Chapter Ten: Contaminated
"All the doors are locked," a droid complained as it passed with its comrade. I leaned around the corner with Padme and Jar Jar, watching them walk. "How are we going to get out?"
"It's not our problem," the other responded, my finger dancing on my trigger. Padme's hand touched mine, shaking her head.
"Boy, that's a relief," the first said again as the two passed through a doorway, the mechanism hissing as it closed again.
I gave Padme an incredulous look, which she merely shook her head to. "You can't take them all, especially in your state."
"I can scrap two droids, Senator."
"We have no idea how many more are around the next corner." She pursed her lips at me and I felt the swell of emotion she refused to let show on her face. "I'm not letting you go. Not yet."
Her emotions bombarded my own, making me struggle to keep focus. I nodded at her slowly, before following her forward through the mist-filled hallways.
Her wrist comm beeped. "Senator Amidala," came Ahsoka's voice. "Where are you?"
"We're right outside your safety room," Padme said back, the three of us stopping before a massive sealed door. As we neared, I could immediately feel the emotions inside. Fear. Worry. Impatience. Resignation.
My heart clenched at the thought that they were all infected too. Ahsoka was so young. Only 14. And then it occured to me that the clones were young, too. They had the mental and physical maturities of men in their twenties, depending on when they were born, but were really younger than Ahsoka, timewise.
"Can you get the door open?" Ahsoka, despite being so young, was incredibly composed. I could feel her force signature among the clones. Younger. Vibrant. More hopeful. She believed in her master. And while the clones did too, they all were far more accepting of death.
Padme seemed to have a similar brainwave as me, her face pensive. Finally, she looked up at me. "Go ahead."
I pressed the glowing panel on the wall, the door grinding open to reveal a room full of soldiers and a grim padawan. I stayed behind, looming in the wafting blue mist as the senator and representative entered the room. Some of the clones were already coughing.
Why wasn't I? I felt tired. I felt that something was wrong. But I wasn't showing such obvious signs of infection.
"I'm sorry, Ahsoka," Padme said sadly, her hand on the padawan's shoulder.
"Don't worry about us, Senator," the young girl responded, determined. "We still have a job to do."
"There aren't very many droids left. The three of us saw some heading towards the South entrance," Padme explained. I felt the surprise rippled from the group.
"The three of you?" Ahsoka asked, her eyes darting to my looming form. I stepped into the room, my hands on my pistols.
"Yeah," I called. "And we better get moving if we want to keep this virus contained."
They seemed shocked, but Ahsoka nodded. "As long as we're able, we'll help you destroy those droids before they breach the compound." Rex handed over his rifle to the senator, who took it gratefully.
"You take the north corridor and we'll take the south." Padme was determined, her face grim.
The group moved to split up as my eyes trailed over the infected clones. Their faces were looking a bit grayish in the pale light, some of them even sporting dark lines on their necks like spidering veins. I glanced down, slowly pulling my glove back to see my hand sporting the same pattern. I pulled it back immediately, trying to ignore it as best I could.
I felt him approach before turning to see him. "Why aren't you wearing your mask?" Rex asked, his face failing to mask his concern. Ahsoka and the other clones seemed interested in his question too. "You were wearing one before the outbreak. Why take it off?"
I blinked slowly before sighing. "The mask was only on before to keep everyone else from being contaminated."
"What?" Ahsoka asked from where she walked to my side.
"Vindi infected Kida when we first arrived," Padme jumped in. "He put the virus in the mask she was wearing, so she kept it on to keep anything from getting out."
I shrugged. "But with the virus out, all it did was impede my vision. Why wear it if it's out?"
"I don't understand," Ahsoka voiced. "Why did he infect you?"
Padme went to answer, but I shook my head, butting in. "Who knows? I guess he wanted a live display or something."
