody: violin, mostly functions as concertmaster. Serious about the music, sometimes more so than the actual conductor (Rex)

Crosshair: mallets, his preference is xylophone. Whenever he does have something to play, each note is a sharp shot of precision

Cut Lawquane: banjo. This is the real reason he left the Clone Army: nobody allowed him to play

Dogma: viola, and he’s not amused by the others’ frequent joking about it

Echo: French horn because they always have to play on the afterbeat lmao (also I think its snootiness fits him, in a way)

Fives: trombone, preferably bass, and he’s very obnoxious about it

Gregor: accordeon. He was the only one in the military who wanted to play with Cut. They started a band during the rise of the Empire, and promptly got banned in at least two hundred systems. He can play beautifully and seriously, he just prefers not to

Hardcase: effect percussion, so hammers and cannons and chairs and whatever weird shit composers come up with now

Hunter: for some reason my mind keeps saying flute. Piccolo might be a little too harsh for his sensitive hearing, but I could see him rocking non-standard flutes like tin-whistles or wooden flutes (not recorders)

Jesse: alto saxophone, dude likes the spotlight but also functions in quartet and wind orchestra situations

Kix: violin. Usually first, as a desk mate to Cody, ready to take over in case things go awry

Rex: the tired conductor trying to keep the whole mess together

Tech: harpsichord, the man is in awe of all the neat music written for it, especially Bach’s compositional masterpieces. He’ll explain the theory to anyone who will listen, which is no one (I’m a musical theory professor, I know his pain)

Tup: piano

Wolffe: bassoon. I dunno I just see him as a bassoon daddy

Wrecker: bass tuba. Will always play his notes one or two octaves lower, or, more rarely, an octave higher, but never the designated pitch

99: second baritone, which is pretty much the lowest possible ranking part in a brassband or fanfare, but he is simply overjoyed to actually be part of the orchestra (and make no mistake: while not exactly glamorous a part, the second baritone is essential for the harmony and structure of the music in an orchestra)

I based this on my years of experience in the professional music sector, which is why I stuck with Western classical orchestra instruments. Feel free to add on or come with your own ideas :3

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only-a-heartbeat-away · 1 month ago

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I love that you like Kix. I so rarely run into someone, especially irl, that even knows who they are let alone likes them as much as I do.

Skid Row was one of the bands on the list of bands to “not give things away”. I was so into Skid Row as a teen that they got me into trouble more than once. Once with the school guidance counselor and once with my parents. I had the chance to tell Rachel about how I pierced my nose at home because of him and got in deep shit with my parents over it. All he did was laugh about it which is honestly, the right response. I like both Bach Skid Row and later/newer Skid Row. It might not be anyone else's opinion but the part of the tour with Lzzy Hale was garbage. She has a great voice but she couldn't handle the notes and lacked the emotion in the singing that both Bach and Erik have. I understand why they did it but it was a bit of a disappointment, at least to me. Though, I do admit I take emotional over technically perfect any day. I've had some discussions with other people about this recently and had some big revelations in why I love one band/performer and only sort of like another very similar band/performer.

My favorite Bach era Skid Row is probably Fire in the Hole, Youth Gone Wild, Monkey Business, Livin' on a Chain Gang, Riot Act, Firesign and Iron Will. New Skid Row Kings of Demolition, Lets Go, and Time Bomb.

Do you like Bach's solo music? Have you listened to/seen Bach's performance of Jekyll & Hyde? I absolutely love his performance in that Broadway production. The way he moves his body as well as his longer legs and arms added something to the Hyde parts that made them eerie. I was lucky enough to get to see it live. If you haven't I've found some full recordings of it on Youtube.

I have quite a few pets. Two dogs, a snake, a turtle, frogs, fish, scorpions, a mouse, and tarntula. I have enough pets at the moment but if I could afford a home where I could have a solarium or heated glassed in porch I would love to have an Asian Water Monitor or I've always dreamed about having one of those solariums all planted and filled with finches. I really like the idea of having a whole room that is just nature that I could go and sit in whenever I wanted. It would be amazing for my mental health.

Do you have any other pets besides your cat? (I'd love to see a pic of your cat if you are ok sharing one. ) Any dream pets for you?

Talk to you soon

-Jake

Same here! With most glam metal bands, I rarely encounter anyone else who knows them irl, especially anyone around my age (like at most I’ll get “oh yeah, Mötley Crüe’s okay I guess, they made that Kickstart My Heart song, right?”). And when it DOES happen, I tend to get pretty excited lol.

It’s so cool that you got to meet Rachel, and even cooler that he felt that way about that story. I was about to get a nose piercing and ended up chickening out last minute, but if I went through with it, I’d totally do the nose chain thing too. I always thought that was an awesome look.

Admittedly I only care for the era of Skid Row when Sebastian and Rob were in the band, so I don’t pay attention to anything they did/do outside out of that, so this is the first I’m hearing of the Lzzy Hale tour, but I’ll take your word for it. I think she’s a great singer too but nowhere near Bach, that’s for sure.

I haven’t listened to his solo work in years, but I do remember enjoying it. I haven’t seen/listened to that, but I think it’s awesome you were able to see it live! I’ll try and look for a recording of that soon.

I’m kinda jealous you have that many pets lol. I would love a room like that too, would definitely help me destress and center myself.

I have another cat, named Angel. I would love to have snakes and birds, but there are three things that keep me from that. One, the obvious, money and space. Two, the apartment I live in only allows cats (and we had to fight the landlord tooth and nail to even let us get a second one). Three, I live with my mom and not only does she hate reptiles and birds, she’s afraid the cats would kill them (and in the case of snakes, she thinks a snake would try to kill the cats).

And yeah, I’m totally fine with sharing pics of them! The first four are of Sebastian, and the other four are of Angel.

I’d love to see pics of your pets too, but I know going on anon disables that option :/ maybe when the time comes that everyone’s allowed to reveal themselves? Only if you’re comfortable with it, of course.

Do you have any albums in physical form, like vinyl or cd? If so, how many do you have?

#asks #srs24

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firefly-fez · 2 years ago

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since I’ve been making all y’all fellow star wars fans miserable with my tragedy headcanons lately, here’s a few of my favourite cute/wholesome ones

After the Empire falls, the Clones (finally) gain full rights and settle down on an uninhabited world. One of the clones (Kix maybe, can be Rex and Ahsoka’s kid if you ship that) has a baby with a togruta, and his head marking’s match Rex’s wolf insignia so they just have to call him Rex Jr.

The whole ‘Kix discovers the chips, tries to get the word out and is frozen in stasis’ thing happens as per comics. Rex is one of the only troops of the 501st still alive when it happens, so Luke, (who has met Rex at this point), introduces them. Rex gives Kix the BIGGEST hug just WHOOF. hug.

Ahsoka calls Luke ‘Skyguy’. All the time. He doesn’t really understand why but he rolls with it. ‘Luke’ is kinda too short to get nicknamed, so he’s never really had one before. He kinda likes it. Until Leia hears Ahsoka say it and it spreads like wildfire around their friends. He’s no longer Luke. He is simply ‘skyguy’

Before she sees Anakin’s force ghost, she sees Obi Wan. It’s a little tense, at first. Their relationship was already strained when she left the order, and it didn’t survive the fallout of losing Anakin. She’d been the one to tell him about the inhibitor chips, after they’d stumbled onto a squad of clones by accident. He’d defended himself as best as he could - until Ahsoka’s blades stopped him from putting his lightsaber through the clone’s chest. She’d won the battle, (without killing the clones) and rounded on him in anger. How could you do this. How could the jedi do this. She’d been angry. After she witnessed what happened to the clones, she’d never been more disappointed with the jedi order. When he tried to tell her what happened to Anakin…. She didn’t believe him. She had no reason to. Trying to present a holo recording - a holo recording - (really, he should have known better) as proof of Anakin’s fall was the nail in the coffin. She’d lashed out. Faked holo footage was enough to make you turn on one of your own? Again? When she learned the truth, she crash landed on Tatooine, injured after the battle. She tried to reach out, to apologise, to grieve with him, but at that time, he was a shadow of his former self. He pushed her away. He told her he failed, as a jedi. He failed Anakin. He needed to dedicate himself now to what remained of Anakin’s legacy. He was still haunted by her response, the hitch in her throat as she said “I guess I don’t count anymore.” When they finally reunite; they both feel the guilt of all their words said in anger; everything they wish they’d never said. Like a dam breaking, it’s all apologies, the returned offer of friendship, and at the very end, a light-hearted joke, to bring back the years of banter.

#ahsoka #obi wan #captain rex #luke skywalker #leia organa #star wars #star wars headcanons

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that-one-weeb-but-starwars · 3 years ago

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If Star Wars Characters went to Disneyland| 501st style

Part one? Idk might make a part 2

-FIVES IS GOD DAMN EXITED THE WHOLE PLANE RIDE

-Rexs had twenty coffees and they barely left the airport

-Ashoka's asleep on everyones carry ons

-Dogma aint happy even being in the air port

-Tup records all the crackhead moments

-"Im runnin on four seconds of sleep man" "oh seriously" "yeah...Wanna oreo?" "....yeah sure."

-Anakin went before with Pademe, so he's wearing his disney ears already.

-Echo's reading outlander as they wait

-"When Im done with flight school I'll be flying everyone instead." "Redeye I dont trust you to make a sandwhich. None the less with a plane"

-Kix's wears his Red Cross Tee on the flight because its comfortable

-Jesse's also taken a nap with Ashoka on everyones luggage

-when they've finally got on the plane Rex's had four more coffees

-Anakin took charge so Rex could sleep and Rex happily did.

-the flight was the calm before the storm

-Dont even ask how they all got from the air port to the hotel-

-they stayed at the hotel across from the park and Fives has never been so excited

-Ashoka wants to keep sleeping and does so in the lobby as Anakin checked them all in.

-"Oooo Rex and Tano are in the same room" "Good I cant deal with you mfs for another mintue" "I-"

-Rex and Ashoka shared a room which ment peace and quiet for them.

-It was odd for them only two to a room, but luckily they all some how connected so chaos

-After everyones settled in, they basically all crashed aftwerwords

-Echo and Fives ended up sleeping on the same bed even though there was two of them.

-When moring Came Ashoka and Rex were the first ones up, they were gonna go eat downtown but knew they should wake everyone up.

-"Get up" "five more hours..." "sure- wait-"

-its a struggle but everyone gets up, Anakin out of everyone was the hardest to get up.

-they all go and eat at the buffet they have at the hotel, surprisingly everyone actually wakes up.

-Kix is the only one with a healthy breakfast of fruits and yogurt

-Dogma got out of his sour mood now that he has Cheerios

-So when they finally made there way over to the park

-Echo and Fives got matching ears, the day of the dead themed ones

-Rex said he wasnt getting Ears, but they convinced him to get ears, so the boys picked out the sparklest ears and Rex cant believe it, but he still ends up wearing them

-Kix got nemo themed ears

-Spend atleast an hour taking pictures just on main street, one consisting of Anakin laying across the group of clones and ashoka who held him in the air

-they dropped him by accident

-They take up the whole back of the disney railroad, you know the one that goes just around the park

-like five year olds there first ride is Dumbo and Peter Pan

-There's alot of laughing on the kiddy rides

-Splash Mountain- dont even start them on that- because they had to go in quiet a few logs, when the first one went over with Anakin, Ashoka, Rex, Tup, Dogma, and Echo everyone heard they screaming and now the clones are shakin in there boots

-churros for life

-When Rex and Anakin went on a ride together and then vanished the whole team was singing "there she goes"

-"BRO LOOK ITS DOGMA" "that's the abominable snowman Fives" "oh I know"

- expect a race between everyone on the autotopia ride, they place bets on each racer,

-Redeye loves Sorin over California, or the world. Idk things have changed, its also the reason why he has piolt themed disney ears and aviators.

