They intercepted the message from General Grievous. Sola, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Rex, and Cody all stood around the holoterminal and waited.
"The clone planet of Kamino will be a dangerous target." Ventress spoke.
"Just make sure you hold up your half of the mission," Grievous said fiercely. "We must stop the production of new clones if we are to win this war."
There was silence as the transmission ended. Anakin turned to Obi-Wan.
"Kamino," He said grimly.
"They're going to attack our home-planet." Rex said darkly.
"Foolishly—it would seem." Sola said, eyeing the jedi beside her.
"I agree," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. "The seperatists are taking quite the chance, even considering this."
"With all due respect, general," Rex spoke, "If someone comes to our home, they'd better be carrying a big blaster."
"I concur with Captain Rex sir," Cody spoke. "This is personal for us clones."
"We'll make sure Kamino is secure," Anakin said firmly. "Tell your troopers in the 501st they're going home."
"Yes sir." The clones said in unison, saluting and then walking out as one.
"Sola, Anakin," Obi-Wan addressed them. "I'm going to alert the fleet. You both make sure everything is ready."
"Yes master." Sola said as Anakin simply nodded. They both made their way out. Sola broke off to go to the rear dormitories 'to meditate' she'd said. Anakin went to the navigation.
Sola found herself near the clone barracks in no time and saw the 501st filing out one by one. Rex and Cody were last. They both looked hard and ready.
"Captain, Marshal." Sola greeted them both. They stopped for her. "I see you're both ready for the task. And I am sure your entire team will be." Simply. "We will defend Kamino."
"To the death, Commander." Cody nodded to her.
"I would have you all resolute." Sola said. "As we all stand."
With that, the two moved on. Sola watched their retreating backs, feeling their tension. Rex looked back at her and gave her a grave nod, which she returned.
They had touched down on Kamino and approached Master Shaak Ti. She and Obi-Wan traded words and they were set to purpose with Obi-Wan's assistance.
Battle stations were called for and the group found themselves dispersed. Sola walked down to the frontward defenses, seeing clones filed past her repeatedly. She walked with purpose and as she entered another corridor, she was unaware of someone catching up to her. As she saw everyone heading to their assigned stations, Sola felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Sola." Rex said to her. He was without a team or brother.
"You should be in formation." Sola said. "We can always talk later."
"We're both going to the defense tower." Rex informed her. She nodded, understanding. As they kept walking, Rex stopped her and pulled her to the side, into a weapons depot. It was empty. Once in, he kissed her cheek. She let him and then patted his armored arm.
'I won't have any farewell kisses." Sola smirked. "We'll be fine. I know it. Between Obi-Wan, Skywalker, and us…there is no way Kamino can fall."
"All the same," Rex said solemnly. "This is more than bold…."
Sola leaned into him and gave him a chaste kiss.
"Just focus your efforts…and we'll take out these clankers…and their foolish attempt." She said conclusively.
Obi-Wan, Shaak Ti, Sola, Rex, and Cody stood in the command center, watching the preparation
"The fleet is not as large as I expected." Shaak Ti said quizzically, glancing Obi-Wan's way. Even so, she turned back to the screen. "Begin the air strike."
The group watched as the ships began the strike. Yet Grievous reinforced his position.
"Something's not right…" Obi-Wan said more to himself after Shaak Ti reiterated what had taken place on their monitors.
"I'm gonna press the attack master," Anakin's voice came on the communicator.
"No Anakin. Wait. It's too easy. Not even Grievous would attack so recklessly." Obi-Wan said. "I think…the debris from the separatist ships is the key."
"Master?" Sola was quizzical.
"What are you thinking?" Shaak Ti asked?
"I'm thinking I'd like to go for a swim." Obi-Wan said and then headed out.
"I will check our defenses." Shaak Ti said. She stepped out.
"What do you think?" Cody asked Rex.
"I don't know." Rex responded. He looked at Sola. "But it doesn't look good."
The comm beeped once more. Sola answered it.
"Commander Valda," she spoke.
"Valda, the exterior is breached." Shaak Ti cried. "Aqua droids! Skywalker's on his way. We need you to fortify our inward defense."
"We're on our way." Sola said. She turned to the troopers. "Are you both ready?"