The group let it drop, exiting the safe room to go in our seperate directions. Still, as two clones ran off with Padme and Binks, I watched from behind, my own mind floating to what Vindi had said. I wondered if the pad he had used to test his theory about my species was still in the control room.
A hand touched my shoulder gently, my head turning to see Rex's unmasked face. His golden eyes met mine. "I'm sorry."
I shook my head grimly. He was in the same situation as me. "Don't be." I forced a small smile to him before giving him a small pat to his shoulder and racing off after my employer. As I turned the corner, I saw Rex looking after me, his eyes sad, his face flashing through various emotions that never stayed long enough for me to read. And then I passed the corner and he was gone.
It only took a few moments for me to catch up with my group, my hand drawing my pistol silently.
"The droids are close," Padme said from the front of the group, her voice quiet. "I can hear them cutting through the wall." She leaned around the corner, my own breathing steadying me slowly as I tried to push away the haze of the virus.
She turned suddenly, opening fire with the clones. I rushed forward, rolling to the opposite side of the hall and opening fire as well. We downed most of them quickly, only some having enough time to fire back. We hurried down the hall as a group, seeing two crawl up the ladder.
At the opposite side of the access hall, droids were backpedaling into the room, opening fire at our other group. It was downed quickly, Captain Rex and Ahsoka emerging with their own team to run in towards us.
Rex and I met in the middle, both of our pistols rising up at the droid above. "Stop!" Rex called, my mind flexing slightly in a wave of fatigue.
"Don't open that hatch!" Padme yelled from beside me.
"Ha!" the droid laughed, but I rolled my eyes, my mind focusing enough to recognize the type of metal that made up the access hatch. "Too late!" it called, raising its blaster.
I grabbed the senator's arm as he fired, pushing her behind me and away from the access whole, the entire thing glowing red as the bolt richotted wildly. It fell out, having eventually shot itself.
Stupid droid.
"Let's move on," Padme said gently, giving me a small smile of gratitude. She stopped suddenly, her eyes widening.
"What?" I asked.
Her hand alighted gently on my cheek. "You're showing signs."
"So are most people."
She shook her head sadly, but curiosity resonated in her thoughts. "But later than others." She glanced at some of the clones, but I shook my head.
"Come on," I said, "We need to move on if we want to stop this outbreak."
She nodded, letting the group move together as a whole, heading to a panel. As she and Ahsoka looked it over, Rex approached my side again.
"So what was the real reason for Vindi infecting you?"
I cast him a tired glance. "What do you mean?"
Despite the sorrowful air, he chuckled gently. The clones around us seemed surprised by his behavior. I couldn't help but grin. "Remember when you visited the 501st barracks on Coruscant?"
Padme and Ahsoka had stopped talking, their own attentions sent quietly our way. I chuckled, not really caring. I was probably going to die, so…
"I remember visiting you after we basically blew up and Jesse forcing me to interact with your entire battalion," I laughed.
Rex grinned. "Well when he convinced you to drink with us, you eventually told me what your tell is."
I lifted my eyebrow. "My tell?" The captain hummed, crossing his arms as Padme and Ahsoka resumed their discussions. "And what would that be?"
"Why would I want to make you aware of which tells I know? Then you could change them around me." I hummed at his reasoning. "Just trust me when I say that I know you were lying."
"What does it matter?" I sighed as we started moving, following Ahsoka and Padme to the next exit point. "I have no point of changing my tells in the future." I knew he picked up on my grim tone.
"General Skywalker will find a cure."
I hummed as we approached more droids, both of us opening fire and disposing of the group with the rest of our team. "I admire your optimism," I said breathlessly as the clones made sure the exit hatch was still sealed.
"You alright?" Padme asked softly, her hand touching my forearm. I nodded, trying to brush her away, but a series of coughs erupted from my throat. I fell hard to my knees, my entire body convulsing with the sudden fit, my arms wrapping around my abdomen. "Kida!" Padme cried, kneeling beside me and holding my shoulders.
