Hello Readers,
So Hardcase gets himself a girlfriend. Who'd have thought.
In my head, when the clones are first deployed, they are like man boys. Their bodies are developed but their brains haven't caught up and they are full of the flash training and brainwashing from there. They don't always think things through. A few battles and they settle down.
Hardcase hadn't quite settled down, perhaps he wouldn't.
Sued
CHAPTER Twenty
Hardcase and L'leth
The GAR Barracks was always a hot bed of gossip and intrigue, especially when there were any full Battalions on base.
That was why you kept troopers busy with training; even then rumours spread like wild fire.
Captain Rex wasn't sure he agreed with all this R and R that the Senate had devided they deserved and he made his feelings known to Commander Cody.
It was just trouble waiting to happen.
The Commander agreed but at least it kept you on your toes.
It had soon spread that there was a female medic in the Treatment Room, but as more females were employed within the GAR administration towards the war effort, that became old news.
Now with the R and R that troopers were getting on a regular basis, courtesy of the Senate, in recognition of the work they were doing, a different story was available everyday.
After the night at D.T.'s, details of the brawl had spread, with a little embellishment of course; the Captain soon found out about it, despite the fact that the opponents were pilots and a little part of him was proud that his men had kicked ass; it didn't do to have inter service brawls.
The appropriate punishments were given.
Fives had yet more appointments at the gym joined by Echo and Kix; Hardcase had his privileges withdrawn plus the gym.
Word was he had instigated it defending a females honour.
That was what the rumour mill said.
Gym work to Hardcase was was like water off a porg's back; it was the withdrawn privileges that hurt him most.
Then it become known that Hardcase was selling his spare time in the Barracks to some of his brothers to get extra credits; he was doing extra duties, extra cleaning for his vode, anything he could do, he would, just so that he could get extra credits to be able to go to DT's, when he got his R and R back.
The reason he was going was not known, most didn't care, he preferred it that way. He let his brothers jump to conclusions because that was always interesting.
It was his secret and he was keeping it that way.
It was to see L'leth; to be with her.
He had soon found a way to get out of the Barracks unseen; it had taken him a week from when the 501st first came to Corrie. His brothers covered for him, as he paid them back by showing them the way out. Rex knew some of the men were taking non sanctioned excursions and they were dealt with but he had never managed to catch Hardcase.
That was his next mission.
Hardcase's brothers didn't know he had managed to actually get a girlfriend.
And in this respect he did not share with them any specific details of his experiences with L'leth; he kept those all to himself.
Once he got his privileges back, he would go to D.T.'s, get a drink; it would have to last a long time as he could not afford many. Then he would wait and walk her home.
The first few times that was all that happened, so there was nothing to 'tell'.
Then she invited him in and he discovered kissing, in all its glory.
He took it slowly; he knew there was more but he wasn't sure if L'leth wanted more. He didn't want to lose her.
He felt sure she would let him know how far he could go.
Then she would cook for him; now he wasn't sure which was best the food or the kissing; his body voted for the kissing. Sometimes he found it very uncomfortable walking hime but he didn't want L'leth to think that he saw her like lots of men saw Twi'leks, as fair game.
They moved on, initiated by L'leth; he would only do what she wanted and go as far as she wanted.
He didn't 'kiss and tell.'
.
Rex suspected something was still going on with Hardcase; normally he got bored within a few rotations but not this time.
Why are all the talented troopers also high maintenance? Give him a heavy gun of any description and he would clear the ground like a berserker but when he was back on Corrie or confined to the ship something was always happening.
It was giving Rex a headache.
Hardcase was being tightlipped about something but Rex didn't know what yet, which was surprising but a lot of his time was now taken up with the new Commander.
She was proving a handful for both the Captain and Skywalker.
The last time Hardcase saw L'leth she had invited him back for a Lifeday Dinner; he didn't really know what that meant, so he looked it up on the Holonet. There were lots of variations depending on the species but it normally involved the purchase of a present.
He had never purchased a present in the whole of his short life before.
Hardcase was making his way to the Treatment Room and although he had already had the idea of saving what credits he could and then...then what? He had an idea but he still wanted to check that this was the way to go. The only person he knew who had had anything to do with a female up close and personal was his Sergeant, Coric.
"Hardcase!" The captain's voice jumped into his mind interrupting his thoughts, causing him to nearly fall over in his bid to stop, as he jumped to attention.
"Sir, yessir." He produced a snappy salute. Rex walked in front of him, face in his face.
"You ok, Trooper?" He asked, softly. The Captain was at his most astute and therefore, most dangerous when softly spoken.
Hardcase was on guard.
"Sir, yessir." He didn't want Rex to know; he was a good officer and brother, who looked out for them, so he wanted to put space between what he was doing and Rex. He didn't want any comeback hitting Rex.
Captain Rex gave him his 'I don't believe you face' and the ten second stare.