-god imagine them in galaxies edge- I-

Fives: You were the satly one! I loved you!

Dogma: what?

Rex: its over my friend! I have the high ground!

Ashoka: you underestimate my power!

Rex: Don't try it!

Ashoka: -eats the churro they were suppose to share-

Rex: -offended-

-Redeye crashin the millennium Flacon- and there goes his hopes and dreams

-Dogma hates the small world, so they got stuck on it

-Jungle cruise adventures

-the bugs on the indian jones ride spray;

Fives: BRO WTF

Echo: Aw hell naw

Tup: I dont run but I might just sprint out this ride

Rex: guys its water

Kix: well techinally its pressurized air

Ashoka: bugs?! Where! It'll be added to my collection

Anakin: I dont know them

-Mary Poppins asked them to dance? Kix is all over that with Hardcase

-pirates of the Caribbean ride, they love it, its so relaxing

-Dogma: i aint scared of nothin

Dead man tell no tale

Dogma: Im scared of one thing

Ko ho: Boo!

Dogma: you mf

-accidently runs into Obi-wans Battalion

Obi-wan: heres there mom and all our kids

-dinners at a fast food place outside the park and all sitting on the curb eating and talking about there day

-"LETS DO IT AGAIN!" "Fives we have three more days in the park." "OH HELL YEAH!"

#star wars #sw: tcw #the clone wars headcanons #tcw 501st #star wars: the clone wars fic #the clone wars x reader #starwars headcannons #sw #Star Wars: The Clone wars

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icouldntfinditsoiwroteit · 4 years ago

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What if the clones changed places with diferent battalions because of The Force shenanigans for one week?

501:

Rex: He gets sent to the 187th battalion of Mace Windu, he proceeds to have almos two heart attacks per day with Hardcase causing his usual caos, when he is not trying to prevent Harcase from painting Mace Windu’s robes blue he is chating with Ponds and taking any moment to try a recover their lost time and of course bitch about their Generals (I headcanon that Mace is just as much of a disasters as other Jedis, the diference is that he can hide it.)

Dogma: He gets sent to the Wolfpack battalion of Plo Koon, Dogma is almost shocked to death by how Plo Koon treats him and the other clones that where sent to his battalion, Plo Koon helps him understand that following orders without thinking about them is not the best thing to do, he surprisingly gets along with Comet and alongside with the CG commanders is babied and almost adopted by Plo Koon, when he learned about what the CG go trough he finally learned that people need to earn your loyallty and has sworn to do anything to help his brothers, no matter where they are from.

Tup: He gets sent to the Coruscant Guard, Tup sticks t Fives even more than before since they are in a unkown place for him, he also tries to keep Fives from causing any more trouble and animosity between the CG and the 501th battalion than there already is, being court martialed because of painting Commander Cody’s armor pink, and of course half of the CG want to keep him when they see the cinamon roll that he is and how tired he ends because of Fives.

Fives: He gets sent to the Coruscant Guard, he is constantly stoped by Tup from doing almost anything fun, he gets along with Hound like there is no tomorrow, probably since Grizzer loves Fives and Fives isn’t scared of him, whne Fives is with Tup he has to basically prevent him form being kidnaped by half of the CG. “He Tup where are you going? Oh, I’m going to see what Spot wanted to show me earlier today.(Fives notices the badly hidden ropes of Spot) No your not(Fives picks Tup like a sack of potaoes) Fives what the kriff!, Tup is MY VOD and you can’t keep him!!!(Fives yells while being chased by Spot and other troopers)”

Echo: He gets sent to the 212th battalion of Obi Wan Kenobi, Echo isn’t that out of it in the 212th battalion since he and Fives where deployed with them a few times already, but he is going to lose it if he has to prevent someone being murdered by Sinker because they mocked his battallions name one more time or howled when he walked in. He has also learned that no matter where he goes a brother will take Five’s place and in this case Thorn is that brother.

Hardcase: He gets sent to the 187th battalion of Mace Windu, Hardcase decides to see how fast he can cause Rex to grow grey hairs and Ponds is a plus, especially since this is Mace Windu’s battalion, although poor Rex and Ponds have no idea that Mace is on it. “Hey Hardcase, whats that you’ve got?(Rex asks seing the suspicious bag Hardcase is carying) Coffe grains!!(Hardcase answeres befoere runnig of while munching some of them) Nooo!!!(Rex remembering what happened last time Hardcase had one caf runs after him, willing to stun him and ignoring the rest of the men in the room laughing.) (In the mean time Mace is hiding his amused laugh after he gave Harcase the coffe grains.)”

212:

Cody: He gets sent to the Coruscant Guard, Cody takes the time he has and sleeps like he has never slept before, at the start he helped Fives to keep the CG from stealing Tup, since he knows how it feels that the CG is trying to steal one of his shiny vod, after Fives tried to paint his armor pink, he stoped and decided to enjoy Five’s suffering.

Longshot: He gets sent to the 501th battalion of Anakin Skywalker, Longshot and Jesse are Kix’s new nightmare, since they also decided that making Wolfee’s comn to howl like a wolf.

Boil: He gets sen to the Wolfpack battalion of Plo Koon, Boil wonders if the universe entertaines itself with his suffering, because from all the vod he had to love it had to be Waxer and from all the existing battalions they could magically apear on it was Plo “I adopt any living creature that barely breathes in my direction” Koon, although he isn’t as against at the idea of finding Numa as he says he is, and Waxer knows it. He was one of the troopers that helpes Stone in making Fox rest, it’s the least he can do after he learned what they go trough.

Waxer: He gets sen to the Wolfpack battalion of Plo Koon, Waxer and Plo get along to a scary level, multiple troopers have to restrain him phisically and distracting Plo long enough that they can’t go in a journey across the galaxy in search for Numa. He also discovered what the CG go trough and felt ashamed of what he thought of hi brothers before, he alongside Boil have decided to spread this information, to at least make sure that their brothers have more support.

104 Wolfpack:

Wolfee: He gets sent to the 501th battalion of Anakin Skywalker, Wolfee thanks the universe for assigning him to General Plo “Coff Coff Buir”, instead of the walking disaster that Skywalker is and at the same time begs the universe for patience in order to prevent himself from murdering any other Vod that makes his comn howl or any joke about wolf in his presence, even if it’s Commander Ashoka or how General Buir calls her “Little Soka”.

Boost: He gets sent to the 187th battalion of Mace Windu, Boost is having the time of his life alongside Waxer and to his shock General Windu, by giving early grey hair to Captain Rex and Commander Ponds, this may seem cruel to some and even to him at the start, but when he learned that General Windu was doing this in order to boost the rest of his men morale after a really hard capaing he was sold, besides some humor never hurt anyone, right?

Sinker: He gets sent to the 212th battalion of Obi Wan Kenobi, General Kenobi is not a bad Jedi and by all means he thinks he enjoys the chats he has with the Jedi but may the universe have mercy on the next fool who makes a joke about his battalion’s name or howls while he enters the room, he doesn’t care about the consequences and fortunately Echo has prevented a lot of bloodshed caused by his hands, he hopes that when he’s back with the Wolfpack the ARC gets deployed with them more often, he likes him.

Coruscant Guard:

Fox: He gets sen to the Wolfpack battalion of Plo Koon, Fox apreciates the Jedi, since he ans his men don’t have on he had no idea what to expect and lets say that Skywalker didn’t give him high expectations and since he can’t do his paperwork he was cuddled to death by stone and by a few other brothers that learned of how they are treated in Coruscant. Plo has to be stoped by the Wolfpack who fake injuries in order to prevent the Jedi from storming the Senate, when he found out of how the CG are treated one didn’t need the force in order to feel the bloodlust in the man, and even if the Wolfpack shared this feeling they can’t let their Jedi be acused of treason..

Stone: He gets sen to the Wolfpack battalion of Plo Koon, he is thankfull to any force in the universe for giving him this time to finally force Fox to sleep, since Thorn isn’t here it’s his duty to care for the di’kut he calls a vod and commander. He didn’t cry when the Wolfpack as a whole decided that the CG needed help, he really didn’t, it was just a bit of dirt in his eyes, but having brothers outside of the CG watching his back is conforting, and Fox won’t admit it but they have a soft spot for Dogma.

Thorn: He gets sent to the 212th battalion of Obi Wan Kenobi, he want’s to help Sinker with a bunch of his plans to make the 212th suffer except for Wooley, Wooley is nice, fortunately for the 212th Echo stops Sinker most of the time and the poor ARC looks so tired of it, so Thorn has decided to help him around, he remember one time Fox talked about the time he worked with the ARC and another one named Fives, Fox saud that Thorn where painfully similar and may or may not have admited to have liked working with him, “but you didn’t hear that form him alright Echo? Echo? Wait you recorded it, no stop Fox will murder me!! (Proceeds to run after a cackling Echo)”.

Thire: He gets sent to the 501th battalion of Anakin Skywalker, he is not surprised at all when he see’s the daily disasters that happen on Torrent, and even if Commander Tano and General Skywalker are fun to be around, he can see where the battalion got the recklesnes from and he will feel no regret when Rex comes back and he is back on coruscant.

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rowansparrow · 3 years ago

Text

Juke Box Hero: A Rose Story

This is SO STUPID LMAO But I hope you guys like it anyway. I’m back on my bullshit and I am here to provide you with a little story based off THIS POST. Anon, thank you for your service, because this was very, very fun.

This snippet takes place during Chapter Seven of BAON, during the flashback when Reader is meeting Rex for the first time and Rose and Co. are stuck cleaning up the barracks. You don’t necessarily have to have read it for this to make sense, but the right context might be neat.

Also, for timeline purposes/in BAON, Tup and Dogma technically never met Rose, as they weren’t part of the 501st before he died, but I’m including them in this because I make the rules and I wanted to.

Also Denal’s here because I think he’s a funky dude and deserves more content.

The clones deserve to dance and have fun and who’s gonna write them doing that if it ain’t me?

Rating: Mature-ish? There are some dirty jokes and swearing but mostly it’s Just fun shenanigans with Rose and Bros.

(Also I spent a TON of time picking everyone’s songs so pls tell me what you think of my selections lmao).

I’m tagging everyone from the BAON tag list in case you’re interested. Enjoy!

In retrospect, perhaps Rose should have put a stop to the loth cat situation – or as Hardcase called it, Operation: P.U.S.S.Y. He claimed it was an abbreviation for “Petting Unusually Sweet Strays, Yeah!”

“You have to call it something else.” Rose had said at the time, staring at the loth cat cradled protectively in Hardcase’s arms.

“But you’re not saying no?” Hardcase prompted eagerly, already bouncing lightly on his heels.

“Just…” Rose pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just… clean up after it? And if it breaks anything, it’s on you, and for the love of Force, don’t get caught.”

Now, as the Lieutenant surveyed the disarray that had befallen the barracks, and the company of very disgruntled subordinates, he was reconsidering his earlier leniency.

“I feel as the acting SIC, you’re the one who should be taking the flak for this, not the entire company.” Jesse grumbled, glaring at Lieutenant Rose over his shoulder as he scrubbed at the floor of the barracks.

“Don’t look at me. I’m not the one who brought a pregnant loth-cat into the barracks in the first place.” Rose replied, straightening up for a moment where he’d been hunched over, his back cracking as he moved.

“Well, you didn’t fight me very hard on it!” Hardcase protested. “And I didn’t know Beans was pregnant at the time! I didn’t even know she was a girl!”

His explanation only earned him several slugs to the arm from nearby vode.

“And just because I’m second-in-command does not make me exempt from the Captain’s wrath.” Rose added. “You didn’t get the dressing-down, you just have to carry out the punishment with me.”