I tried to wave her away as I kneeled, struggling to catch my breath. "I'm fine," I said through a few more coughs, my hand over my mouth. "I'm fine." I pulled my hand away, seeing the blood splattered across my palm.
"Oh no," Padme breathed, her voice automated through her suit. I rubbed away the blood, wiping my mouth as I forced myself to stand. I holstered my pistol, gesturing for her to stand with me.
"I'm alright," I said firmly. "I'm good." I looked around at the clones, seeing them nod slowly at me. They knew who I was. What I supposedly was. Maybe now I was proving it. Proving I deserved the Jaig eyes. Ahsoka's own face was beginning to sport black veins and dark circles beneath her eyes. "The more we exert ourselves, the quicker this will take us," I reasoned, brushing some sweat off my forehead. "So we might as well scrap these droids fast so we can just die already, dammit."
The humor was grim, but I got a few clones to laugh. Even Ahsoka cast me a small, tired, but amused, smile.
We moved on, racing down the halls and taking out droids. We slowed as I heard a distinct, fast-paced clanging. We listened for a moment, my head cocking. "Destroyers," I voiced softly.
In seconds, two droidekas rounded the corner, all of us raising our weapons, Ahsoka's green lightsaber igniting. "Take cover!" Rex called, all of us moving to the sides of the hall and laying cover fire for the padawan. She leapt forward deftly, slowly moving through their high velocity shields and re-igniting her lightsaber.
"This'll help!" I heard the Gungan voice, my eyes immediately lifting to see him holding a blaster.
"Jar Jar no!" Padme cried, leaping up to pull his arm. The Gungan fired, hitting Ahsoka's lightsaber. The senator reacted immediately, shoving the Gungan to the ground. I ignored the destroyers, knowing Ahsoka had them handled as I raced after them, my heart stopping.
"Senator!" Ahsoka called, racing after me.
"Senator," Rex repeated from behind me as I knelt beside Padme, who was slowly sitting up. "Your suit's been compromised."
She looked down, following my horrified eyes to where one of her breathing tubes had disconnected, hissing air. She gasped, her face terrified as she met my gaze.
"I'm so sorry," Ahsoka said, kneeling at my side. I didn't see what caused it, but I suspected the deflected bolt from Ahsoka's lightsaber severed the tube. Then again, Jar Jar fired the shot.
Padme removed her helmet slowly, giving the young padawan a reassuring smile. "Don't blame yourself. These things tend to happen in a war zone."
She was too kind of a person. I knew that early on...but I knew it even more so in that moment. I stood slowly, offering her my hand. The senator took it, letting me pull her to her feet.
"Well," she breathed, giving me a forced laugh. "I understand what you meant about these being restrictive now. Care to help?"
I returned the smile sadly, helping her remove the hazard suit. I tossed the yellow material to the side, aware of Jar Jar's anxious stance behind the senator.
"Me-sah so sorry," he offered, Padme accepting his apology in a heartbeat. I rolled my eyes, leaning heavily on the wall as they talked briefly.
"You alright?" This time, the voice belonged to the young Togruta, her face looking dark and sunken.
I nodded slowly, my eyes moving back to the senator. "Well, I didn't do my job very well." I shrugged with one shoulder tiredly. "At least I'll die before I have to see my reputation go to shit."
To my surprise, the girl laughed, her head shaking in amusement. She sobered slowly as we took off again, this time at a slower pace. We were all feeling the full effects now.
"Hey," she said beside me as we walked. "I'm sorry about how I treated you when we first met." My eyebrows shot up in shock. "It was immature and ignorant. I'm glad Padme has had you to watch over her."
"Yeah, well obviously she's made it as hard as she possibly could," I replied, trying to keep the mood light.
