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Sued13
DISCLAIMER:I only own my OC's every other character is owned by Disney, Lucas and everyone else who has ever written anything for Star Wars. This is for entertainment only. My own and anyone who cares to read it.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
The coordinates were correct, he had checked them but out of ingrained habit and precaution he didn't land right on them; he needed to do a recce first. He hadn't really believed the Dadita message when he picked it up, even though the Code was on it - Kamino, Home.
He had not replied. He wanted the element of surprise.
He brought his small craft in as near as he could, landed, and pulled together his kit.
Usual things blaster, comlink, rations and other bits and bobs he had picked up on his travels that he thought would be useful.
He was tired; this had been a long trip and then he came back to what. Those two arguing having wound each other up so much, neither were backing down anytime soon and no Rex. The tank couldn't send out signals and his commander was AWOL, gone for months. No sign they said. It had taken him two days to sort everything out in the tank and to calm those two down, to some reasonable level and then he picked up the code. He didn't know how Rex put up with them all the time. But then perhaps he didn't, perhaps he had done a runner. Before he left he gave them strict instructions and he was hoping fervently that they carried them out or else everything would go to Haran again.
He used his training as an ARC Trooper to move stealthily to a position where he could observe the property he had seen on his landing. The property was the ctual coordinates he recieved.
"Farmhouse." He mused, "With outbuildings plus additional work started. No evidence of the numbers occupying. Sophisticated perimeter alarm." He went through all the information in his mind. Being this careful had kept him alive this long. He saw the woman come out from the house and enter the vegetable garden; he moved, keeping close to the ground to keep her in view.
"Unarmed inhabitant, female."
He observed her, gathering intel like the good ARC Trooper that he was, had been; she bent down and appeared to be planting something in the ground. She worked methodically, dig, plant, water. All along the line, when she reached the end she stood up and rubbed her back. She turned and he could see her features closer now. She was older than he previously thought but had a head of curly, dark red hair reaching her shoulders; he magnified the image and saw the green eyes. He had never seen that colour green before, wherever he had been; they were striking. He also noted the vivid red scar, that looked as if it was only just healing, at the base of her neck, just under the Adam's apple.
She didn't look dangerous but he had found out to his cost that looks could be deceptive.
The woman continued with her planting but she had slowed now and rested between each plant, seemingly struggling to continue. Then she stopped and looked up as if she heard something. He knew it wasn't him, as he hadn't moved; his knees were paying testament to that.
He saw who she was looking at; it was a face he knew as well as his own.
Rex.
"Fek it Cap. What have you got yourself into?" He swore to himself. Every instinct called for him to jump up and show himself but he tamped that down and waited. He could see their faces and could read their lips; he wanted to find out more before he walked into it.
He watched as his friend pulled up this strange woman touching her face and holding her in a way that could only be described as familiar, intimate.
'Cyar'ika, come in now, you've done enough today.'
'I'm OK. These beans need to be planted or I…we...won't get a harvest.'
He watched and saw her slump against Rex who held her even tighter, a hold that changed to an embrace, his hand on her neck, a lingering kiss.
'I told you to give it a rest.'
Jesse could almost hear his Captain say it to him, as an order.
'Rex…'
'No. You're no use if you're ill again.'
The woman didn't argue again as Rex had swept her up and carried her back to the house.
"What are you doing, Ner Vod?" Jesse said to no-one.
Rex stopped and turned abruptly, looking straight at the undergrowth where Jessie crouched. He stayed still, hardly breathing but could see Rex scanning the undergrowth, his sixth sense telling him he was being watched. Jessie read his lips again.
'Let's get you inside.'
There was no argument from the woman this time.
.
Ana was kneeling and planting the last row of seedlings; she had rested just like Rex said she ought to but then felt the need to do something again, so came out to finish the planting. She smiled, he would be angry for a few seconds then she saw Rex's boots stand in the middle of the row she had just planted. She had never heard him approach.
"Aw, Rex, I'll have to re do that row now."
Looking up, her stomach lurched and she nearly keeled over; she saw a thinner version of Rex with no beard but a greying scruffy half growth on his face. He was dressed in civilian clothes and wore a sort of brown poncho but he had Rex's boots on.
Only it wasn't Rex.