“Hang on, I thought we agreed the cat’s name was going to be Road Rash?” Coric asked.

“That’s unladylike.” Said Denal. “And rude. She can’t help her scars.”

“And Beans is ladylike?” Jesse raised an eyebrow.

“She likes it! And her kits looked like beans when they came out too!”

Rose shook his head fondly at his men as they bickered. At least they weren’t complaining anymore.

In truth, he was surprised the situation had been managed as long as it had been. They’d lasted almost a full three weeks without anyone figuring out they were hiding a cat in the barracks. Of course, the kittens made it much harder, and they could only hide them in overturned helmets during inspections for so many days before the helmets started to mewl.

And once Beans threw a tantrum over not having her kits with her, it was game over. She’d knocked over an entire can of armor paint in her wrath, and blue pawprints and large paint puddles coated the durasteel of the barracks, and a few of the bunks had claw and bite marks in the fabric.

“It’ll take us an hour, maybe more, to clean this whole mess up.” Fives complained, looking around the barracks forlornly. He had a nasty scratch just under his eye from finally snatching Beans up in her rampage. “Kriff. I was excited to go out tonight.”

“Not to mention after we finish here the Captain said we had to go take over latrine and canteen detail from other battalions.”

“Then I guess you better get scrubbing.” Kix said absently, thumbing through medical requisition forms on his datapad and sitting cross-legged on one of the few bunks that didn’t have blue paw prints streaked across it.

“Why aren’t you helping? You’re part of the company too.” Echo said. “Fives and I are ARC troopers, if anyone here should be exempt from company-wide punishments, it’s us.”

“I’m not helping because I didn’t participate.” Kix replied, not looking up from his ‘pad.

“The kark you didn’t, you delivered the kits!” Fives snapped.

“Well, Captain Rex didn’t catch me, so.”

“That’s because you went and hid in the medbay and didn’t warn the rest of us he was coming.” Tup muttered under his breath.

“Not true. I sent Jesse a comm.” Kix said, finally looking up only to shrug and return to his work. “Which he didn’t check, and that’s not my fault.”

“It doesn’t matter who was involved and who wasn’t involved.” Dogma piped up. “Clearly, because if it did, I wouldn’t be here either.”

“We know.” Said Jesse and Fives in unison.

Rose sighed, his eyes drifting forlornly to his bunk. He spotted his footlocker sticking halfway out from underneath the durasteel, and he lit up. He opened it quickly, pulling out a beat-up radio he’d gotten at a market stall during one of his first deployments. He’d had to trade a droid popper and half his rations for it – Rex had not been pleased about it when he found out – but it was worth the two-day latrine rotation he’d gotten as punishment.

He’d already downloaded several songs off the HoloNet, along with a few channel recordings of past BoloBall games. Even if he knew who won them, it was still something to listen to on long stints on cruisers.

“What’cha doing, Lieutenant?” Tup asked, peeking around the corner as Rose straightened back up, fumbling with the little radio for a moment and propping it up on one of the bunks so the music could fill the whole room.

“No. NO! No.” Jesse jabbed a finger at the Lieutenant as he saw him set up the radio. “No. Absolutely not. I have had enough of your osik-brained, Force-forsaken, whack-ass music to last me a lifetime.”

Kix chuckled, rolling his eyes at the other trooper. “You listen exclusively to electronic dance music. Even when we aren’t at 79s. You have no room to talk.”

“This is better than that.” Rose promised, dialing up the volume. “This is the kind of stuff you’d find on the jukebox at Dex’s Diner.” He grinned. Dex was personal friends with General Kenobi, and was one of the few Coruscant establishments that was friendly to clones, as long as they behaved themselves. Rose had gone there with his brothers a handful of times, and even Anakin had dragged his Padawan Ahsoka, Rose, and Rex along once.

“You have a radio?” Dogma frowned. “Isn’t that contraband, sir?”

“Relax, it’s an old prewar-era radio, it’s not hurting anything.” Fives drawled, knocking Dogma lightly on the shoulder. “What’re you gonna play, sir?”

“Let’s see…” Rose filtered through his downloads, and grinned wider, pressing play.

Immediately, soft music rang through the barracks, and Jesse smacked his head against the bunk, groaning loudly.

“I’m begging you, Lieutenant.” Jesse said. “I’m begging.”

Rose was already swaying his hips, bending over to grab Jesse by the chin.

“On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air.” Rose serenaded him.

Jesse swatted Rose’s hand away, and Rose turned, swinging around on the side of the bunk and pointing to Fives this time. “Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light. My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night.”

Fives grinned, joining in even as he stumbled slightly over the words.

“There she stood in the doorway. I heard the mission bell and I was thinking to myself, this could be Heaven or this could be Hell.”

Kix was drumming his fingers on his datapad, nodding along and singing under his breath.

“Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way. There were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say…”

“This is too slow.” Echo griped, rising to his feet and stepping over Dogma, who was still stubbornly scrubbing away at the barrack floors and refusing to engage even as the rest of the clones began quietly singing along with the chorus.

The ARC Trooper fiddled with the dial for a moment, scrolling through Rose’s music and selecting another song, already grinning as the chanting started through the speakers and eventually rippled through the ranks of the 501st.

“STOP.” Jesse barked, trying to kick Fives as the other ARC trooper hopped to his feet, stomping his feet and chanting along. “STOP, I HATE THIS ONE!”

Rose and Hardcase were chanting too, and Coric had started clapping his hands on an overturned bucket, a few shinies clapping their hands together as Echo shook his ass, kama swaying as he climbed up onto a nearby table. He scooped up a mop, pulling the handle to his mouth.

“I can’t stop this feeling, deep inside of me.” He pointed to Kix, grinding against the handle. “Girl, you just don’t realize what you do to me.”

Kix gave him the finger, and Echo pointed to Fives, who was still chanting with the others but was now holding up his helmet, recording the whole thing. Echo amped up his performance.

“When you hold me in your arms so tight, you let me know everything’s alright. I’m hooked on a feeling!”

Tup whooped from where he’d moved to sit on one of the bunks. Dogma shot him a nasty look, which he ignored in favor of watching Echo strut on the table.

“I’m high on believing that you’re in love with me. Lips as sweet as candy, its taste is on my mind. Girl you got me thirsty for another cup of wine.”

“Wait, wait, wait, I have a good one.” Fives shoved his helmet at Hardcase, letting him take over recording as he scrambled to the radio, quickly turning the dial once again and elbowing Echo off the table as fast, loud, angry guitars shredded through the barracks.

Jesse seemed to perk up just slightly, and any of the 501st troopers who were still trying to actually clean – save for Dogma – had abandoned their supplies and had elected to dance instead, crowding the table and forming a makeshift mosh pit.

Fives was nothing if not a showman, and when he snatched the mop from Echo, he performed.

“When I get high, I get high on speed. Top fuel funny car’s a drug for me, my heart! My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

He stomped his foot hard on the table, flipping his head back and running one hand messily through his hair.

“Always got the cops coming after me, custom-built bike doing 103, my heart! My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

Rose laughed, watching as Fives looked at the helmet Hardcase was hoisting up over the crowd, singing into the camera and rolling his shoulders back.

“Ooh, are ya ready, girls? Ooh, are you ready now? Woah, yeah! Kickstart my heart, baby give it a start. Woah, yeah! Baby! Kickstart my heart, hope it never stops. Woah, yeah, baby yeah!”

The clones joined him for the chorus, and then Fives dropped to his knees like he’d seen rockers do on the HoloNet, high fiving the nearest vode. Dogma was still stubbornly trying to clean up the barracks, but had moved on to one of the far corners, only giving the rest of his battalion the occasional side-eye.

“Skydive naked from an aeroplane, or a lady with a body from outer space, my heart. My heart! Kickstart my heart.” He wiggled his hips as he straightened back up, biting his lip through a grin and dropping his hand to his hips and shaking his fist obscenely, as though he was jerking himself off.

“Say I got trouble, trouble in my eyes, I’m just looking for another good time, my heart. My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

Before Fives could do something else profane – or possibly attempt to crowd-surf and give Rose a handful of incident reports to fill out, the music suddenly shifted, and all heads turned to the radio.

Kix was smirking. He’d divested himself of the top half of his armor, instead electing to shimmy his way up onto the table in just the upper half of his blacks and lower armor plates. Fives exited, rejoining the crowd as Kix leveled a sultry look at the camera for just a moment before turning his back on the crowd.

“Clean shirt, new shoes, and I don’t know where I am goin’ to. Silk suit, black tie, I don’t need a reason why.”

He spun quickly, switching his grip on the mop handle as though he was holding a woman in his arms, dipping it low towards the crowd as he sang.

“They come a runnin’ just as fast as they can, ‘cos every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.”

Fives and Echo were howling with laughter, and Hardcase wolf-whistled loud enough that Rose’s ears rang. Even Jesse had finally joined in, nodding his head along to the music and trying to bite back a grin. Tup had left the crowd to instead attempt to pull Dogma in, and Denal had rounded up a few newer members and was trying to push them closer to the front.

Kix unzipped the top half of his blacks, doing a slow strip-tease in time with the music.

“Gold watch, diamond ring, I ain’t missin’, not a single thing. And cufflinks, stickpin, when I step out I’mma do you in.” Kix shrugged out of his blacks and rolled his hips along the mop handle, dropping his ass low and slowly dragging himself back up, grinding against the handle.

“They come a runnin’ just as fast as they can, ‘cos every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.”

Fives actually pretended to faint, falling backwards into Echo, who was laughing so hard that he fell over with him.

“ALRIGHT!” Dogma shouted over the music, elbowing his way through the crowd with Tup following anxiously behind him. Dogma firmly stopped the music, hands on his hips as he turned to face the rest of his brothers, who’d begun to boo.

“We have orders,” Dogma reminded them. “This is a punishment, not a party. When we finish here, we’re supposed to clean the shower block, and then we’re supposed to report to the mess hall and take over the canteen cleanup shifts.”

“We know the orders, Dogma.” Rose said, putting a hand on the younger trooper’s shoulder. “There’s no harm in having fun while you work.”

“I’m the only one still working.” Dogma grumbled.

“Alright, alright, we’ll turn it low for now, and we’ll finish up in here, then we can bring the radio with us when we move to the refreshers and canteen. Fair?” He asked, turning to the rest of the men. There were a few muttered responses, and Rose raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I couldn’t quite make that out.” He said. “We are cleaning this mess up, correct gentlemen?”

“Sir yes sir!” They all answered quickly, hurrying back to work.

Rose chuckled, shifting the music to something a little calmer, the gentle piano wafting through the barracks as they continued to clean up.

Denal’s head perked up as soon as he heard the piano start, and while he didn’t climb up onto the table like his brothers had, he smiled to himself, turning back towards the spot he was scrubbing and singing to the durasteel floor.

“I'm sailing away. Set an open course for the Virgin Sea.”

Echo hummed, closing his eyes and rocking back on his heels for a moment, listening to his older vod croon.

“'Cause I've got to be free. Free to face the life that's ahead of me.” Denal continued, his voice soft but steady. “On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard. We'll search for tomorrow on every shore and I'll try, oh Lord I'll try… to carry on.”

Somebody whistled, a few scattered claps ringing through the barracks. Coric picked up where Denal left off.

“I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory. Some happy some sad.” He sang. “I think of childhood friends, and the dreams we had.”

Tup glanced to Dogma, who was practically seething as he scrubbed at the same spot on the floor that he’d been working on for the past several minutes. “You like this song, don’t you, Dogma?”

“No I don’t. Shut up.”

“Join in. They won’t mind.” Tup encouraged.

“No.”

“We live happily forever, so the story goes. But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold.” Sang Coric. “But we'll try best that we can to carry on!”

The music picked up, and Jesse shot Rose a look.