"She's a lot like Anakin in that way," Ahsoka laughed. I wondered if she knew. Maybe she at least suspected, if nothing else. "But really, I am sorry. Padme speaks highly of you and both my master and the men seemed to like you a lot." I hummed, nodding my head in appreciation of her words. "Anyone who can make Rex smile is someone who deserves respect."
I laughed at her words, surprising myself by nudging her shoulder playfully. "Thank you," I said quietly when our chuckling died. "I really appreciate it."
She smiled at me before sobering again, the fatigue obvious in her stance. The group set out at a faster pace, chasing the sounds of echoing power-cutting through the halls. It grew louder and louder, a droid's voice echoing. "How are you doing up there?"
"I'm almost through," another responded.
We rounded a corner, Ahsoka's lightsaber igniting at the sight of more droids. "There they are!" She rushed forward without the rest of us even reacting, slicing through the first droid and force-pulling the second down the hatch and into her lightsaber. She groaned, leaning heavily on the ladder, the droids destroyed.
"Ahsoka," Padme called, the group moving to approach the padawan.
The Togruta breathed heavily. "I'm alright." Padme glanced at me, seeing my own fatigue setting in.
"We need to contact Anakin," she decided.
"None of our transmissions are strong enough to leave the planet, Senator," Rex chimed in, his own body seeming worn down.
A thought donned in my foggy mind as I leaned against the wall. "The control room," I said aloud to the group. "Where Vindi first had us. He had a transmitter there."
The group nodded in unison, Padme looking concerned. "I don't know where that is," she hummed. "This place is a labyrinth."
"I know," I said breathlessly, pushing off the wall and almost collapsing. I waved away those that moved to help, steadying myself. "Follow me."
I led them back through the maze, having been trained by Jango to always create my own mental map of any location I may need to get out of at some point. We hurried through the twists and turns, the group only having to backtrack once when my infected mind grew too hazy to know for sure.
We soon found the control room, the clones sitting immediately to rest while Padme and Ahsoka worked to get the transmitter working. I looked around the room, forcing myself to focus. I found the datapad Vindi had used prior to infecting my, disguising my journey to it with a feigned curiosity with the room in general. I brushed my hands over dials and lined vials, my eyes scanning. Still, my sight was still always watching the datapad on the furthest counter.
As I finally approached it, I heard the transmission go through, Ahsoka sounding more worn than ever before. "Master? Can you hear me?"
The muffled and scattered sound of Skywalker's voice responded, the signal improving slowly. I suspected R2-D2's work.
"We destroyed all the battle droids," Ahsoka explained, Padme standing beside the padawan to help keep her tiring body upright. "Inside the compound, Master. Naboo is safe from further contamination. I repeat. Naboo is safe." Ahsoka let out a series of coughs, Padme looking grim.
"Promise me that no one will ever open this bunker." Her voice was desperate, but fighting emotion. Her love for Skywalker billowed through the force, making me turn away. I finally reached the datapad, my heart skipping at seeing my information still on the front. "Goodbye Anakin," she said softly. "I-" she coughed violently, my head whipping around to see her struggling to breathe. I bit my lip, quickly downloading the datapad's contents to my wrist comm before deleting it from Vindi's records.
I tossed the device back down and hurried to her side. The transmission died out as I walked in, holding her shoulder. "The clones are getting worse," I said gently. "We should go somewhere we can get water."
"It looks like there's some this way, Senator," Rex said, letting out a few coughs of his own. My heart sunk, looking around at the group. This was why I needed to keep myself from getting attached.
I silently cussed myself out as I helped the clones move a few rooms over. The room was wide and filled with what looked like boilers, but water dripped from them nonetheless. It was filled with red light, mixing with the blue mist to make the room a gentle purple.
The room became solemn as they all found places to sit, Padme moving to find a rag. I breathed deeply, feeling my own body failing. I wanted to sleep. But I couldn't. I didn't want to.
Because if I did, I knew I wouldn't wake back up.