"We're more than ready." Rex said gravely as he lowered his helmet over his face.
"We fight." Rex told the group of clones and clone cadets he encountered. Sola had gone to check on Obi-Wan's position and he and Cody searched the barracks. He saw them and overheard their conversation.
"But our training's not finished." A cadet protested.
"Look around you," trooper Fives came forward. "We're one in the same. Same heart—same blood. Your training is in your blood. And my blood's boiling for a fight."
"This is our home," Echo said. "This is our war."
"What about weapons?" Another cadet came forward.
"The…armory." Trooper 99 said. "It's just a few corridors away. I can retrieve all the firepower that we need!" His eyes lit up in a way that inspired them all. "So…who wants to blast some droids!?"
Rex grinned, giving him a nod of approval. Blast droids they would.
Sola had met Obi-Wan on the outward but the droids had been spread thin by the time she arrived. She mostly helped clean up.
"Should we reinforce?" Sola asked him.
"No…they're attack is inward. On the cloning DNA chamber." Obi-Wan said. "And the clones themselves. We should go inside, see where Grievous is hiding."
Sola agreed and the two set off in pursuit. They combed the corridors, taking out droid stragglers as they did.
"This is out of the way for the separatists." Sola shook her head. "But well devised…."
"Only just." Obi-Wan corrected. "We intercepted their transmission and were able to reinforce the facility. And it's risky for them. Their win is due to their breaking the blockade."
"But why now?" Sola wondered aloud.
"We will have to find out." Obi-Wan said and silenced her with a hand as he pressed against the wall, listening in. They both heard droids clanking and sure enough Grievous barking commands. In an instant, blaster fire was off and both jedi ran down the hall to confront the general. They made it close enough in time to hear him say, "too easy."
"Grievous." Sola said to him. The general turned and saw them.
"Define easy general." Obi-Wan said challengingly.
"Kenobi…." Grievous growled at them. He glanced. "And more jedi scum."
Obi-Wan drew his saber and Sola ignited her blade, getting into her form as Obi-Wan got into his. Grievous drew his two sabers, ones he collected from jedi victims, and readied himself. Obi-Wan paused a moment longer and then charged with Sola on his tail. Blades met Grievous's blow by blow. The droid hybrid was trained well enough and held his ground but Sola was vicious in her assault and steady by Obi-Wan's side.
Her mind was focused less on dueling and more on her end goal. The anger at losing him the last time had reignited in her breast and she was hungry for this—a chance to end the general's life.
Another arm detached from Grievous's body and went straight for Obi-Wan's face, throwing him to the ground and setting Sola off balance as he did so. Her heart race quickened as she saw Obi-Wan being thrown. Grievous extended another arm to swipe Sola a ways back, into the wall and threw Obi-Wan to the ceiling. Sola was only slightly disoriented and shook it off, rising once more. But Grievous closed in on Obi-Wan after the jedi hit the floor. Sola's vengeance grew as she saw the abomination standing over the only brother/father figure she'd ever had. The abomination that had seen Rex shot so close to the heart….
He was more than killable to her. He was torturable.
"Kenobi," he said. "Kamino has fallen. Your clone army is doomed."
Sola had arisen and began her walk toward Grievous. Obi-Wan saw and glared upward at the droid general.
"I beg to differ, Grievous." He said and force pushed him into the ceiling where Sola's swinging saberstaff was there to meet him. Grievous barely avoided being beheaded by them. Sola's fury was palpable. She sliced through a third of his shoulder, the rest of her blade meeting his, which were flung behind him. He fell and Sola's blades came out again, severing a claw. And a rush came from seeing the "body part" go flying. As she did so, Obi-Wan slammed Grievous against the back wall. The general paused and then began to flee. Sola would not have that.
"Not this time!" She cried and took off, hearing Obi-Wan begin the chase behind her.
Rex and the ragtag group of clones were fighting for their lives. The battle droids were lured into their trap though.
They had backed the clankers into where they had cover of their own and so began the plan.
Grenades were passed between them.
All of them, working in tandem, had Rex feeling like this was back on Christophsis.
Just him and his brothers…
And they were going to win this. They had to.
Except.
"I'll get more," 99 volunteered to get more grenades for them as they were down to their last one. The droids kept coming but they might still be able to win this. If they played this our right.