“This is a deceptively fast song.” He said.

“It sneaks up on ya.” Rose chuckled.

The barracks devolved into chaos once again, the clones all screaming along to the lyrics, even the ones who didn’t know the words picked it up quickly, encouraged by their brothers.

Despite the distractions, they finally finished cleaning the barracks, and Rose plucked the radio from where he’d stashed it, leading the way down the hallway towards the refreshers. The 501st were especially rowdy in the quiet halls – most of the barracks were empty, the clones who weren’t being punished for loth-cat related shenanigans were taking advantage of the shore leave.

When they opened the door to the shower block, they encountered a few members of the 212th already in there, cleaning up.

“Pack it in, lads.” Rose announced. “We’re taking over for you.”

“What? Why?” Boil asked, leaning on a mop and raising an eyebrow. “Did you get in trouble?”

“Yes.” Hardcase replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“All of you?” Waxer poked his head out from inside one of the refresher stalls, Crys and Wooley pausing from where they were wiping down countertops.

“Yeah, it’s Hardcase’s fault. As usual.” Jesse said, strolling over to Boil and plucking the mop from his hands. “We’re supposed to take over your shifts.”

“Good, I was hoping to get to 79’s tonight before last call. I hear they’ve got purple spotchka.” Boil said excitedly, glancing at Waxer over his shoulder.

“We can help you finish.” Waxer said, immediately raining on his brother’s parade. “There isn’t much left to do anyway.”

“You sure?” Rose asked. “It’s technically a punishment -.”

“Nah, it’s fine, there really isn’t much left, aside from the toilets.” He grinned. “But you boys can handle those.”

“Fair enough.” Rose chuckled, nodding over his shoulder to his men. Fives, Echo, Jesse, and Hardcase were in a heated four-way battle of rock, flimsi, cutters in order to determine who had to clean the toilets first.

“What’s that?” One trooper Rose didn’t recognize asked, pointing to his hand.

“It’s a radio!” Rose said cheerfully. “I’m err… technically not supposed to have it. But we’ve been listening to music while we worked.” He set it up on the countertop. “Do you have a favorite song…?”

“Spitter.” The 212th trooper supplied helpfully.

“Spitter.” Rose repeated, chuckling to himself and wondering how the hell he’d earned that name. “Do you have a favorite song?”

“I don’t know the name of it.” The trooper admitted shyly. “But – but it’s the one they play on the hits channel all the time. I hear it playing in the admiral’s quarters on the Negotiator all the time.”

“I know that one!” Waxer said excitedly, nodding to Rose. “It’s the one Commander Cody likes. You were playing it in the hangar a few weeks ago when our flight detail overlapped.”

“I remember.” Rose smiled, and turned the song on.

Immediately, every head, including Dogma’s, perked up at the familiar tune. Fives clapped his hands together, getting them started.

“When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who wakes up next to you.”

The younger trooper, Spitter, lit up and followed it up.

“When I go out, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.”

Waxer elbowed Boil, trying to get him to join in, but the other trooper shook his head and crossed his arms, rolling his eyes even as Waxer sang.

“If I get drunk, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you.”

Their voices carried through the refresher’s tiled walls, and Jesse picked up where Waxer left off.

“And if I haver, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you.”

When the chorus rolled around, everyone joined in, their voices bouncing off the walls around them.

“But I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more, just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.”

“When I’m working,” Kix began, offering a hand to Wooley and giving him a playful spin. “Yes I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s working hard for you.”

“And when the money comes in for the work I do, I’ll pass almost every penny on to you.” Wooley laughed, shoving Kix away with a grin.

“When I come home,” Tup piped up quickly, before someone else could. “Oh, I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who comes back home to you.”

“And if I grow old,” Crys smirked, shaking his shoulders at Fives, who punched him playfully in the arms and joined in, singing the line in unison. “Well, I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s growing old with you.”

The chorus returned, and they sang with even more feeling than before, dancing and tossing their heads back, shouting along to the words and nearly drowning out the music itself as they sang.

As the final verse approached, Waxer sidled up next to Boil, giving him a hopeful look. His brother sighed, scrubbing a hand bitterly over his face and reluctantly joined in.

“When I’m lonely, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s lonely without you.” He sang.

“And when I’m dreaming,” Echo called. “Well I know I’m gonna dream, I’m gonna dream about the time when I’m with you.”

“And when I go out, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.” Fives followed.

“And when I come home, yes I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who comes back home with you.” Denal said.

Tup took a deep breath, preparing to finish off the verse, but he was cut off.

“I’m gonna be the man who’s coming home,” Dogma’s voice was shaky as all eyes turned to him, and he finished in a squeak. “With you.”

The room erupted in cheers, Fives catching Dogma under his arm and giving him a noogie as the chorus rang out once again, everyone shouting along to the lyrics together.

When the song ended, and the cleanup was done, the 212th parted ways with the 501st, the brothers patting one another on the back and jeering affectionately at one another now that the song and dance was done.

“If you finish with everything before final call, catch up with us at 79’s.” Boil called over his shoulder. “We can give the vode there a run for their money with our rendition of that song.”

“Count on it.” Rose chuckled, giving the other company a little salute before leading his men on towards the canteen.

The canteen, blessedly, was empty, and most of it was already clean. All they really had to do was wipe everything down, mop, and then make sure the kitchen was well-prepped for the next day.

“I didn’t know you had it in ya, Dogma.” Echo said affectionately, knocking his younger vod playfully in the shoulder as they walked.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Dogma muttered, his ears burning as he pushed into the canteen, grabbing the cleaning supplies from the nearby supply closet.

“Who’s turn was it for a solo?” Fives asked, watching as Rose started to set up the radio above one of the food windows so it could project into the entire cafeteria.

“I think Dogma should go.” Kix grinned. “Now that we know he’s got some pipes.”

“Absolutely not.” Dogma said immediately, not looking up from where he was wiping down tables.

“I can go first?” Tup offered, raising his hand sheepishly. Dogma shot him another stern look, but Tup was already wandering over to the radio, moving the dial and tentatively pressing play.

Upbeat music filled the canteen, and the other troopers cheered as Fives ushered Tup over to the nearest table, boosting him up on top of it and then thrusting a mop into his hands. Hardcase was already fumbling with the helmet again, trying to get a recording as Tup tapped his foot along with the beat, nodding his head as he found his rhythm.

“I get up in the evening, and I ain’t got nothing to say. I come home in the morning, I go to bed feeling the same way.”

Fives was leading other troopers in pounding the surrounding tables in time with the drumbeats while Echo was leading another group to clap in time.

“I ain’t nothing but tired! Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself.” Tup flashed the camera a grin, reaching up and pulling his hair tie out, shaking his wild curls loose around his head. “Hey there baby, I could use just a little help.”

Jesse whistled, and Dogma had stopped cleaning and was watching his brother, the slightest smile pulling at his lips.

“You can’t start a fire, can’t start a fire without a spark. This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark.”

Tup shook his hair out of his eyes, tossing his head back and jerking his hips.

“Messages keep getting clearer, radio’s on and I’m moving ‘round my place. I check my look in the mirror, wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face!”

He swayed his hips again, and Hardcase shoved the camera at Kix instead so he could join in the clapping.

“Man, I ain’t getting nowhere, I’m just living in a dump like this. There’s something happening somewhere, baby I just know that there is.”

He hopped off the table, instead taking Dogma’s hand and dragging him towards the makeshift stage.

“You can’t start a fire, you can’t start a fire without a spark. This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark.”

He pushed the mop into Dogma’s hands instead, beaming at him as he scurried off the table, sprinting over to the radio and quickly changing the song.

Immediately, slow guitar started but quickly escalated into heavy drums and fast riffs. Dogma’s cheeks turned a darker shade, and he looked frantically to Tup, trying to climb back down off the stage.

“No, no, come on!” Fives shouted, trying to body block Dogma from getting down. “Come on, you got this!”

The lyrics began, and Dogma sang along, his mouth barely moving, voice almost imperceptible.

“Another head hangs lowly, child is slowly taken… and the violence caused such silence, who are we mistaken?”

“Come on!” Tup called to him. “You LOVE this song! Let ‘em hear it!”

Dogma grit his teeth, his voice gaining strength. “But you see, it’s not me, it’s not my family, in your head, in your head they are fighting.”

He stomped his foot on the table, practically snarling out the words. “With their tanks, and their bombs, and their bombs, and their guns, in your head, in your head they are crying.”

He threw his head back, and for not the first time that night, the radio was drowned out by cheers.

“In your head! In your head! Zombie, Zombie, Zombie. What’s in your head? In your head? Zombie, Zombie, Zombie!”

Dogma climbed off the table quickly, his ears and cheeks burning but a small smile was on his face, even as he was smothered by Hardcase, Fives, Tup, and Echo swarming him with hugs and rubbing his head affectionately.

Jesse climbed up onto the table next, picking up the discarded mop and clearing his throat.

“I would just like to dedicate this song to the gorgeous woman I picked up at 79s last week.” He drawled, nodding once to Kix, who was hovering knowingly by the radio. He nodded once to the helmet, which was now stationed on a nearby table, still recording. “Darling, you had the best pair of tits I have ever seen in my entire life, and you had the mouth of an angel and the coochie of a devil.”

Fives whistled, and Coric snickered. Rose rolled his eyes.

“So, babygirl, this one is for you.”

Kix turned on the radio, and Jesse grinned.

“Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name.”

Guitar rang out through the mess hall, and Jesse bit his lip, rolling his hips as he leaned slightly off the edge of the table.

“An angel’s smile is what you sell, you promised me heaven then put me through hell. Chains of love got a hold on me, when passion’s a prison, you can’t break free.”

He dropped into a crouch, singing directly into the camera.

“Whoa, you’re a loaded gun, whoa, there’s nowhere to run, no one can save me, the damage is done!”

He jumped to his feet, the table shaking under him as he landed.

“Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame. You give love a bad name. I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name!” He turned his back on the crowd, dropping low again and slowly rising, shaking his ass. “Yeah you give love…”

He looked over his shoulder, tossing the camera a wink. “…a bad name.”

The music changed abruptly, and for a moment Jesse looked pissed. “What the hell, ‘Case?”

But his expression shifted as Hardcase rushed to the table, pushing his brother out of the way and taking the mop from him. The crowd cheered all over again as Jesse climbed down, brothers slapping him on the shoulders as Hardcase’s song started up.

“We finish strong, right vode?” He asked cheekily.

“We still have to finish cleaning!” Dogma called back.

Hardcase only smirked in response, and sang quickly to keep up with the lightning fast lyrics.

“Backstroking lover always hiding ‘neath the cover, can I talk to you, my daddy say. He said, you ain’t seen nothing ‘til you’re down on a muff and then you’re sure to be a-changin’ your ways.”

He cupped his codpiece, bucking his hips forward into his own hand.

“I met a cheerleader, was a real young bleeder, all the times I can reminisce. ‘Cos the best things of lovin’ with her sister and her cousin only started with a little kiss, like this!”

He swung his arms wide, shaking his ass in time with the music and stuck his tongue out, having the time of his life.

“See-saw swingin’ with the boys in the school and your feet flyin’ up in the air. Singin’ hey diddle diddle with your kitty in the middle of the swing like you didn’t care.”

He walked backwards along the table, rolling his shoulders back as he moved.

“So I took a big chance at the high school dance with a missy who was ready to play. Wasn’t me she was foolin’ ‘cos she knew what she was doin’, and I know love is here to stay when she told me to walk this way!”

The rest of the 501st joined in with him, repeating the chorus of “Walk this way! Walk this way! Walk this way!” over and over again, Hardcase taking over again as the next verse began.

“School girl sweetie was the sassy kinda classy, little skirt’s climbing way up her knees. There was three young ladies in the school gym locker when I noticed they was lookin’ at me.”