I glanced around, feeling the force ripple as their life forces began to fade. Padme began to wet a rag she found, the clones removing their helmets to reveal sunken eyes and black-veined skin. The sadness in the room...the resignation...became too heavy. I stole away as Padme began to make rounds to the clones, patting down their sweating foreheads. I found my way behind some of the fallen boilers, sitting slowly and resting my head against the wall. Not far away, and obscured only by a few broken pipes, another clone found rest on the wall, his helmet still on as he coughed.
I swallowed thickly, staring up through the blue mist as I thought about how I was going to die. It wasn't how I expected, really. Sickness never seemed like the way I'd go out. I expected something more...violent.
Something more like how Jango went.
My thumb fiddled with my comm, curious about what Vindi had found. Yet, as I felt myself fading, I knew there as something else I had to do first. I accessed my wrist comm, typing in a few commands before it sparked to life in blue light.
"This is an open-broadcast message intended for Boba Fett. If received, please transfer." I swallowed slowly, my head falling back to the wall as my comm beeped, letting me know it was recording.
"Hi Boba," I said slowly, looking at the comm directly. I knew other people could hear me, but I didn't care. "It's Kida. Listen, I know we haven't talked in a while. And I know you don't really like me anymore. Hell, you might even hate me." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "And I know you probably won't want to watch this, but I hope you do anyways...because I'm not going to make it out of this one, bud." I swallowed thickly, fighting the surge of emotions. "I'm sure you heard I took a job protecting the Senator of Naboo." I let out a laugh. "Can you imagine your dad hearing that? He'd kick my ass for going against jobs he'd taken before. Still…" I brushed back my hair nervously. "It got me into a bad spot...and I won't be coming back from it. I just wanted to tell you...all the things I wish I'd said before you stormed off my ship."
Tears found their ways to my eyes, my mind becoming aware of Rex standing near me, his face sad. Still, he didn't interrupt as I furiously wiped my eyes.
"Jango and you were all I had, Boba. I've never been more grateful for the family you both gave me." I sniffed pitifully. "I'm sorry I didn't step in. I should've, you're right. And I'm so sorry-" My voice broke as tears stole their ways down my cheeks. "I wish I'd chased after you, because by the time I realized I should have, it was too late." I wiped my eyes again, looking directly at the comm again. "I just want you to know that I'm proud of you. I know you'll keep growing. Just...don't forget your dad, alright? He loved you more than anything else. Don't forget to make him proud, too." I swallowed thickly, struggling as I coughed violently. After composing myself, I breathed deeply. "Goodbye Boba. Love you, kid."
I signed off the comms, my curiosity begging me to look over Vindi's notes, but Rex moved to sit beside me.
"You miss him." It wasn't a question.
"Of course I do." I didn't move as he sat beside me, his leg brushing mine. He removed his helmet, holding it in his lap, his thumb brushing over the Jaig eyes and tally marks. "What are the tallies for?"
"Battles I've made it through." I hummed in response for a moment before laughing, resting my head wearily against the wall. "What's so funny?" he asked, coughing gently into the crook of his elbow.
"Ironic, isn't it?" I started, closing my eyes briefly as my weariness pressed on me harder. "That warriors die this way?"
"General Skywalker-"
"Is on another planet, trying to find a cure for a disease that is notoriously incurable," I cut him off. "So forgive me for not being optimistic."
Rex was quiet for a moment before sighing, his golden eyes still on his helmet. "I've been with General Skywalker for a while. He's surprised me more than a few times. He always comes through."
I sighed gently, feeling my chest beginning to burn with coughs I'd fought off, my mind threatening to wander in its sickly haze. "So did Jango." The Captain finally set his helmet down, turning his face towards me. I didn't have to open my eyes to feel his concern as he looked at me. "I know I'm pretty," I teased, cracking open my eye at him.
He seemed flustered, his eyebrow raising. "I beg your pardon?"
I chuckled gently, a few coughs wracking my body before I settled back against the wall again. "You were staring."