"99, you can't!" Rex said. He was panicked as the defective clone had already started going. He couldn't risk going out after him. But it was a blasterfield out there.
"I'm a soldier!" 99 insisted. "Like you!" He continued to hobble with his pack. Rex was stricken with fear as he tried to fend off the droid lines, calling to 99. He wasn't fast or swift enough and anyone would get killed! They hadn't lost any of their ragtag team yet. But 99….
Rex winced as the shot impacted 99's leg. And soon 99's back…
And the trooper fell.
Rex barely heard general Shaak Ti comm to them. His eyes were transfixed….
Another one lost to these clankers.
Rex hitched his blaster and continued to fire. They wouldn't be dying in vain. Not today.
He attacked them from behind. As they ran out onto the storming platform, Grievous came out swinging. Sola blocked and parried, using her weapon as a defense while Obi-Wan made slashes and plunges left and right. Soon, Grievous begins to wind his sabers faster and faster, in a way that Sola does not recognize. Obi-Wan and she are on the defensive. Grievous comes after them, his sabers both defending him and inches away from attacking them at the same time. Sola saw no openings.
She backtracked, her anger making her movements twitchy. She was between centered and anxious but she was resolute still.
And then a Trident unit falls onto their platform, severing them from the supporting base. The tremors shake the entire structure and it rapidly tilts to the side.
Sola can feel her balance slip and uses a force leap to lunge at Grievous recklessly. If they were going down, Grievous was too. As he parried her, sending her even more off balance, she began to slide. And she saw Obi-Wan sliding faster and farther than her.
"Obi-Wan!" Sola cried out, fear gripping her. Her arm was extended in his direction though they were both falling the same. She desperately tried to find a grip and couldn't but felt her palm connect with Obi-Wan's arm and his palm with hers and they held on tight as they both felt themselves slip from the structure…
And onto an aiwha that happened to swoop from under them. Sola gripped it and Obi-Wan securely, both finding the balance for themselves. Obi-Wan shushed them both, keeping hold of the animal. She heard Grievous's clanking and felt the bloodlust return to her again. She wanted to kill him. To face him once more—challenge him.
But Obi-Wan urged silence and soon they heard an ignition and Grievous was, again, off.
And as her window closed, Sola's determination only grew. Grievous was slippery…but one day …she'd catch him.
This time, it was Rex who sought Sola out aboard the cruiser as they disembarked from the planet. Rex saw Obi-Wan and Anakin in conference about the events and knew they'd already alerted the council. So he scoped the ship for Sola as she wasn't in the dormitories.
And he found her in the cargo bay.
She sat, legs crossed in meditation. Beside her, a large piece of equipment was levitating a few inches off the ground. Rex had come in partially but didn't want to break her concentration. He was about to walk out when he saw the equipment slowly lower back onto the ground and heard Sola let out a long sigh. He re-entered.
"Hi." Rex said to her. Sola glanced back, face forming a somewhat sad smile.
"Hi yourself." She said, standing. "I didn't expect you. I thought perhaps you would…want to be alone—or, more specifically—with your clone brothers."
"We've all had a talk…about 99's death." Rex said tightly. "We…we know he was a valiant solider and died in the line of duty. And we have gained ARC troopers as well…."
"But you're not gladdened by this." Sola said, walking over to him. "Not entirely."
"The loss…it's never really easy at first." Rex said, shrugging it off. "We all learn soon enough to embrace our fallen brothers…and we do. I guess…99…"
"Was different?" Sola asked.
"Was different." Rex agreed. "He was…he was a defective. Yet he fought his heart out to see us to victory. Gave his life in the line of duty." Rex sits on a crate. "He was a true brother…and now he's gone."
"Many of our kin fall." Sola said simply. "And we honor them by taking up their causes and… avenging them."
Rex caught her falter and eyed her, assessing her words.
"Odd words…for a jedi." He commented, more lightheartedly.
"True." Sola sighed. "But I cannot describe it any other way. It is not revenge we must seek…but to not let our kin die in vain. And to stop the forces that brought their deaths about." Rex nodded at that. To ease the mood, Sola added, "granted their deaths were not brought naturally."