He ran his hands along his thigh, mimicking raising a skirt.

“I was a high school loser, never made it with a lady ‘til the boys told me something I missed. Then my next-door neighbor with a daughter had a favor so I gave her just a little kiss, like this!”

“Do you think he has any idea what he’s singing about?” Kix asked Rose, leaning back against the counter and chuckling.

He watched as Hardcase went back to grabbing his own crotch, dry-humping the air and hummed.

“I’d say most likely.”

“See-saw swingin’ with the boys in the school and your feet flyin’ up in the air. Singin’ hey diddle diddle with your kitty in the middle of the swing like you didn’t care.”

Hardcase grinned, and to both Kix and Rose’s utter chagrin, Hardcase actually did dive off the makeshift stage and attempt to crowd surf.

“I’m not patching you up!” Kix shouted over the roar of the music. Rose chuckled, turning the volume nod down as the rest of the 501st shouted in protest.

“Alright, that’s enough for now.” The Lieutenant said, taking control once more. “We can listen to it quietly in the background, but we really do need to wrap up cleaning.”

“Why? Got a date tonight?” Jesse asked with a raised eyebrow. Rose punched him lightly in the arm, and they got back to work once again.

They worked in relative silence, the occasional voice humming or singing along to the music, but they remained productive right up until one of the final songs Rose had downloaded cut through the speaker. The piano wasn’t as rich-sounding as it was through a regular speaker, but even through the tinny cadence of the beat-up radio, every single trooper in the canteen bolted upright, eyebrows raised. Rose smiled knowingly, and turned up the volume once again.

Fives beamed, sitting down on top of one of the tables and laying back, one leg bent and the other stretched flat, a hand behind his head as he sang up at the ceiling.

“Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.”

Jesse leaned back against the wall on the other side of the canteen, closing his eyes as he joined in.

“Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.”

Echo kept mopping, but was grinning as he picked up the next line. “A singer in a smoky room, the smell of wine and cheap perfume.”

Kix grinned. “For a smile, they can share the night, it goes on, and on, and on, and on.”

The rest of the 501st joined in together, their voices carrying in perfect harmony.

“Strangers, waiting. Up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night. Streetlight people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the -.”

“Night!” Hardcase shouted, straining every muscle in his chest and neck as he struggled to reach the high note.

Tup picked up the next verse, climbing onto one of the tables and dragging Dogma up with him once again.

“Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants the thrill. Paying anything to roll the dice just one more time.”

Dogma smiled, nodding his head along to the music. “Some will win, some will lose.”

Tup threw his arm around his brother, and the two of them sang together. “Some were born to sing the blues!”

Rose’s voice carried from over by the radio. “Oh the movie never ends, it goes on and on, and on and on!”

“Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night. Streetlight people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the -.”

“NIGHT!” This time, it was Dogma, of all people, who rang out with the high note, and the explosion of shouts and cheers was deafening. They were screaming along to the lyrics, dancing and jumping and shouting and swaying in time with the song.

“Don’t stop believin’! Hold on to that feeling. Streetlight people! Don’t stop believin’, hold on-”

“WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!”

The booming voice was so powerful, it could be heard even over the shouts of all the clones. Echo was closest to the radio, and quickly shut it off as the song and dance stopped immediately, every clone scrambling to stand at attention.

The Jedi that filled the doorway was massive, an imposing shadow in the entrance to the canteen. He zeroed in on Tup and Dogma, who had been standing closest to the entrance, and stormed towards them.

“Who is your commanding officer?!”

“Me, sir.”

The Besalisk Jedi turned, spinning on Rose immediately. He stalked over to the Lieutenant, jabbing a meaty finger into his chest, hard enough to send him stumbling backwards.

“What is the meaning of this?” He snarled.

“Sir, we were assigned cleaning detail.” He explained. “We were just finishing up.”

The Jedi bared his teeth. “Doesn’t look like much cleaning was taking place to me.”

He surveyed the rest of the troopers, but turned his head back to Rose.

“What is your designation?”

“CT-7673.” Rose recited immediately, keeping his back ramrod straight at attention, even though the Jedi was deep in his personal space. He knew this man. General Krell had quite the reputation through the GAR, and Rose had no clue what he was doing outside of the Jedi Temple this late at night.

“Who is your commanding officer?”

“Captain Rex, sir.”

“Not a clone! Is there a malfunction in your design?!” The Jedi bellowed. A few feet behind him, Hardcase flinched at the sudden loud sound, but Rose held still. “Your general, CT-7673! Who is your Commanding Officer!?”

“General Skywalker, sir.” Rose said instead. The canteen was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

He turned his head, noticing the little radio on the table and picked it up, the device small in his massive hands, raising an eyebrow at Rose. “Contraband, disturbance of the peace, behavior unbecoming of an officer, insubordination.” He hissed. “That’s plenty of grounds for a court martial, Lieutenant.”

“Sir.” Fives spoke up, taking a step towards them. “Proper chain of command designates General Skywalker as the one to hand down a court martial order, sir.”

He narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with contempt. “With all due respect, sir, you do not command this battalion, and cannot order a court martial on the Lieutenant.”

“Fives.” Rose snapped, whipping his head around to face Fives. “Stand down. Now.”

The ARC Trooper shrank back, his hands curled into fists at his sides, and the General turned back to Rose.

“Be that as it may,” he began icily. “You can rest assured this breach of conduct will not go unreported.”

“Yes sir.” Rose replied stiffly.

General Krell pulled back at last, surveying the battalion. “I want this canteen spotless, and not a word out of you in the meantime!” He ordered. “And I don’t think you’ll be needing this anymore.”

With one quick motion, he smashed the radio in his hands. Rose heard a soft, hurt sound somewhere behind him, but ignored it. He didn’t look away from the General.

“Dismissed.” Krell growled, turning and stalking towards the doors. “And as for you,” He turned, jabbing one large finger at Fives. “I’ll be mentioning you in my report as well. Pray our paths do not cross again, clone.”

And with those words, he left the canteen.

Rose relaxed, but only minimally so. The silence hung heavy over the 501st, and everyone quietly shuffled back to work.

Rose gripped the mop handle tightly as he worked, his knuckles turning white. His chest burned, a tight, constricting feeling wrapped around his insides. It was a feeling he’d never felt before – anger, sadness, humiliation, resignation – all rolled into one hateful ball, coiled in his gut.

“Finished with the kitchen, sir.” Came Tup’s small voice. He’d put his hair back up, the tight bun back to regulation standards. Dogma was standing stiff beside him, still not entirely relaxed yet. “And the um – the canteen area’s just about wrapped up as well.”

“Very good.” Rose said with a small nod. “I’ll report back to Captain Rex, let him know we’ve finished for the night.”

“Sorry about your radio, sir.” Hardcase murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s alright, ‘Case.” Rose smiled, but his eyes were sad. “It was – it was old, anyway. Just a silly thing.”

Fives bristled, his jaw setting as he tossed the bucket he’d been holding back into the supply closet with far more force than necessary.

“We aren’t supposed to leave base for the rest of the night, right?” Denal asked, arms folded across his chest as they finished the last of the cleanup. “Guess we could play Sabacc or something back in the barracks?”

There were a few murmured agreements, and the 501st shuffled back towards the barracks. Rose was still thinking about the General, and had a bitter taste in his mouth. They hadn’t been doing anything wrong, really.

Was it such a crime to enjoy oneself? To simply exist?

Fives and Echo fell into step on either side of Rose, the ARC Troopers bracketing their Lieutenant. “I bet Echo and I could rebuild the radio.” Fives offered. “Might take a little bit, but even if we can’t, Kix is real good at bartering stuff down in the markets. Remember when he got us those HoloDisc movies for just a tube of bacta?”

“We could find another radio for you?” Echo suggested hopefully. “Or maybe,” he lowered his voice slightly. “Maybe Y/N could find you one?”

“Let it go.” Rose said, picking up the pace and pulling away from the ARC Troopers. They reentered the now far tidier barracks, and Rose gravitated back to his footlocker, starting to close it up and push it back under his bed. The metal clacked slightly against the edge of the bunk, and he paused, the tinny sound echoing in his ears.

He knocked the footlocker against the bunk again, listening to the little noise again.

Kark it. He was more than just a mindless flesh-droid. He was a person. A human being. And he liked music.

And he wasn’t about to let anybody take that away from him.

“I never got to do a song.” He announced, straightening up and putting his hands on his hips.

“You can’t be serious, sir.” Dogma said, shaking his head at him. “Haven’t we gotten in enough trouble?”

“I’m sure the General’s slithered back to the Temple by now, where he belongs.” Jesse replied, turning back to the Lieutenant. “We don’t have a radio anymore, sir.”

“We don’t need one.” Rose said, pulling his footlocker back out and propping up one leg on it. He tapped his foot against the metal, the rhythm settling, nodding his head along. He took a deep breath.

“Standing in the rain, with his head hung low. Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show.”

Fives recognized the song, and started tapping his foot along, drumming his hands on an overturned weapons crate.

“Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene. Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream.” Rose climbed up onto the table. “He heard one guitar!”

Jesse slammed a bucket from earlier down against the supports of a bunk, the loud clang mimicking the strum of a guitar.

“Just blew him away. He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day, bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store. Didn’t know how to play it, but he knew for sure, that one guitar!”

Another clang, this time from Kix repeating Jesse’s motion, and Echo, Denal, Coric and Fives were all drumming on overturned buckets and crates.

“Felt good in his hands! Didn’t take long to understand, just one guitar, slung way down low, was a one way ticket, only one way to go.”

Tup and Hardcase had picked up a brush – typically used for scrubbing their blasters and armor down – and were knocking it against the durasteel wall. Dogma had rounded up the others, a look of sheer determination on his face as they clamored around the bunks and tables, smacking their fists in rhythm with anything they could get their hands on.

“So he started rockin', ain't never gonna stop. Gotta keep on rockin', someday gonna make it to the top!”

Rose stomped his feet, and the rest of the 501st joined him for the chorus.

“And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. He's a juke box hero!”

“He took one guitar,” Rose sang, while the rest of the battalion echoed “juke box hero, stars in his eyes” around him. “Juke box hero, he’ll come alive tonight.”

The singing quieted down, listening for a moment to see if anyone was coming, and Rose grinned, starting again and pitching his voice low.

“In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour, thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door.”

The clones took position, preparing to resume their makeshift instruments as Rose picked up in volume.

“Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain. And that one guitar, made his whole life change! Now he needs to keep on rockin', he just can't stop! Gotta keep on rockin', that boy has got to stay on top!”

Once again, shouts rang out as his brothers joined him for the chorus, their voices louder and more determined than ever, refusing to be silenced.

“And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. Yeah, juke box hero, stars in his eyes. With that one guitar, he'll come alive, come alive tonight.”

As they finished the song, Rose panted softly, glancing down at his commlink again. He decided he was going to go off base after all. He wanted to see you, and nobody, not his Captain’s orders, and definitely not some karking General like Krell, was going to stop him.

“Dismissed.” He said curtly, and took off out the door without another word.