"I was thinking."
"About?"
"How long have you been infected?"
I opened my eyes fully, my gaze forward again. Yes...that question. I was wondering it myself, but a part of me didn't want to read the information on my comms. Maybe ignorance was bliss. Especially if I was just going to die anyways.
"Vindi infected me when we first arrived." I watched him doing math in his head, looking confused. "I know," I chuckled, rubbing my head gently. "I should be dead."
"Why aren't you?"
"Are you upset I'm not?"
He knew I was teasing, a small, but grim, smile gracing his face. His shoulder leaned closer, connecting with mine gently. The contact sparked a bond in the force, his emotions spilling across to me easily.
Worry. Fear. Sadness. Resignation. But a small glimmer of hope beneath it all.
"So you left a note for Boba," he sighed gently, his head moving to match mine against the wall. "What about your friends at your club? What was his name? Merl?"
I smiled to myself, my eyes closing again. "You remembered."
He hummed, nudging my shoulder to make me focus. "Don't you want to leave a message for him?"
"No. Apex has a protocol for them, should I ever not make it back." I opened my eyes briefly to look at Rex. "You know. Risks of the job."
"And what protocol does he have?"
It clicked for me. "Ah," I hummed, laughing a bit. "Are you trying to keep me talking in order to keep me alive, Captain?" He was silent, which was answer enough. "Shouldn't you be doing that for your men?"
"They can handle themselves."
I glanced briefly over to the clone down the wall from me. His life force was fading. Beyond saving. "And I can't?"
"I didn't say that. Just answer the question."
"The club goes to Merl. My savings go to the club. Merl knows what to do with my belongings."
"Which is?"
I smiled to myself. "Destroy them so no one gets their hands on them. But he never would."
"Why not?"
I turned, finding Rex's gaze on me. "Because he's convinced I won't really be dead." Rex's eyes darted around, taking in the planes of my face, all of which I was sure was covered in black veins. I examined him for a moment. I didn't see Jango in him anymore. Not even a little. He was Rex. Gentle, but strong. Kind, but firm.
He didn't deserve a life in war.
"I'm sorry about all of this."
"So am I," he responded grimly, his eyes intense. He swallowed slowly, his face turning forward again, but I stayed facing him, fighting to stay awake. "I wish we could have worked together more often."
I hummed, leaning my head back against the wall tiredly. He turned when I barely responded, looking concerned. "Kida?" In my daze, I felt his gloved hand touch my shoulder. "Hey," he pushed, his fingers pressing into my neck to check my pulse. A wave of relief came off him when he found me alive.
"I'm still here," I mumbled, surprised at how my words slurred. I forced my eyes open slowly, shocked to find Rex's face strikingly close to mine. "You getting worried, Captain?"
His hand brushed my cheek gently, his face sad. "I am. You're not thinking of leaving me, are you?"
I smiled wearily. "I wasn't aware I was with you."
Despite the attempt at a joke, his face fell slightly as he cleared his throat. "Maybe not. But I'm with you. And you're not allowed to die just yet."
I huffed a small, tired laugh. "Aye aye, Captain." His breath brushed my face as my eyes closed again. "Rex," I mumbled, my head falling forward slightly. He hummed in response as my forehead pushed into where his skin met the collar of his blacks. "Your man," I said, my hand tiredly gesturing along the wall. His face turned, making my head turn too. I forced my eyes open as I felt his heart drop in his chest.
"Is he…"
"He's gone," I responded, feeling the vacancy from the body. "I'm sorry," I offered gently. I pushed off of Rex slightly as he guided me back to the wall. His look told me that he'd be back without having to speak, so I nodded in response, my head falling back and my eyes closing tiredly.
I felt myself fading in and out, but felt a small spark of life again as Rex's hand touched my cheek, a pair of lips hesitantly pressing to my hairline. I wanted to respond with a smile, but couldn't find the energy as he walked away.
