On The Wings Of A Hawk

Chapter 6: Blue Shadow Virus


Rex sighed softly as he leaned against a crate to keep himself upright. His eyes came up to watch the others in the room. His eyes drifted to Ahsoka and somewhere he wondered what Moira was thinking for putting Ahsoka under her protection. Ahsoka must've felt his eyes on her and she looked at Rex.

"What is it Captain?"

"Just thinking Commander."

"About?"

"Moira bestowing her protection on you."

"She didn't tell me why she did it honestly. She just said; 'You have my protection little one.' I tried to ask her what that meant but she just smiled and walked away."

"That sounds like her."

Ahsoka reached into her small hip pouch and drew out a familiar symbol but hers was smaller than his and a different metal. Rex tipped his head at the medallion. She smiled and put it back in her pouch.

"She told me to never let it leave my hands.

"She seems focused on protecting you Rex."

"She is."

"Maybe that's why…"

Rex tilted his head to the side wondering what was going on in Ahsoka's head.

"Why what?"

"We're friends and she wants to protect you and since we fight together."

"Maybe."

"Who's Moira?" Padme asked.

"She's Rex's girl friend," Ahsoka teased him.

Rex went bright red at that comment. The others laughed weakly and a few started coughing. The laughs died quickly as they looked around at each other.

"We're friends Ahsoka."

"Uh huh whatever you say Rex."

Rex closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't want to give in just yet.

Moira whimpered as she felt Rex get sick. A snarl escaped her as she Jumped. Hiding her ability to Jump had been a hard decision but now it didn't matter since Rex was in trouble. Her instinct would drive her to him regardless of who saw her. She looked around her in confusion. Rex was nowhere to be found. Scenting the air she felt the stillness in the air like something wasn't right. Even with the presence of an apex predator like her even some of the creatures would make sounds. But there was nothing but stillness and silence. Her ears flicked back and forth trying to gauge what was going on. Scenting the area she was trying to find her One. She caught the scent of Ahsoka and Padme. Growling she started pacing around trying to figure out how to get into the underground bunker. Mud splattered with each step she took. Then she found part of the door and she started digging flinging mud everywhere. Her white coat was starting to turn brown. Rearing up on her hind legs she came down hard on the doors. She swore to the war goddess if something happened to her One everyone responsible would pay the ultimate price. Closing her eyes she tried to focus on her One. She could feel him close underneath the ground. There was an aspect of her clan that she hated using but right at that moment she knew she had to reach out to her Rex.

'Rex?' she called to her One.

'Moira?'

'Where are you?'

'Down in the bunker. Don't come down here there's some kind of virus.'

She cursed softly knowing what the smell was. It'd been a long time since she'd smelled its like and it twisted something inside her. The memories of those who'd suffered under the blue shadow virus. It hadn't reached her planet but she'd been on a mission when it had struck. Shaking off the memories she had to focus on her One.

'Rex…'

'Moira…'

She felt like he was about ready to say something that didn't need to be said right now.

'Don't say it because you think you're going to die.'

'Moira, I want to say I…'

The warrior in him was fighting with the heart in him on what needed to be said, but she didn't want him to say it not right now. Their relationship was too new for him to take a leap like that. She was fighting the tears. Throwing her head back she howled for all she was worth. Her ears flicked forward hearing something. With a snarl she turned and crept forward like the predator she was. A deep rumbling sound came from beneath her feet. Leaping backwards she barely avoided the ship coming from beneath her feet. Waiting in the shadows. The doctor came up and was being chased by Kenobi and Anakin. They were too busy try to catch the vials that she leapt forward and tackled the doctor to the ground. Her paw pressed down hard on his chest. His bones and the material in his suit was starting to protest at the pressure. She snarled and snapped at his face.

"Moira don't!" Kenobi called to her. "We need him alive."

"Give me one good reason not to rip his head off his shoulders."

"We need to know where the antidote is for the blue shadow virus."

The doctor laughed underneath her. She refrained from digging her nails into his chest to make him bleed. The beast inside was baying for the blood of her enemy. Kenobi moved forward and placed a hand on her dirty shoulder.

"I know you're worried about Rex and Ahsoka, Moira but killing him won't help matters."

Snorting she stepped back and allowed the two Jedi to take this man down. She watched from a short distance. Then Obi-Wan came towards her with a look she didn't like. Her anger was boiling just under the surface waiting for an outlet.

"Anakin and I are going to go get the antidote we have forty-eight hours to get them the antidote," Kenobi told her.

A soft rumbling escaped her. "Don't go down there Moira we cannot risk the planet."

She growled darkly at Kenobi. Then her gaze drifted to Anakin. She could smell the anxiety on him. Shaking her head throwing bits of mud everywhere she stood tall.

"Moira…" she heard Anakin say. "We'll make it."

The two Jedi left. Snorting she paced back and forth worriedly not caring about the drying mud on her fur or the new mud that splattered on her fur. The forested swampy area was quiet at her restless pacing back and forth. Knowing her pacing was going to get on her nerves she sat down and closed her eyes to calm her mind enough to reach out to Rex.

'Rex?'

'I'm here,' he murmured.

She quivered on the inside. He sounded exhausted.

'Rex…'

'We've lost a couple of my brothers. The senators, Ahsoka and I are all that's left.'

'I could Jump…'

'No it's not worth it Moira.'

'The planet isn't my worry Rex.'