SONGS USED (because they’re all bangers and you should listen to them):

The 501st (introduction): Hotel California Echo: Hooked on a Feeling Fives: Kickstart My Heart Kix: Sharp Dressed Man Jesse: You Give Love a Bad Name Coric and Denal: Come Sail Away Dogma: Zombie Tup: Dancing in the Dark Hardcase: Walk This Way The 212th and 501st: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) The 501st (Canteen finale): Don’t Stop Believin’ Rose and the 501st: Juke Box Hero

TAG LIST (Aka everyone on the tag list for BAON): @fat-zygerrian @ladydiomede @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life @threevie @cheesemachine44 @bubblyacey @fivedicksinatrenchcoat @loverofclones @starwarsgarbage @hockeyjedi13 @crazygirlwithasword @dar-manda-rjct @gotomarvelgal @baba-fett @whore4rex @bubblegumcat229 @generalcannoli @hellothere501stlover @in-the-crosshairs @vaderthepotater @for-the-love-of-clones @babyhowzer @imrealatedtothe501st @chewychewyque @bobafettuccini @baba-fett-writes @chromia7567 @coffeeandtodd @thedomesticatednerd @kirinpl @djarrex @a-c-lee @embarrassedauthornerd @kaorikoizumi @the-girl-of-rain-and-shadows @sammi9498 @theroguesully @salaminus

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gospelofme · 4 years ago

Text

Unfortunate Eavesdropping

I’m so sorry guys. But I had to.

Echo picked at the food in front of him. His appetite was slowly returning, but he felt this was more homesickness than lack of interest. More than once he had laid awake wondering if he had made the right decision, leaving the 501st for Clone Force 99. He hadn’t gotten much opportunity to catch up with Captain Rex after he was rescued. There just never was a good time, between evading the Techno Union and processing his freedom. Captain Rex had looked different from when Echo had last seen him. He looked like he had seen things he wished he hadn’t.

“If you don’t eat that food, the Kaminoans will feed you via that tube again.” Tech pointed out, not looking up from his datapad. Echo made a face, he had hated that tube. He took a bite of tasteless food and tried to force himself to like it. He had wanted to access records and files on his comrades, but he feared what he would find. The list of those KIA and MIA grew every day.

Behind him, two clones sat down and were in the midst of chatting about something. Echo tried not to listen in on their conversation, he’d always considered that rude.

“So apparently the 501st has a missing medic, Kix.”

“Why does his name sound familiar?”

“Well, rumor has it, he was seen with that one ARC Trooper who went kriffin’ insane and tried to murder the Chancellor.”

“Yeah! What was his name...”

“Fives I think...yeah, because his number was all fives.”

Echo froze. Tech froze. Crosshair froze. Wrecker froze. Hunter froze. Clone Force 99 looked apprehensively at their new member. They’d researched him when he joined their squad, just to get some background information. It was clearly documented that Echo had partnered up with ARC Trooper Fives on numerous missions. That their relationship went all the way back to being cadets together. They’d known what had happened to Fives, just the surface information though. Tech hadn’t been able to crack the access code for the confidential stuff.

Hunter hadn’t been sure how to bring up the fact his batch brother had lost it. Fives hadn’t been the first trooper to do so, another one killed his General as well.

“Apparently Fox had to put him down when he trapped General Skywalker and Captain Rex in a warehouse. But it’s weird how the medic is now missing.”

Echo turned around on the bench,

“What did you say?” He asked the troopers behind him. One glanced over his shoulder,

“That the 501st has a missing medic?” He repeated himself.

“No, before that. About the ARC Trooper?” Echo clarified, his voice calm and even.

“Oh him, just that he lost his kriffin’ mind and tried to shoot the chancellor.” The trooper next to him giggled a bit, crossing his eyes and circling his finger near his temple in the sign for crazy. Both troopers laughed at that.

Crosshair tried, but wasn’t fast enough with grabbing Echo, who sat across from him. The recovering ARC-Trooper swung a hard left fist that connected with the trooper in front of him. The man fell, knocked out cold, as his buddy leapt to defend him. Echo was thrown backwards onto the table, Hunter shoving the attacking trooper away from him. Crosshair quickly grabbed Echo’s arms and pulled him across to the other side of the table.

“Later Echo, you can’t afford to get disciplined right now!” He whispered to his newest brother.

The team escorted Echo back to their barracks, Echo silently fuming the whole way. They hung back, allowing their new brother to stalk ahead of them.

“How dare he disrespect Fives like that!” He ranted when he got back to their quarters. Silence answered him.

“How can he say those things!?” He asked. Silence answered him.

Echo sat up and looked over at his new team.

“He was wrong to talk like that!” He shouted at them. Tech was the first to speak up, to meet his gaze as the others couldn’t.

“But...he wasn’t wrong...” he began tentatively, Echo standing up to confront him.

“Factually I mean.” Tech hurried on. Echo looked confused.

“He did try to assassinate the Chancellor. They’re saying a virus is what caused him to go crazy. That’s the story anyways.” Tech explained as gently as he could.

“You’re wrong.” Echo stated bluntly. He was three seconds away from walking out on this squad. He would find a shuttle and use it to get back to the 501st and ask General Skywalker himself.

Tech must’ve seen the change in body language from defiance to defeat. He approached his brother carefully, holding out his datapad with the files pulled up.

“That’s all we could get...there is a confidential addition but it’s protected. I couldn’t break the code.” Echo took the datapad and sat down on his bunk. His face remained expressionless as he read through the report. Crosshair busied himself with cleaning his rifle, Wrecker added a couple tallies to the wall. Hunter and Tech sat in silence. The report wasn’t long, but it seemed to take Echo hours to read it. Realistically it was only 10 minutes, but the silence seemed to make it stretch.

The sound of metal clattering to the floor made them jump. They looked to Echo who had his face partially buried in his left hand. His other, with the access key attached, was propped awkwardly against his forehead. He was weeping. His prosthetic slipped and Echo shook his right arm in frustration, as if trying to shake the access key off.

“I can’t even cry properly anymore!” He yelled.

Hunter got up and went to the distressed clone’s side. He wasn’t good at this, none of them were. Comfort wasn’t something they knew how to bestow on others, apart from each other. But Echo was one of them now. He put a hand on Echo’s back apprehensively. He wasn’t sure how much contact his brother wanted.

“Why didn’t he say anything?” Echo asked, wiping tears from his face with his hand.

“Who?”

“Rex! He didn’t say anything about Fives to me! Nothing!! Neither did the General!” Echo said exasperatedly.

“You were in no state, mental or physical, to be told such information.” Crosshair said from across the room. He didn’t look up from polishing a scope lens that was already spotless. He was the least experienced with comforting others, but Hunter was pleased that he at least tried. Echo wanted to debate that point, but couldn’t find any valid comeback.

“There was another trooper who went...” Tech started, a look from Hunter made him search for another word.

“...who lost control, they think it was the same virus. He shot and killed his General. Fives pulled him away from her and that’s when they think he contracted the virus.” Echo gave Tech a look that reinforced how much bullshit he thought that cause was. Tech put his hands up defensively,

“Their words, not mine.” He added.

“And now Kix is missing...” Echo said weakly. Hunter stayed silent.

“Do you think they’re even looking for him? Are they even aware he is gone?” Echo asked, it was almost rhetorical.

“Of course they are. Medics are pretty essential.” Hunter said immediately, unsure if it would help comfort Echo.

Echo shifted away from Hunter, who took the hint and backed off. He got off Echo’s bunk as his brother laid down, his back to them. He needed time to process the loss of the last member of his batch squad. The loss of his best friend. The team knew Echo didn’t sleep at all that night, as they heard him quietly weeping.

Tag List

@jgvfhl @nelba @leias-left-hair-bun

@baby-queen-zen @halzore @escapedthesarlacc

#star wars #the clone wars #star wars the clone wars #the bad batch #clone trooper echo #arc trooper echo #arc trooper fives #clone trooper fives #sargeant Hunter #Crosshair #Tech #Wrecker #order 66 #clone medic kix #clone trooper kix

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soclonely · 3 years ago

Note

Omg happy 800 followers!! Could you do the clones as how they would react to a violent storm + power outages?

We had one last night and I just wanted to cuddle with the 501st 😆😆😆😔

Rex- Headcanon that this man is afraid of thunder and rain because he grew up on Kamino in the early ears, wen training was a bit rougher. It reminds him of less happier times for him. But he acts strong for his men and doesn't show it.

Echo- Mainly complains because there's nothing to keep the others busy and Fives is insisting on a mock campout

Fives- Is living for it. Has them set up a bunch of pillows and blankets in the middle of the bunk house, a small lantern in the middle, and wants to tell ghost stories to match the backdrop of the howling winds.

Jesse- Sleeps through the whole damn thing. Not sure if that was thunder rumbling or jesse snoring.

Kix- He is just tired of idiots running around in the dark and stubbing their toes

Tup- tries to scare the shinies by hiding in dark corners so that when the lightening flashes, he can scare them

Dogma- already regretting signing up for night watch with this storm

Hardcase- Nervously trying to stay near everyone. Honestly, I get overstimulated when things get thrown out of whack and I headcanon Hardcase would be the same.

Coric- Running around checking on everyone, ends up getting hurt in the dark and lectured by Kix.

Bly- He would be the cuddler of the bunch. Hold you nice and close and talk you through the storm.

99- "Powers out, which means we have to eat all of this yummy food in the fridge or it will go bad!"

Cody- Also semi afraid of storms. One time, He accidentally roundhouse kicked the general for sneaking up on him in the middle of a bad storm without power.

Waxer/Boil- Cracks open a beer and watches the storm from a window or front porch

Wolffe- Figures its a good time to catch up on some sleep.

Boost/Sinker- idiots are outside recording the storm, playing stormchasers

Hunter- wraps himself in a nice blanket, puts on noise cancelling headphones, turns on an audio book, and covers his eyes up to sleep and relax.

Wrecker- Forces himself into bed with crosshair, scared of the thunder and dark.

Tech- "great, I can't even get on the holonet and my battery is at 10%! Why didnt I charge it before?"

Crosshair- Acts grumpy, but secretly happy there is a nice storm to relax and listen to

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inkheart01 · 3 years ago

Text

Tiny in the snow

Epilogue PT1

HA I FINALLY GOT TO THIS

The morning that Kix called was a dreary one, dark clouds thick with rain threatening to open and swallow the world in a perpetual torrent.

It was a morning, like many of the past few weeks, that Charlie and Nok spent in comfortable silence, a warm mug of tea or cocoa shared between them, though the smaller of the two odd friends usually perched themself on the handle with a thimble. They had an odd sort of arrangement, Charlie and Nok. The borrower would often times have to remind the human to eat or sleep, especially when they got fixated on a project, and Nok couldn’t be left alone in the small apartment for fear of Charlie’s mother coming by unannounced for a sporadic cleaning frenzy.

Even though Charlie was meticulously neat, their mother still found something to pick up on, which always resulted in the picky woman completely rearranging their things. They had tried to stop her, but she was relentless, always weaseling her way in and even going as far as to have a copy of the key made. Charlie may have changed the locks multiple times, but much like her child, when she wanted something, she got it.

But at least she wasn’t as bad as the event two weeks ago, when Deric had broken in through an open window, no one knew how he managed to get in, considering Charlie lived on the seventh floor of a high rise with no windows in the hall and absolutely everyone in the building hating him. But he did, quite an impressive feat considering his track record. And thanks to a few close calls courtesy of Charlie’s mother, every trace of Nok had been carefully hidden, so when Deric was escorted out of the building, roaring and raving about a tiny creature, he looked like a loon.

They hadn’t pressed charges though, going to the police just wasn’t worth it, especially considering Charlie’s…less than exemplary record. So Nok had started coming along on adventures to the store or trips to the mechanic down the street, and one time they had even gone down to the shady side of the city to meet up with one of Kixer’s messengers, though the borrower had been confined to a pocket the whole time. An event they where less than pleased about. The outside world was so incredibly interesting, and Nok couldn’t see any of it from a zipped pocket.

But truly, the grand finale of this entire ordeal would be the event taking place in less than sixteen hours.

Nok knew quite well what Charlie did for a living, they had had quite a few silly little arguments about each other’s techniques when it came to getting in and out of places they where they meant to be (arguments that Nok won, every time, no matter what Charlie claimed. There was no one better at infiltration quite like a borrower). But this was an event that, quite frankly, nether of them where looking forward too. And both for the same reason.