Instead of watching him, I followed his movements through the force. He collected some cloth, moving to cover his fallen brother who was slumped against the wall. Padme and Ahsoka were still up and moving, doing their best to tend to the soldiers, but they were fading too.
"What a waste," I heard Padme say weakly as I sensed Rex lift the cloth.
"With all due respect, Senator," Rex responded grimly, letting out a tired sigh and a cough. "It's what these men were born to do." My heart clenched at his words. They were formal and well-scripted, but I felt the pain he hid below them. The resignation. The anger at himself. They were his responsibility, after all.
"I hope that their sacrifice brings us closer to peace," Padme responded.
"It...will, Padme," Ahsoka's voice sounded, riddled with weak coughs. I slowly forced my eyes open, seeing the young padawan through the piping and fallen radiators. "You must believe that…"
Her voice faded out, her eyes rolling up in her head as I felt her body give out.
"Ahsoka!" Padme yelled, her, Jar Jar, and Rex rushing forward to the Togruta. Rex caught her gently before she could fall to the ground, his face filled with concern. "Ahsoka, can you hear me?" Padme tried again.
I wrenched myself off the wall, mustering what little strength I had left to stand shakily. Leaning heavily on the objects around me, I made my way over to the concerned group. Rex was gently laying the unconscious padawan down, holding her head with concern.
"Here," I said softly, shakily sitting beside the young girl and taking her head from Rex. I placed her in my lap, touching her black-veined cheek gently. "I'll watch over her."
Padme moved to wet her rag again, but stumbled harshly on the way. Jar Jar grabbed her, gently guiding her to finally sit opposite of us. "Jar Jar," she whispered under her breath, fighting her own loss of consciousness.
As Rex attended to what remained of his men, I looked down at the peaceful face of the Togruta. She was just a child, only a year older than when Jango saved me. I turned her face towards me, feeling her force signature begin to fade.
"No," I whispered gently, feeling a ripple in the force of the planet. "You're not allowed to go just yet." I smiled to myself grimly. "There could be a chance...like you said."
I wasn't sure why I did it. I didn't even know how I did it. But I reached forward in the force, reaching into her and willing her soul to stay. I pushed at the infection, chasing it from her heart to keep it beating. Willed her to live, at least a bit longer.
Some color returned to her face, her breathing seeming less labored, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. Nor would I.
Drained from using the force like that, I leaned back against a radiator, holding the Togruta closely. Across from me, Jar Jar was holding a barely conscious Padme, her coughs soft in her weakness.
As my own mind drifted in and out of awareness, I felt Rex return after attending to his men. He knelt beside me before tiredly falling to a sitting position. His shoulder pressed against mine gently, his hesitation clear even without the help of the force.
"How are your men?" I asked weakly, my hand still brushing Ahsoka's ashen face. The captain breathed slowly, the sadness evident in his posture and face. I cracked my eyes open to watch him as his golden eyes met mine.
He didn't respond, instead shifting silently to pull me into his shoulder, his arm encircling my waste, the other hand coming up to brush my inner arm. Any other time, I would've tensed, but considering that I was likely choosing what position I would die in, I allowed myself to relax into the clone. My head dipped tiredly, pressing gently on his pulse to feel it still beating strong, despite his own imminent death.
Rex's chin came down to rest on the top of my head, his fingers curling slightly to hold me closer. And there we sat, a Togruta resting in our laps, his arms holding me close as we waiting to die. I closed my eyes, not wanting to die, but somehow comforted that Rex would be next to me when it would happen. Though, I wish he wasn't sharing my fate.
I lifted one of my hands, slipping my fingers between Rex's to lace our hands. He didn't recoil, probably feeling the same comfort I was getting from him. My last feeling was of him holding me, his head lifting only briefly to press his lips to my hair once more.
It wasn't a warrior's death...but maybe it was still a good one.