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 SIX
Ana opened the door slowly, her blaster already primed and aimed at the anticipated entry point; two older men, Rex's and Jesse's age stood at the door.
"Could you please put down the weapon, ma'am, we're here about the Captain". She studied the two men, who looked very much like Rex and Jesse, they also had various forms of greying facial hair. She was intrigued, as since Jesse arrived, when she was resting, she had done more research about the war that they all fought in, and knew more about the clones. When Rex had nightmares, he reverted to that strange language he used and talked about "Ner, vod", 'My brothers.' Although she herself recognised some of the other words, they were Mando'a, both her father and Aunt used them but that was a question, for another time. Now she really wanted to meet his brothers.
"I'm Ana. Come in, we're expecting you. Please sit." directing them to sit at her kitchen table.
The two men exchanged wary glances.
"Can I get you some Caf?"
"No thank you ma'am. We won't have time." The more proper of the two replied, while his hand rested on his holstered blaster.
"Yes, we will." The grinning one, interjected. "Plenty of time."
Ana brewed Caf, also retrieved the fruit cake she had made, from the Conservator, thinking if Rex and Jesse liked it, then they might. Taking surreptitious looks back at them, she could see them both observing the details of the room; exactly like Rex and Jesse had first done. They both rose when she came back.
"Please sit, Rex and Jesse have gone into town but they are on their way back; they won't be long." The two men glanced at each other, as she put the cake with a knife, in the middle of the table. "Help yourselves." She added and returned to get the Caf.
When she returned half the cake had already gone and one of them said.
"Delicious cake, ma'am, Thank You."
They all sat quietly drinking Caf until she said "So, who's Wolffe and who's Gregor?" and looked from one to the other, until the less serious one admitted to his name "Gregor, Ma'am."
"So you must be Wolffe." finished Ana, fixing the one with the prosthetic eye, with a look daring him to reply, finally he said, "Yes, Ma'am."
"My name's Ana, not ma' ?" The silence returned. When Ana finally tired of avoiding Gregor's stare, which was almost a leer. She rose saying, "I have some work to do, please excuse me."
"Anything we can help with, ma'am?" Asked Wolffe, suddenly finding his voice.
"Oh no, stay, eat. Wait for Rex and Jesse; and my name is Ana." And with that she headed outside to feed the Roba with the scraps she had collected, and wished that Rex would get back soon. Jesse had been difficult enough to deal with, he was suspicious and guarded, and now these two. She vaguely remembered offering to put them all up, adding an extension to the house, but that was before her illness.
.
Rex took control of the speeder, and they were returning from a profitable visit to town. Essie had got everything that both he and Ana had put on their list, plus some items that Jesse required. Both Essie and Tula treated Jesse just as they treated him now; and they seemed almost happy to see him. They sent also some foodstuffs, so that Ana would not tire herself out cooking. Jesse had behaved himself but Rex could tell that something was troubling him and eventually he pulled the speeder off the road and came to a halt.
"So, Ner Vod, what's eating you?"
"I still don't like this...here."
"Fek it Jesse, we've been over this."
"Those women treated you like family."
"They are family."
"No. We're family."
"Do we really have a problem here Jess?"
"Can they be trusted?"
"Neither have any love for the Empire, especially Tula but they do love Ana and would do nothing to hurt her."
"And you by proxy, is that it?"
Rex waited before replying, he had an admission to make to his brother, "Jesse…. I'm in love with Ana. I've never known anyone like her. She makes me feel ...as if I belong here."
"Fek it! Rex, you're a soldier, born and bred to fight."
"Does the fight have to be a war?"
"Is there any other?"
"The one for a normal life."
"We're not normal, Rex, have you forgotten that and does she know?"
"She does and she accepts it."
"Are you sure? She hasn't seen the reality of the accelerated ageing."
He didn't have an answer but started up the speeder again and toed it.
.
When Rex and Jesse returned she left them with their 'brothers', four identical men; she had tried not to stare, but the only way you could really tell them all apart were the hairstyles and facial hair, which they all seemed to favour in some way. Except for Rex, she would always know Rex.
Wolffe had a prosthetic eye but their personalities were so different. Wolffe was aloof and formal, whereas Gregor was overly familiar. He got up close and personal but she didn't think he realised what he was doing that. Jesse, he practically ignored her. The one thing they all did was eat large amounts, which for Ana was good; she appreciated it when people liked the food she prepared. Gregor especially liked the fruit cake, so she had to bake another one tonight for them. But she finding them tiring, although she soon realised that they tidied up after themselves and cleaned up after the meals.
Tidy!
After dinner they sat outside; it had been an unusually warm day, so she brought some chilled beers and salted warra nuts for them to snack on.
"Could get used to this." muttered one, she wasn't sure which but it wasn't Rex.