They had no idea what to do with Nok.

Charlie wasn’t keen on bringing them along, museum heists where difficult to pull off by themselves, especially with added security from the party they would be crashing, but throw a Borrower into the mix, and things could get catastrophically bad. Not that Charlie expected Nok to purposely get in the way, they knew that the little slyph would do there damn hardest to help, if anything. But they couldn’t bring them along, not for something with such high risks.

And Nok was more concerned with if they where left alone in the apartment. Deric had no reason to not come. Charlie would be out, there was no law stopping him, and if he did miraculously manage to get in again, Nok would be completely alone and defenceless. The borrower was really starting to regret declining Kixer’s mercenary offer.

After dropping a box full of the contents from Deric’s office off in there living room (the contents of which Charlie never let them see), and finding out that Deric had broken in, Kix had offered to pull some strings and get a discreet team posted around the building. But, out of fear of more people finding out about the borrowers existence (Kixer still didn’t know about Nok, and frankly, the borrower found Charlie knowing about them that be too much), Charlie had declined, per Nok’s request.

In hindsight, Nok regretted not swallowing there fear.

But there was no use in dwelling on the past now, because Charlie had just put down the phone, a hard, grim look on there face. “We have eleven hours before I have to go”

I.before I have the go. Of course. Nok was a fool to think Charlie would take them. The borrower should be happy, they thought, less chance of them getting caught. But as soon as Deric heard about the heist, he would come for them.

Nok only had eleven hours before they would be taken from Charlie forever. Eleven hours before they would go back to being alone and scared and forgotten in the dusty walls of someone’s house. Eleven hours before they would have to go back to musty cupboards and stale crackers. Back to cold food and the fading memorys of hot chocolate and warm smiles.

Eleven hours before the best part of there life would be over.

Two hours after the phone call: they had gone out to get groceries, Nok hidden safely in Charlie’s soft scarf.

Five hours after: they had just gotten out of the mechanic, a black motorbike with spoofed plates covered by a tarp sitting in the back of Charlie’s Ute.

Eight hours after: they where still downtown, a burner phone, three lines of thick rope and multiple harness stuffed in a duffle.

Twelve hours down: they where back home, enjoying some warm food and cheesy movies.

Sixteen hours after the phone call and it was go time.

They had there bag, there things, and just like when Charlie found them all those weeks ago, they where swaddled in everything that didn’t fit in there bag.

There path was planned. As soon as Charlie left, they would climb down the couch and hide in the walls. Find a new place to live. But they had to get as far from Charlie as possible, at-least then Deric might leave them alone.

Oh curses. Don’t cry now, Nok. You have to stay strong. For Charlie. The thief would miss them, but given enough time, they’ll forget about the borrower. Just like everyone else.

“Hey, Nok. Are you ready?”, From out of the bedroom, Charlie emerged, loose shirt tucked under there unzipped riding suit, a leather jacket spilling from the helmet held at there hip. “Hey, are you alright?”

Nok snuffed, wiping furiously at the tears spilling from there eyes as Charlie rushed over, sliding to there knees, gloved hands around the borrower, but not touching. They where allways so careful, allways asking before touching, allways looking to them for permission. Who knew leaving would be this hard.

And yet, calmly floating on the sea of swirling thoughts, one was. They had never seen Charlie look so intimidating.

“Don’t forget me, Please!” The borrower choked on a sob, “I know it’s selfish, but I won’t forget you! Ever!”

“Forget you? Why would I…”, as if just noticing the multiple layers, Charlie sighed, cupping the borrower in a soft but secure hold. “Oh Nok, I’m so sorry. I should have told you”

“Told me?”

“I’m not leaving you here. It’s too dangerous when Deric knows about you and this heist”. Carefully wiping away the stray tears falling down the borrowers puffy cheeks, Charlie smiled there soft smile, the lopsided one with half closed eyes that was reserved for Nok and Nok alone. “So, how does ‘first borrower to steal half a billion dollars in priceless gems and jewels’ sound?”

#g/t #g/t writing #Tiny in the snow #Nok & Charlie #no one in Charlie’s family knows what boundaries are apparently

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morganas-pendragons · 5 years ago

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my privilege, my honor | rex

this was a concept i could not pass up when i got into this conversation with someone on twitter. dad!rex is life. this’ll be split up into parts within a whole (finding out you’re pregnant, pregnancy, birth, life after, etc) and is au in which the war is won by the republic and the clones are freed because i SAID SO.

this is long rip me - i worked all afternoon on this please give me something

also, rex&munitions!reader live on naboo in the back country where padmé wanted to raise the twins and does because AU!!!!

tag: @obiorbenkenobi // @icanbringyouincold // @thegoodbatch // @amazinggraceling // @cxptain-rex // @spaghetti-666 // @kaikai1324 // @jellyfishpoptart // @colorfulloverbatturkey

In the back corner of the lake country on Naboo, there lives a soldier. Well... he doesn’t call himself that anymore. Not since they won the war. The story that you are familiar with is different in other universes. Less people die. Grief is openly felt and not hidden, mourning happens for the fallen, The Republic works together to unite against a common enemy.

In this story, Anakin Skywalker does not fall. Ahsoka Tano is soon treated with dignity and respect and eventually returns to The Jedi Order. Obi-Wan Kenobi is given the help he needs to be the best Jedi he can be. This story is much happier because they won the war here. Anakin discovers the threat of the Sith far before it’s too late, and Sheev Palpatine remains nothing but a corpse with a soul that has gone to the stars.

In this story, darkness does not prevail. Light does.

Padmé Amidala-Skywalker is a genius. A renowned politician of The Senate and former Queen of Naboo, she works closely with the clones and specific Jedi who advocate for them to ensure they are no longer treated as Republic property and are treated as the people who have earned their right to freedom.

When Cody comes to the barracks to announce to his vod that the bill was passed through the senate, the clones are too riled up to sleep and thus throw the biggest celebration of a lifetime.

In a back corner of Seventy Nines far away from the prying eyes of his brothers and against a wall adjacent to the rear door, Rex kisses the living daylights out of you. You are no longer committed to the GAR and he’s free - he didn’t think he’d ever get to the point where he’d be considered a man and not a weapon - but the way your fingers thread tightly through his hair and your knee slots between his legs to pin him against that wall is the most freeing thing Rex has done in his life.

Because he can do this now. He’s allowed to show his love in front of everybody.

“Rex,” Your voice is thick with the drink you’d been consuming before you’d dragged him over here as you pull away just enough to meet his eyes in the darkness. “Take me.”

Had this been a year ago or more, Rex would’ve been so stunned by your demand that he would’ve paid for a cab like the good gentleman he was (with Skywalkers credit chit of course) and taken you back to the barracks to hide away in your quarters where he could take you in a bed.. but that’s not Rex now. No. Rex now is desperate and wanting.

“Bathroom?”

“Bathroom.”

The spare bathroom at the back of the bar is exactly what you need, and before you know it, the Clone Commander has your legs wrapped around his waist and your body poised on the sink. It’s a good thing you’d jimmied the lock on the door to buy yourself enough time to be ravished.

By the time Fives and Echo find you both, you’re walking out of the bathroom looking more guilty then you should but you can’t stop smiling because of how flustered you’d managed to make Rex in..

“I think that’s the fastest quickie we’ve ever done.” You nudge his hip with your own and sling your arm around his waist to pull him against you.

“What’s the record now?”

Oh, of course he’s been keeping track. Kriffing di’kut.

“Six and a half minutes.”

You’re really hoping that Rex isn’t the type to brag about this to his brothers, but if he is, you’d rather him do it when you’re not around. He has to clean up his meager amount of belongings from the GAR barracks before meeting Cody to discuss transport to the planets that gave given permission for the clones to be granted citizenship.

One of them is Naboo. Skywalker and Amidala have already made their way there after the birth of their twins and Anakin leaving The Order, but you have a couple of people you want to say goodbye to before this is really over. Before you all go your separate ways to live your own lives.

But oh.. no matter where, you’ll love them all. They’re the only family you’ve had and will always have. It’s not goodbye forever. It’s just the end with another beginning on its way.

“I’ll see you later, cyar’ika.” He kisses your temple and allows Cody and Jesse to take him away for one last night together with his brothers. You watch him go with a fond smile. He deserves this.

The minute you get back to your quarters, the first thing you do is call Padmé Amidala.

***

Well, if you’re gonna find out about this, you’d rather it be this way then by your own panic.

You and Rex are welcomed by Padmé and Anakin on Naboo in the Naberrie family home until they’re able to procure their own house, and Anakin seemed to be.. ah.. attuned to something in The Force that was swirling around you. Rex and Padmé are in the nursery tending to the twins - he loves them and you love how much he loves them - but Anakin has kept you behind to talk about what is clearly bothering him more then it’s bothering you.

“Wait-Are you serious?” You ask skeptically. “I know you had your opinions about me, Skywalker, but I treat your former commander with reverence and if this is some cruel joke-”

Anakin held up a hand. “I could tell with Padmé pretty quickly. It’s not hard to tell with The Force, and you’re practically glowing even without being Force Sensitive.” Both your eyes slid to the balcony where you could very clearly see Rex sitting in one of the chairs while Padmé fed Luke, who was now a couple of months old, and blew raspberries on Leia’s stomach to elicit a screech from the baby girl.

Your heart clenches. That’s... that’s so stupidly cute. And he’s.. he’s smiling.

“You should tell him.” Anakin whispers. “I know Rex was skeptical about having a family at the start of the war when he met that deserter.. but honestly, I think he’s reconsidered it since he met you.” The man who had very very quickly become like your brother rested his head against your own as you exhaled a very slow breath. “Tell him.”

You do tell him later on that night long after Padmé and Anakin go to bed. He goes wide eyed at the remark - because how on EARTH are YOU going to create and carry a human inside your body?! - and you’re almost expecting him to cry, which he does, but there’s happy tears and disbelieving laughter and before you know it, he’s spinning you around the living room and burying his face in your shoulder as you celebrate yet another victory for you both.

When Rex goes to sleep that night with Luke in his arm and Leia against your chest (you’re really interim parents so the Skywalkers can sleep) he dreams about Cody and his brothers joy for his future niece or nephew.

The first thing you see upon waking up that morning is the life-size holo of Cody, Wolffe and Jesse who are cheering in strings of Mando’a that you can’t make out well, but you know what they’re so joyful about. They’re gonna have a niece. A nephew.

In front of them, your former soldier smiles so widely that it sharpens the tears that pool in his eyes.

***

In the back corner of the lake country on Naboo, former soldiers get to work building a house. A house not made by hands - that’s not all - but by and with love and hope.

Laughter echoed in the fields of wildflowers as you watch Cody and Rex hurl insults at one another when something doesn’t quite go the way they want it to. After your pregnancy announcement and the wedding - which was just as exciting as the pregnancy - Rex had ultimately come to one decision: He loved General Skywalker but not enough to live with him, his wife, and his two twins.

Rex wants his own home which means he’s gonna build it with his own hands and the help of his insufferable brothers.

Walking through the fields of wildflowers that are just outside the area Rex has chosen to hold the foundations of your new home, you hum quietly to yourself as you take flowers and begin to braid them into your hair.

In the distance, Wolffe yells something crude in Mando’a that makes Jesse laugh hard enough to the point where if Kix hadn’t been there to catch him by his blacks, he would’ve fallen off the roof.

“Cyar’ika, c’mere!”

Rex appears just inside what’s supposed to be your front door. He’s really acclimated to the climate of Naboo - even going as far as to let his hair grow out more then it had been during the war - and he’s wearing a shirt with no sleeves which shows the tattoo he’d gotten when the Clone Wars had ended.

He’s beautiful. Seriously.