'Moira, my life and those in here aren't worth infecting the rest of the galaxy.'

'Don't start being my conscience now Rex.'

'Moira please don't.'

'You are my One.'

'As your One I'm telling you my life isn't worth the death of billions of people.'

She felt a pain ripple through her knowing that Rex was hurting. With everything that she was she wanted to keep him talking to her.

'Despite what you think Rex I am not a good person.'

'Yes you are but you're trying to hide it behind your assassin persona.'

'You only think…'

'If you are a bad person why rush into a battle to help people you don't know in a fight that's not yours?'

'That's not an argument Rex really. My drive is to protect you. Demolishing armies of droids is in my defense of you and you alone. Your brothers are just lucky.'

She felt him waver a bit. 'Rex?'

'I'm okay.'

She snarled and started pacing back and forth again. Knowing that trying to talk to him might exhaust him so she refrained from trying to call out to him as the virus did its work on him. A deep rumbling growl escaped her as she kept pacing. She was fighting exhaustion from the battle she'd just come from on her home world. A patch of moss drew her forward and she laid down on it and laid her head down. As she slept time passed and the sound of ships thrusters woke her. Without a thought she shot forward. Anakin and Kenobi rushed off the gun ship. Words were spoken over a com and she watched with the eyes of a predator.

Moira stood back in the shadows as they extracted the infected from the bunker. A breath of relief escaped her as Rex came out. Anakin saw her and moved towards her. Her ears laid back seeing him after he'd spoken to his wife and learner. He went to reach out and touch her but she growled darkly at him and jerked out of his reach.

"He'll be okay Moira."

She gave a curt nod.

"You don't like me much do you?"

"You're very observant," she murmured sarcastically.

"Before now I didn't know a thing about you and yet you hold this kind of animosity against me."

She looked at him pointedly.

"My concern is Rex and you're just around him. Besides your focus was on your wife."

He tensed at her words. Inwardly she smirked.

"How did…"

"I'm not stupid. I watch all that goes around when Rex is concerned."

"We're just…"

"Oh please if you lie to my face I'm going to laugh. I can smell her all over you and you all over her. I'm an apex predator for a reason."

He seemed to hesitate.

"What are you?"

"I'm an assassin."

"Then what's your interest in Rex?"

"You honestly think you can question an assassin and get a straight answer? I answer to no one."

"Yet you help us in the war."

"I help Rex and coincidentally it means helping his brothers and the Jedi as well."

"Only for Rex huh?"

"Ahsoka is also under my protection."

"Leave Ahsoka out of this."

"You have no say on who I protect Jedi," she snarled. "I protect them because I'm called to protect them and I have always been called to protect them. It is my way."

"Stay away from them assassin."

"You don't understand wolves then," she snarled darkly. "We protect our pack fiercely and no one can tell us otherwise."

Before more could be said Kenobi thankfully yanked Anakin away before Moira had the temptation to lay him out flat in the mud.

"You should clean up a bit before you come to see Rex later Moira."

"I will Master Kenobi."

She walked into the shadows and vanished.

Rex was laying on the medical bed. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep and even. He was pale still even for as long as it took her to clean the mud off her fur and stop smelling like wet dog. Leaning against the door frame she watched him for a moment. Carefully she stepped forward and moved to sit on the stool by the bedside. Her wrist com started beeping softly, but honestly she didn't want to answer the call of her clan when her One was injured.

"You should answer that," she heard from Rex.

She smiled knowing that she suspected he was a light sleeper.

"I should but I don't want to."

"Could be important."

"Doubt it."

"I expected you sooner than this."

"I can't exactly come in here smelling like wet dog can I?"

"I suppose not."

"How are you feeling?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

She chuckled softly. The beeping kept up much to her annoyance before she hit it.

"What?" she snapped.

"Snippy aren't you?"

Rex frowned not recognizing the voice on the other side of the com.

"I don't have time for this what do you want?"

"We have a job for you."

"Give it to someone else."

"It's not like you to refuse."

"Tariel," she growled. "Give it to someone else."

"You were requested specifically and you can't turn down this client."

"I'm busy," she snapped.

"Fretting over a useless Clone is beneath our kind..."

Before more could be said she ended the com. Closing her eyes she started counting to try and calm herself down. Her wings were flexing in annoyance.

"You shouldn't let them get to you."

Moira took a deep breath and looked at her One.

"Tariel has been a thorn in my side for a long ass time Rex. He's not the only one among the Clan to think that Clones are worthless."

"You don't have to protect me from that kind of thing."

"I know you don't need my protection from petty idiots like him."

Her com started beeping. Rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"What?" she snarled.

"Where are you?"

"None of your damned business brother."

"How many damned times do I have to tell you Jumping…"

"Despite what you think I can Jump just fine."

"Moira…"

She hit the com to turn off her brother's annoying voice.

"You can Jump now?"

"I've been able to Jump for the last couple years but my brother doesn't think that I should be doing it."

"That's how you got here."

She gave a curt nod to his assessment. "Knowing General Skywalker wouldn't let you on this ship to save your life."

"Probably not," she laughed softly. "But I should go."

She moved forward and brushed her fingers across his cheek before brushing against his cheek. A smirk crossed her features at the small dusting of red across the bridge of his nose. "See you soon Rex."

"Moira…"

She looked at him over her shoulder.

"I'll be careful Rex."

A curt nod was his only response. She flexed her wings and was gone in a flash of light.