I Did Warn You
Set Two Weeks After the last Chapter
"So," Rex slid down the supply room wall cautiously to sit next to Cody, trying to figure out what Cody was holding, "you punched Commander Skywalker?"
Cody didn't look at Rex, just kept looking at the flaily scaly thing that was squirming contentedly under his hands. Cody curled around it further and rocked a little.
"He didn't take 'No' for an answer, and wouldn't stop asking his damned questions."
"Ah, I see," Rex made a mental note to finally sit down with his General's son; between missions and the periodic scattering of the Alliance forces, Rex hadn't been able to really talk to the young man. He wasn't certain how he felt about it either.
"Someone told him, someone told him I worked with General Kenobi," Cody said tightly, pulling his shoulders in.
Well bantha poodoo, that was a subject even Rex was planning on steering clear of if he ever managed to reconcile with Cody properly. At least until Cody chose to bring it up. So instead he asked:
"What is that?"
"Zillo beast."
"What?!"
"Kni'ika finally succeeded in making a clone of the Zillo beast," Cody stroked the creature's flat scales, and it made a soothing trilling sound, "gave it to me. Thought it might help. Has helped. Haven't named it yet."
Rex scrubbed his face with his hand.
"Did she inform anyone else, someone in command, that she's cloned it?"
"She's allowed personal projects," Cody shook his head.
"Cody, the reports said the Zillo Beast was huge."
"According to Kniwta, it will take centuries to reach full size," the creature in question had finally wrapped four of its five limbs around Cody's chest and now resting its head on his shoulder directing its trilling, chirping purr into his ear. Rex would have sworn it had fallen asleep. Its fifth limb just flopped down its back. Cody wrapped an arm around it like it was a youngling, "It won't even be as tall as a Wookie for sixty years standard."
Rex leaned back and raised his eyes to the ceiling with a sigh. He wanted to say that that wasn't the point, but he knew Cody had to know that.
"I'm sorry," Cody said, his voice quiet, "for what I said."
Rex didn't move, didn't breathe.
"I'm not, I'm not ready yet," Cody continued, "I'm angry. Angry at almost everything. And I…" he shook his head, "and I, I just can't. Not yet. But I want to."
"Okay Cody, okay," Rex replied, getting to his feet. He'd come up with something to tell Command, but he's make sure they understood that Cody wasn't as unstable as they feared.
"I'll see you later then?" he asked cautiously hopeful.
Cody just nodded slightly.
To Rex it might as well have been a shouted affirmative. He was not going to press his luck now though. He was almost to the door when Cody called out.
"I did warn you."
Rex felt a stab of fear as he turned.
"Warned me about what?"
Cody touched his thick iron gray hair, with a slight smile.
"That if you kept bleaching it like that, it all would fall out one day."
Rex grinned.
"That you did, Brother, that you did."