“Is someone injured?” You cast a skeptical look at Cody, Boil and Wooley who are looking at a rough sketch Rex had done on his datapad for what he planned for this house to look like. “Maybe Jesse’s dignity? Fives will to live?”

“I heard that!”

“No.. no.” Rex shakes his head and wraps his arms around your middle, hands coming to comfortably rest on the swell of your stomach. You’re only a couple of months along and are just barely beginning to show, but that doesn’t mean he won’t touch that bump every single change he gets. “I just want you to look at it with me.” Both pairs of eyes flicker to the house in front of you. “It’s ours. Our home.”

Yours.

That sounds like a dream.

***

Rex is, without a doubt, the best person you could’ve chosen to be the father of your child. He purchases a speeder after a little haggling with a trader in Theed and accompanies you to all your appointments, uses the credits Anakin had given him that he’d accumulated from his time in The Order to buy the food you most crave, and wakes up to be your personal pillow when you’re heavily pregnant and cannot for the life of you find a comfortable sleeping position.

By the time your delivery comes, he’s practically a walking disaster that somehow manages to inform Padmé, Anakin and Ahsoka (who had been there that week to visit her brother and her nephew/niece) about the delivery and to meet you at the medical station in Theed.

You don’t know this, but his brothers come too. The waiting room is filled with anxious uncles.

After a nearly effortless delivery on your part, you were staring up at your husband as he was handed your daughter by the medical droid.

It’s like the sun admiring all the stars in the galaxy. Rex looks at your daughter like he cannot believe you just birthed something so beautiful, and for a moment... you allow yourself to weep at just how awed the man is by the sight of his own child.

“Rex-” You croak, gasping for breaths between your tears as you motion to your husband. “That’s your kih ad.”

Amber irises flicker over to meet yours as your daughter lets out a wail so loud that Rex cannnot seem to comprehend that a creature that tiny just made such a sound.

“What do you want to name her?” He asks as he hands his little girl back over to you reluctantly, clearly wishing to keep hold of her for a little while longer before handing her off to the medical droid for cleaning. “She’s not just my daughter, you know.”

“Alaia.” You say it so quickly and without hesitation that Rex is taken a back by how sure you are. “It means joy.”

Considering how much joy that little girl ends up bringing to your lives, there’s no surprise that’s the name you choose. And oh.. speaking of joy.. it’s only mere days later when Rex finally lets his brothers - who had barely left the waiting room other then to go back to your cottage and refresh themselves - see their niece, it’s like a stampede of over eager children coming into your hospital room.

Cody brings you flowers. He’s respectful like that. Jesse is just too thrilled at the prospect of having a niece that he too brings you flowers, but they’re native to Naboo. If you’re right.. they come from outside your home.

The sight is enough to make you lean out of bed just enough to kiss his cheek. He swoons at the gesture and nearly passes out. Di’kut.

The remaining members of The Wolf Pack who had been given citizenship on a world in the Inner Rim with the help of Plo-Koon follow suit the day that you’re discharged from the hospital because they’ve been tending to your house in the absence of their brother, and Wolffe is the one you see first.

He doesn’t tend to come around alot but the sight of him and how he gasps at the sight of the child in your arms is enough to make you beam for the millionth time. All the clones are surprised by the sight of a baby. That doesn’t address the fact that said baby is the child of a clone.

It’s like a dream come true for them.

“Skywalker’s wife said you’d like this, and so did Tano.” He holds up a bright pink onesie that reads proud niece of a million uncles and the sight of it is enough to make you laugh so hard you wheeze because that is so something Anakin and Ahsoka would find hilarious.

Alaia wears it to bed for her first night in your home.

***

alaia - five months old

Maker.. there’s alot of stars out tonight.

At the cry of your daughters voice, Rex peels himself away from the warmth of your body and rubs the sleep from his eyes before moving across the master bedroom to retrieve his little girl from her crib.

The same crib that had taken him, Fives, Cody and Echo to build. Cody and Echo ended up having to do it because Rex had Fives in a headlock by the time they were halfway through assembling the kriffing thing.

“Alaia, ner ad,” He whispers lowly, scooping the baby from her crib and moving to the balcony before quietly shutting the door behind him. It’s not often that he’s unable to sleep anymore. There are rare occasions, like tonight, which memories of the war keep him awake. The nightmares stopped a long time ago. He’s at peace now. Mostly. “Sh.. sweet pea. We don’t want to wake your mother.”

Just as he’s done since you made him aware that she was teething, Rex nudges her lips open and allows Alaia to suck on his fingertip. She goes quiet immediately at the relief it brings.

“You know, I don’t know if you dream.. but I do. I dream about the war. If you dream... I hope you dream about me and your mom. I want to be a good father. It’s better then not having a dad at all like I didn’t.”

He goes silent at that. The closest thing he’d ever had to a father was Kenobi, and even he had been more like a brother to the clones by the end of the war. Anakin was just... he had his own struggles, he’d trusted Rex with information he couldn’t even trust Obi-Wan with and the thought of being so wholly trusted by someone again terrifies him.

That will be his daughter. His undoing will be how much she trusts him, and it’ll be how much he loves her and you.

On the balcony of a cottage home in the lake country on Naboo, a former soldier sleeps, and his infant daughter dreams. Together they are bathed in starlight.

***

Alaia - five years old

When Alaia is old enough to take into the fields outside of your house, you sit on the porch and watch Rex trek into the wildflowers with his little girl on his shoulders.

You watch from the porch with a cup of tea as your little girl toddles through the flowers that have just recently sprouted from the ground, and she yanks with all the might her little arms have to begin pulling them out.

Rex has been rather - ah- adamant that he’s going to keep his hair longer then it’s been in years. It’s not too long to curl over his ears, but it’s definitely not the normal haircut you’d grown so used to seeing on him.

Conveniently, for Alaia, it’s just long enough to stick flowers in.

“Oh, oh no. This I have to take part in.” You set down your cup of tea and move from the porch to meet your husband and daughter in the field. “Rex, cyar’ika, you know what this means.”

“Flower crowns, Mommy!” Alaia yells. “Flower crowns for daddy!”

The man is beaming as you sit down crosslegged and begin weaving the flowers together until you’re confident in your crown, and you turn towards Rex to place it gently against his forehead.

“A crown fit for a King.”

He smirks at you in that way that reminds you way too much of Anakin’s smugness and you quietly curse under your breath at the effect your former General had on his former Commander.

“Now we need a crown fit for a Queen and a princess.” Alaia screeches as Rex’s arms wind around her waist and his fingers dig into her stomach which elicits such a high pitched laughter you can’t help but smile at, and while you work on weaving two more crowns, Rex lays his daughter across his hands vertically and begins waving her little body around.

“Look Mommy!” Alaia cries out, face pinched in concentration as she sticks her arms out in front of her. “I’m flying!”

Fly high, little one.

***

In the lake country of Naboo lives a former soldier, a former officer and their daughter. Their daughter grows up surrounded by her uncles - Jesse, Fives, Echo and Cody are her favorites - and she learns Mando’a so quickly that by the time she’s eight, Alaia is as fluent as her uncles.

She grows up hearing stories about the uncles she lost. Her uncle Boil cries when he talks about Umbara and Waxer, and she reaches up and wipes tears from his face as he buries his face in waves of blonde hair. The uncles who survived Umbara don’t like to talk about it, but if they do, they leave out the stuff about war and talk about their fallen brothers.

Mama doesn’t want her to know anything but peace, and neither does Daddy. She trusts Daddy’s decision. Maybe it’s for the best.

“It is my privilege and my honor to be your father.” Rex’s fingers are nimbly braiding her hair back into the usual braid she’s kept it in since she was a child. The day is comfortable and her uncles are here with the twins while you’re in the capital city with Padmé.

“You’re talking like it’s the last time you’ll ever say that.”

“Well, if your mother finds out what I’m letting you do, yeah it’ll be the last time I ever speak.”

Anakin wants his kids to learn how to defend themselves. They probably can with a lightsaber just as well as he did at that age, but they’ve never done hand to hand before today’s training lesson. There’s no threat of war looming on the horizon but given that they’re both force sensitive, he wants them to have a good partner and for some reason that means Alaia gets to volunteer. All three kids are close enough in age to learn together.

“I’m gonna win.”

“It’s not a-” Rex pinches the bridge of his nose as Wolffe comes up behind his vod’ika and clasps her shoulders gently in his hands. If anyone is good at sparring, it’s him. “Oh, kriff it. Go on.”

Wolffe waits until you’re out on the porch and wrapping your hands to say it, “You’re too much like your buir bal ba’vodu.” He had feared initially that she’d be afraid of him because of his cybernetic, but after he’d told her how he lost it to Asajj, she hadn’t looked at him with fear one time since.

“Ni kar'taylir.”

Anakin stands on one side while Rex and Cody stands on the other, their spectators on the sidelines watching with wide eyes for something to go wrong.

“Alright. Luke,” Anakin nods to his son who tosses his saber behind him at the same time Leia does before they both turn towards Alaia. “Leia.. remember the rules. No Force Use.”

“What fun is that?!’’ Luke whines. “She’s not even Force Sensitive!”

Alaia, Luke and Leia are between the ages of fourteen to sixteen the first time they do this. Alaia has been raised to not fear Jedi, much less the children of The Hero With No Fear, so she simply approaches this as an obstacle to be conquered.

The daughter of the former soldier and officer of the Republic cracks her knuckles and eyes her opponents head on. The way she looks so much like Rex makes Anakin laugh. It’s downright terrifying.

Her ba’vodu cheer her on as Leia downright launches herself at Alaia, to which the girl simply pivots sharply on her heel and throws her hands up to defend herself from Luke’s attack. She isn’t aware of this, but Luke uses The Force to calculate each movement she makes. Leia doesn’t. He was the more attuned of the twins.

“Get him, vod’ika!”

“Show them who’s boss!”

Rex is utterly stupefied by the way Alaia moves. Of course, Luke and Leia do catch her off guard a couple of times, but part of him has always wondered if the ‘’soldier’’ part of him would be passed off his kids. That part of him that was a fighter from birth. It seemed he was right.

You’re gonna kill him when you get back.

His daughter throws her elbow right into Luke’s nose - Leia had yielded when she’d been subject to a pretty brutal chokehold - and flips him over her shoulder without so much as an issue, and the older Skywalker twin slams his hand against the ground before she can so much as try to incapacitate him further.

“Do you yield?”

“I-I yield, you-you insufferable gundark!”

The two teenagers are too busy arguing with each other while the clones laugh hysterically in the background and Kix tends to Leia to ensure she’s alright to notice the return of both you and Padmé.

“What’s going on here?” You question, arching an eyebrow at the pair of husbands in front of you who both turn around and are so guilty that they’re both blushing deep scarlet. “Rex?”

“Cyar’ika, I can explain-”

You extend your arm to where Alaia is being held back by Fives and Jesse and Luke is cursing fluently in Huttese while Kix tends to his nose. “I was waiting for the day you’d crack and see what she could do!” You exclaim. “Kriff, Rex.. She nearly broke my nose when she was a toddler because I told her she had to eat her vegetables! Or do you remember the time we took her to see Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on Coruscant and she yelled ‘’leave my dad alone you di’kuts’’ to a bunch of Jedi?!”

“Yeah-Yeah, I do.” He’d laughed at that when it happened and he’d laugh at it now.

Rex slings an arm over your shoulders as Echo and Cody exit the house beckoning you all for lunch before murmuring, “It’s good to be home.”

Your eyes flicker to the Skywalkers and to the clones who are all chattering along in a way that just feels so alive. So unlike any dream you’d ever had before the war ended, and it makes you realize that yeah... it is good to be home.

#Captain Rex x Reader #Rex x Reader #Star Wars oneshots #Star Wars imagines

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