"Look Rex, I understand. You have been on your own for a long time, and I don't count us in that." Jesse paused before saying the next part. "If she offered it to you on a plate, Fek, I can't blame you." He still had a problem with her. Ana moved back from the door before she heard anything else; she might hear something that shattered the little bubble that she was currently living in.
He had not explicitly said so, but she knew he would be going back with them, but not for how long. They, rather Gregor, kept talking about the large Joopa they were hunting. He had even named it. Ana had never seen one although she knew they were extremely large worm-like creatures that only lived in middle of the desert, that sloped away from the prairie. Wolffe had been very quiet for the whole meal and then helped her clean away and at that point he had asked some very personal questions. She had answered as well as she could
.
It was getting late so she put some more snacks on the table, just in case, together with some Caf in a heated jug and brandy, and left them to it, then retired to bed to read. She undressed slowly and quietly, straining to listen, checking if she could hear what the men were talking about but they were being extremely quietly spoken, in fact she wasn't sure that they hadn't gone outside again to talk. So she resigned herself to waiting till Rex came to bed before she found out anything.
Wolffe helped himself to the Brandy,
"So, ner Vod, Are you going to be settling down here then. Just like Cut, It looks very cosy."
Jesse helped himself but said nothing. He had made his feelings known.
"Nice little set up Rex." Added Gregor and he gave his brother a firm jab in the ribs with his elbow. Rex glared back. "This is not a 'set up', it is Ana's house and her food and you would do well to remember that." Gregor had the good grace to look slightly abashed, as he helped himself to yet another piece of cake. Jesse was very quiet during this and Rex had not mentioned the other preparations that they were doing. Although Jesse did know, something was happening, he'd picked that up himself and put two and two together.
"So, are you coming back with us?" Wolffe was always straight to the point.
Rex rubbed his hand over his head before he replied, "Yes." He didn't look happy with the prospect. "For good?" Wolffe, asked in confirmation.
"Yes, well no, not for good." Rex replied flatly.
"What are you going to do?" Wolffe persisted.
"l'm not sure yet. I need to talk to Ana. We'll sort something out." Rex was not letting anything out to panic his friend. "Now, I've had a long day, so I think it's time to retire." Rex deftly cut off the conversation. He showed them to the room that had been Ana's, "You two should be ok bunking here for tonight. Jesse's in his ship." He paused, internally debating what exactly to say. "I need to discuss something with Ana. Well talk again tomortow." And before he could be asked any more pertinent questions he left and headed for the room he now shared with Ana.
Rex wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to Ana. She would be upset if he left and when it came to that, he was a coward. He pushed open the door to their bedroom and could see her lying in the bed, only her reading light on and holding one of the old fashioned books she had in her bedroom. He recognised it, she had explained it to him once, what it was about; a Young Queen and her Knight fall in love against all the rules that governed their land. It was an old book.
It sounded familiar.
He looked and smiled.
"Something wrong with the fekking lights?" He grumbled. Ana giggled, she knew he would say that, she shuffled and removed her nightdress, then held the bedclothes open for him. He smiled, as he moved towards her breasts, which were already anticipating him.
.
"Well this is interesting." Commented Gregor as he saw the large double bed in the room Rex had shown them to.
Wolffe snorted in reply, not rising to the bait. Gregor didn't give up, "So, which side of the bed do you prefer Darlin'."
Wolffe ignored him again but put his data pad on the bedside cabinet at the left and announced. "I'm having a shower."
"Want some company?" Asked Gregor.
Wolffe glared. "Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod?" Making an appropriate gesture.
Gregor sniggered, that always got him; winding Wolffe up relieved the boredom, that and slinging for Joopa. It never worked with Rex. He was a little more relaxed than Wolffe most of the time, but this arrangement was a little different. He settled himself down on the right hand side of the bed and sniffed under his arms.
I'll last another day.
He lay back on the bed with his arms behind his head, scrutinising the room.
Wolffe came back out of the refresher, "all yours Vod."
"Nah, I'm good."
"No, you are not. You're in mixed company and smelling more like Boost everyday; that's not good. So get in it. It's a water one. Hot."
He sniffed again, "Hmm, perhaps you're right." And headed off to the 'fresher, "Real hot water?" Checked Gregor.
"Very real, very hot water, Ner Vod, enjoy." Wolffe settled down with his datapad.
.
The rhythmic squeaks coming through the wall confirmed for Gregor, that his brother and friend, had finally found himself a good woman and he was enjoying her at that moment. From the other noises he heard, she was enjoying him too. He sniggered and jabbed Wolffe, who was reading his datapad, in the ribs. "Rex still has it in him." He nodded his head towards the wall, "or rather in her."
Wolfe rolled his eyes.