Hardcase didn't falter for a second; he stared straight ahead, waiting.
Rex walked around him and let out a long breath. "You're in a hurry trooper, is it anything I should know about?"
"Sir, no sir." Hardcase replied.
There was silience.
"So I shouldn't know about something or there's nothing to know?" Rex asked, as his eyebrow raised.
Hardcase looked straight ahead, still. He had to give nothing away to the Captain; the slightest nod and he would know. Hardcase swore that the Captain didn't need his HUD to have 360 degree vision, or he could use the Force.
"Nothing to know, sir."
He hated it when Rex played with semantics.
Rex waited, "Are you sure?"
Hardcase knew he had to come up with something now.
"Just...need to see a medic sir, got a twinge in me back, just going now."
Rex snorted softly; so he was still doing the fake illnesses to get near the female medic. Coric said she spotted it a mile off and made Hardcase do something tests to check if he was swinging the lead. One made him look like he was doing some Mon Cala high dance moves, pirouetting with his arms above his head; Hardcase took it all in good grace. Part of Rex wanted to go and see what she came up with this time but he had too much to do and the Kid...Commander to train. He resisted the urge to smile.
"Okay trooper, dismissed."
Hardcase shot off down the corridor before the Captain could say any more, leaving him shaking his head and finally smiling to himself.
Hardcase rushed into the Treatment Room and as soon as he entered three heads shot up.
Fek!
"Hardcase? Can I help you?" Ryssa asked just finishing off Jesse's dressing; the 501st had some down time, while Skywalker was with Kenobi on a mission. This resulted in more than the normal ratio of training injuries to troopers in the GAR Barracks.
"No, I need to see the Sarge...er thanks." he muttered.
"He's in the supply closet having an in depth conversation with the med droid." She offered, the trooper looked troubled.
"Are you sure I can't help?"
He could hear the cursing coming from that room now and set off in that direction without even saying anything.
"Do you think I just got the brush off, Jesse?" Ryssa checked his dressing again.
"Yep, I think you've lucked out there, Ma'am." the Trooper deadpanned back. They chuckled together.
Hardcase shot into the supply closet and skidded to a halt inside, slamming the door behind him.
"Need to talk, sarge, now." he blurted out.
Coric sighed.
"What now Hardcase?"
Hardcase was never normally lost for words, truthful or otherwise but he realised he wasn't quite sure what to ask. So he jabbed at the door lock and it clicked.
"Come on, spit it out, lad." The Sergeant had disabled the Droid to avoid further arguments and he was not in the mood for one of Hardcase's...embellishments, as the Captain called them. Coric thought he got away with too much already.
"I've got a girl, sarge and I want to buy her something." but…..
"Ryssa!" Coric yelled, he had heard the word 'girl' and already knew he didnt want to deal with whatever Osik Hardcase had gotten into.
He feared the worse.
Within seconds Ryssa had appeared at the door, with a worried look on her face.
"Coric? Hardcase?" She looked between the two awaiting an explanation but all she saw was a blushing Hardcase and a grumpy looking Coric.
"Hardcase has got himself a girl. We all need to talk."
"I'll get us all some Caf." She sighed.
.
"So you see, I would like to get L'leth a present for her Life Day but I don't really know what to get her. I've never bought one before."
Both Coric and Ryssa had sat there in silence, listening to Hardcase's story of how he met his girlfriend and how far the relationship had progressed. Coric had already checked his bloods, given him several jabs, and a supply of condoms, just in case. He was clean and L'leth sounded like a nice girl, working a normal job, not like some unfortunate female Twi'leks, he'd seen and heard about, sold into slavery; Hardcase also sounded besotted and Ryssa couldn't suppress the slight smile on her face. She saw Coric look at her and smiled back; it was good to see her smile and to hear some happy news for a vod for once
He couldn't have hoped that this would actually cheer her up, although Hardcase was always good for a laugh; she had not been herself since the visit to D.T's and had even taken a couple of days off afterwards, looking very pale when she returned. He had never spoken to her alone since; no time had ever seemed right but he was worried about her.
.
Hardcase felt like he was being interrogated; by two good people, who he trusted and, who should be helping him.
Fek! This is difficult.
"What?"
He'd lost his train of thought and what they were asking.
"So is there anything she particularly likes?"
"What's her colouring?"
"Pale blue."
"Her colouring or what she likes?" Ryssa pushed, a smile turned up the corners of her mouth, for a few seconds.
Hardcase hesitated.
Kriff! This is hard.
"Colouring?" Ryssa asked again.
"Pale blue."
"Likes?"
"Me."
Coric rolled his eyes and saw Ryssa's bottom lip quivering, and her bite it, as she suppressed a full blown laugh but still smiling at him; he smiled back.
"Would you get me something for her?"
"Me?" Ryssa was surprised at the request.
"Yes. Would you?"