Heart pounding, she sat back on her haunches;
"Who…..?"
"Me first, why did you call me Rex?"
Her mouth opened and closed.
"Any answer?"
"You look like someone I know one."
"Where is he?"
"Who?"
"Stop playing games, you know who I mean."
"l'm not sure..."
The man primed his blaster, pointing it at her. "Stop stalling!"
The threat was there, she swallowed and felt her voice disappear to a whisper; it happened when she was stressed. She replied huskily.
"Are you one of Rex's brothers, he's been trying to get a hold of you."
"So why's he still here?"
"It's a long story."
"I've got time."
"Then let me tell you, Ner Vod." Rex's voice, deeper than this brother's rang out and he turned towards Rex. The two men moved toward each other and clasped each other's forearm, finishing with a backslapping hug. Ana watched them fascinated by how similar they looked, even down to the build.
"About time you came back, any news?"
"No, another dead end but then I've managed to get another lead, although this one doesn't seem very promising either. Pirates."
"We'll talk later, after you come to the house and get cleaned up."
"And you explain what you're doing here." Rex turned back sharply at that pointed comment but just nodded to his brother.
Ana stayed silent through all this and followed them back to the house.
She made Caf while they talked and gave them Citron Drizzle cake; it had been her father's favourite recipe and she had not made it in a long time but it was quick, easy, and not so tiring. She caught snatches of their conversation and from what they had been saying she realised that this one was Jesse and he had been searching for his close brother Kix, who had gone missing shortly before the end of the Clone War. Rex had explained all about him; how close they had all been and after he had removed their chips, Kix had just vanished. They had started an investigation, then been called to Mandalore, then Order 66 and their investigations had come to an abrupt and violent end.
.
Jesse made himself at home, with Rex's help, and was able to get a shower and a shave. He then tucked into lunch that Ana made for him, with Rex's help. He was like Rex, when he first came, wary. He had the same voracious appetite as Rex and when he had finally sated it he said, "Wolffe and Gregor will be along shortly. But they have had a bad time lately."
"I was struggling to get a signal through to them, once I'd recovered."
"Really?"
"And what does that mean, Jess?"
Ana looked between the two men and got the feeling that they needed to be alone to have whatever discussion they were heading for.
"I'm going to lie down." Announced Ana, as she rose from the table. "I think I have done a bit too much today." She moved to Rex and gave him a peck on the cheek; he held her hand for a few seconds before saying, "I'll clear up after you."
She turned to the other clone in the room; "It's good to finally meet you, Jesse. Rex has told me a lot about you all." She smiled, before she retired to the bedroom.
Both men watched her leave the room, Rex with affection, Jesse with suspician.
"What the Fek have you got yourself into?" Questioned Jesse, Rex stared hard at him.
"Let's take this outside?" He had a feeling that Jesse would not be having a quiet conversation with him.
Rex walked outside with Jesse following, he turned, hands on hips, "Spit it out then."
"This set up Rex, with the invalid. You turned into Lawquane or something? What has she got on you? Threatened to turn us in? Is that why you haven't gone back to the Tank?"
Rex felt his cheek muscles twitch, as he counted to ten before replying.
"Her name's Ana and I'm only standing here because she saved my life."
"This I have to hear."
.
Ana lay on the bed listening, it had gone quiet after she heard Rex suggest that they go outside.
Obviously Rex hadn't told her everything about the war and these men; Jesse looked so much like him. But he would have, she concluded, they were both Clones. Sometimes since the illness she forgot things, then she suddenly felt very tired again and never heard Rex come to bed.
The moonshine had woken her it was so bright and she had forgotten to close the blinds; it never seemed to bother Rex. She stretched, rose and slowly walked over to close them before deciding she needed to use the fresher; she stood and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The dark shadows under her eyes, her complexion paler than normal, the scar, a livid red circle, in her jugular notch, stood out against her skin, parts of which looked translucent.
"No wonder he thinks I'm an invalid." She whispered to herself.
"No he doesn't, not really. I've put him in the picture." She started, Rex had this knack of creeping up on you. "Come on back to bed, girl. You still need your sleep; we'll get the colour back into your cheeks, if I have to make you blush at least once a day."
He always could make her laugh.