21 BBY

Coruscant

Cabur lay in his bunk in Arca Barracks. In one hand, he held a small holoprojector, the images displayed casting a blue light over his face.

"Cabur? Are you alright?"

Cabur turned to face the voice. Jawbreaker, his sergeant, was standing in the doorway.

"I was thinking about Rall," Cabur said softly.

"Don't do this to yourself, Cabur. There was nothing you could have done, he was too far gone."

"Maybe if I had just found him sooner," Cabur muttered, his free hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into his skin hard enough to leave marks.

"In all likelihood, he would have died anyway. His injuries were extensive." Jawbreaker pointed out.

"Maybe, maybe not," Cabur whispered, his eyes turning back to the holoprojector.

"What's that, Cabur?" Jawbreaker asked, peering at the item curiously.

Without saying a word, Cabur held out his hand, and Jawbreaker leaned in to get a closer look. What he saw made him frown. The hologram was of Rall Xalrich, the private who Cabur had failed to save. Beside him was a woman who was almost certainly his wife. Her hair fell to a curtain that reached her chin. In front of them were two young girls. All four of them looked happy. Jawbreaker let out a sharp breath of air.

"He had a wife, Jawbreaker. He had kids," Cabur said, his eyes closed tightly.

Jawbreaker leaned back in the doorway and ran a hand through his hair "Yeah, it seems that way.| Jawbreaker grimaced "Kriff."

"I think…" Cabur said carefully "I think I should see them. His wife needs to know that Rall wasn't alone when he died."

Jawbreaker grit his teeth "I don't think that's such a good idea, Cabur."

"Why not?"

"She might…she might blame you, Cabur. If it weren't for the depot, her husband would still be alive."

Cabur sighed "If she blames me, she blames me. And maybe she would have a point."

"Cabur, none of this is your fault!" Jawbreaker snapped "It's not your fault Rall died, and it's not your fault that the depot was destroyed! Whatever terrorist piece of osik did this, they're the ones to blame! And we will get them, I promise you that. They'll face justice for what they did to Rall and for everyone else they killed."

"I still think I should-"

"No," Jawbreaker said firmly "Cabur, I order you not to go to Rall's house. I order you not to make contact with his widow. Am I understood, Corporal?"

Cabur looked his sergeant in the eye when he answered "Yes, Sergeant."

For the first time in his life, Cabur was prepared to disobey an order.