That made Rex laugh and Sola formed a smile of her own. She inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"And I…must remember…to keep center." She said. "Grievous…once again got away. He proves elusive yet I know I will stand against him…and take him on fully…one day." She looks at Rex. "And when I do, he will fall by my blade…. And with him, this war." She gazes outward. "I will see that…the imbalance he imposes on the universe…is corrected."
"If you are determined, it will happen." Rex said. "I mean…we can't lose. If we do…there is no hope for the galaxy anyway."
"Exactly." Sola said. "There would have to be another hope—a new hope—spawned completely from elsewhere. And the chances of that are slim. And so we will fight. And we will win."
There was a comfortable silence that passed before the tension arose once more. Since Saleucami, they had traded chaste kisses and another admittance of affection but nothing more. Yet it was an elephant they had to address: what were they to do?
"Do you…feel like saying anything about…our state?" Rex asked. Sola kept steady.
"Right after an invasion sounds like the best time." She said. Rex had to laugh again.
"Your sarcasm never gets old." He said with equal sarcasm in his own voice.
"I am just teasing…" Sola said, more serious now. "We do need to establish some rules I guess …and a basis for what it is we are doing." She looked dead at him. "It would be better…so that I can retain my balance…and you not be distracted."
"Right." Rex nodded and thought.
"I for one," Sola began, "would…like to…first ask you how you feel…regarding our r&r."
"When we actually use it or when it turns into a mission?" Rex asked, getting Sola to shake her head at him. He continued, "I feel…that we should…spend more time together."
"That will increase our chances of getting caught," Sola warned. "But I…feel the same." She thought for a moment. "And us having to worry about getting caught is even more troublesome ….I suppose I just wish…either I could stick to the mandate…or it would not be a requirement of me to stop what we're…building."
"I…think the same." Rex admitted. Sola listened. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm…betraying the republic by having another…allegiance." Honestly. "But then I think about our friendship…and our growing intimate…relationship…and I can't make them mutually exclusive."
"Because they shouldn't have to be." Sola said conclusively. Rex turned to her to see that she was seeing the logic in her definitive statement regarding his reasoning.
"I guess I just need to accept it." Rex said finally. "We need to. Because until we do, we can't move forward…"
"And are too far along to move back gracefully." Sola finished. Rex nodded. And Sola looked at him with an analyzing expression. "And in that respect…I guess there isn't much to discuss." Her eyes had that brightness to them. Rex felt more than saw her leaning.
"Not…that much." Rex agreed. He let a smile form. "You did say something about rules…."
"We'll have to think of some," Sola agreed, closing in on him. Rex welcomed her with his eyes and posture. Sola's lips grazed his before she drew back, lingering in the connection they formed by such simple touches.
"A bit later…" Rex suggested, breathing shallow. Sola didn't answer but pressed her lips more firmly onto his this time. They kissed fully for the first time in…how long had it been? Sola couldn't determine but their kiss soon became more severe, more connected, more…suffocating. But in a very, very good way. Rex's hand glided its way to her back, pulling her in closer. Her hand glided its way to his neck.
Sola broke the kiss slowly, widening the gap no more than was needed, seeing Rex open his eyes as she did so as well. Her emotions ran amuck alongside his and they embraced their need to be close by wrapping their arms around each other—Rex around her back and Sola around his shoulders and neck. Rex sighed heavily into her neck and Sola embraced him tighter. After a few second, Sola moved to begin their kiss again. As they did, Rex got a call from Cody, asking where he was. Sighing, Sola released him and he did the same, answering Cody before looking to Sola once more.
"Sorry Commander," he said forlornly but teasing. "Duty calls."
"As it calls us all." Sola smiled small in return. Yet their eyes still burned into each other and the tension still existed.
"Next time off…" Rex said slowly. "Let's try…a date?"
Sola smirked at him, standing now.
"When is our time off ever time off, Rex?" She asked. He chuckled.
"I suppose we'll have to take extra steps to avoid…unnecessary missions." Rex offered. "But even if it happens again…at least it'll be us together."
"As I would want it." Sola smiled warmly. Rex stood as well before her. Sola gripped his chin and guided his lips to hers once more, releasing shortly after.
"I'll be back." Rex said. "If I get time."
"I'll be meditating." Sola answered him and returned slowly to her original stance, feeling both warmer and colder at what they had shared and the necessity for them to be apart.