"Of course." Ryssa smiled, he looked so relieved.
"Thank you...Ryssa, ma'am." His troubled look had suddenly disappeared, to be replaced by a grin.
"Ok, leave it with me Hardcase. When is it her Life Day?"
"Tomorrow."
Coric heard a slight intake of breath.
"So you need it for tomorrow night?"
"Yes."
"So not urgent then?"
Coric sniggered. Hardcase glared at him; he obviously had every faith in Ryssa that she would solve his problem.
"I'll find something on my way home, don't worry."
Hardcase blushed and stammered another Thank You and then shot out of the Medbay.
Coric and Ryssa just looked at each other and burst out laughing; they couldn't stop until Ryssa finally had to lean on him.
Coric stopped then, holding her he realised there was something different about her but couldn't quite pinpoint it.
.
"Trooper, slow down." Hardcase skidded to a halt as he heard Rex's voice again.
He had nearly reached the barracks without being caught.
"Back ok?"
"Sir?"
"Your back, you were going to med bay to have it checked."
Rex reminded him.
Something was wrong; Hardcase was definitely up to something. He could almost smell it.
"Oh yes, all sorted, thank you sir."
He remembered to salute him.
"Slow down then, soldier, I don't need you careering into anyone and putting your back out again, or anybody else's."
Something was definitely up and now it involved Hardcase and the Treatment Room, this was getting more and more common.
He blamed the woman in there.
.
Ryssa was beginning to wish she had said she couldn't do this, that she was going to find one thing for Hardcase but she found it difficult to say no to any of them, even as hardened soldiers there was something endearing about some of them. She hadn't found one yet, that didn't charm her in some way.
She knew it was probably because she was in love with one of their brothers.
Meandering through the mall, zigzagging from shop to stall looking at jewelry, accessories, she searched.
Bags.
Blasters.
Hardcase had given her his hard earned credits which weren't many; if she found something that was too expensive, but just right she would still get it, he deserved that at least. She noticed a new shop and wandered up to it; it sold, an eclectic mix of perfumes, clothes and artifacts. It looked interesting so she went in and was immediately struck by a shimmer silk scarf in white. It was wide and long, and quality was beautiful.
"Mmm, nice shape, could be a shawl but its a bit plain". she said to herself and didn't see the Arkanian shopkeeper, who had just come out of the back.
"Its hand made, a quality item."
"I can see."
Ryssa didn't need the hard sell.
"I can screen print a pattern on it if you like."
"Do you have Cerulean Blue?" A thought crossed her mind.
"Yes. Of course. What pattern would you like?" and she went to the large pattern book, behind the counter and pulled it out.
Ryssa couldn't remember exactly what pattern Hardcase had on his armour.
"Could I draw it?"
The shopkeeper produced a large sketch pad and she produced the lines that she wanted. She hoped she had got it right; there were thick and thin lines on his armour and some dots.
"Shab!" she said to herself; she should remember more. She pulled out her comlink.
"Coric! What's Hardcase's pattern on his armour?"
She frowned at the reply.
"No, I really need to know now."
She tapped her fingers on the counter and smiled at the assistant.
"Yes. Send it now."
She looked at the small image that came through on the com and replicated it as best she could, handing the result over to the shopkeeper.
"Can you do this?"
"No problem. Tomorrow morning OK."
"Perfect." And Ryssa offered the credits, "when you're happy with it." The shopkeeper replied "Name?"
"Neryssa. Is 09:00 OK?"
"It'll be ready for you."
Ryssa sighed her relief, as she left the shop; she had been worried that she wouldn't be able to get anything and then she would have let Hardcase down. She just didn't want to do that.
.
Coric saw him in line in the mess hall and pushed in next to him much to the disgust of several of his brothers. He didn't care, and glared back. They backed off; there was always plenty of what passed for rations on Corrie.
He got in closer next to Hardcase and followed him to the table when they had picked up their rations from the serving Droid. Spicy nerf noodles and some kind of brown coloured pudding. It was the height of GAR cuisine.
"You shouldn't have asked her Hardcase and you haven't exactly given her any ideas have you."
"She'll get something, I trust her and it will be perfect. I just know. L'leth will love it."
Coric sighed, he hoped so.
He had received the com call from Ryssa and his hopes had been raised but were dashed almost immediately.
He still hadn't told her.
.
Ryssa brought the scarf in the next day.
She had even had it gift wrapped in a matching bag.
Hardcase loved it.
He presented it to L'leth that night who wore it and loved it, and loved Hardcase all the more for it.
Rex eventually found out all about it, as he knew he would and smiled; contrary to his initial thoughts when he first came off Kamino, his men needed more than fighting. They needed something, or rather someone to fight for, other than the need implanted with their engineering and flash training.
If their brothers weren't enough and they found someone else, good luck to them.
And he was right, it was all that woman's fault in the Treatment Room.