On The Wings Of A Hawk

Chapter 7: Judgement


Disclaimer: Don't Own Star Wars or Clone Wars.

Hope You Enjoy!


Rex paused in mid getting his gloves on. He felt a familiar warning prickle ran down his neck. He sometimes wished she'd stop trying to be stealthy.

"I see you're feeling better, Rex."

Inwardly he was cursing himself for being lax around her.

"I am."

He finished getting his armor on before facing her. He adjusted the guards to sit properly on his wrists before looking at reached down and picked up his helmet and didn't put it on right at that moment. She was leaning against the wall. Her wings mantled. The room looked even smaller with her in it. That hadn't mattered to him before but with her standing there it made it blaringly obvious. She reached up and pushed back to the hood.

"If I had been an enemy you would've been dead before you could blink or even feel the prickle of awareness that told you I was there."

"What brings you here Moira? I have to get back to the battlefront."

She tilted her head to the side and pushed away from the wall to stand in front of him. She was looking him over as if trying to make sure he was completely recovered from the virus.

"How long do you have?"

He raised a brow at her question.

"Moira I don't have time…"

"I want to take you somewhere."

Her wings flexed as she stood there.

"Somewhere?"

"I want to take you to my training grounds on my home world."

He was curious about where she'd come from but now wasn't the time to find out. Her kind were so allusive and yet they popped up during a war involving Clones that had nothing to do with them except that some of their kind were the One to some of his kind. Though, he'd heard that some of the Jedi were the Ones of some of her Clan too.

"For what?"

"You afraid?" she teased him.

"I'm not afraid and you know that. I don't have the time."

"Not even a couple hours?"

"No Moira."

"I could kidnap you."

"Really?" he said dryly. "You'd really do that in the middle of a war?"

He could see answers flicking through her eyes as she tried to decide how to respond to his barb.

"If it would keep you alive longer than yes I would do that. I'm not asking for days on end Rex, I'm just asking for a few hours."

"What could you possibly teach me in a few hours?"

"You'd be surprised what I can teach someone in a few hours."

"Have you taught before?"

"Yes, and no I don't want to talk about it."

"It's bad enough they think you're a stalker."

"I'm the ultimate stalker."

She smirked at him.

"Moira no."

"Come on Rex. I know you're not afraid but I'm telling you this will help you."

"No Moira!"

Ahsoka walked into the room where the two were bickering. She watched them for a moment before coughing loudly to get their attention. They stopped staring at the padawan.

"What's going on here?"

"I asked him if he wanted to come see my home world."

"Why aren't you going?"

"We're in the middle of a war Commander if you don't remember. We don't have time for this."

"It's just for a couple hours Rex seriously," Moira told him.

"You should go Rex."

"Commander…"

"I'll cover for you. Besides she can Jump meaning you can get back as soon as I call for you."

"Whose side are you on?" Rex snapped.

"I'm on your side and I'm also on her side."

Moira smirked at Rex. He turned to Moira and she hid the smirk quickly.

"I'm blaming this one on you if I get in trouble."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at Rex's hesitance.

"Would it kill you to let go once in awhile and have a bit of fun? Besides she'll pester you until you go with her so might as well call a truce and go."

Rex went to say something but Ahsoka held up her hand. "Don't say anything. Just go. I'll let you know when to come back."

Rex muttered under his breath before looking at Moira. She smiled at him and held out her hand to him. With a muttered curse that made Moira smirk he took her hand and they vanished.

Moira landed softly with Rex outside the Temple of the War Goddess. Winged creatures stood with their wings fanned and their mouths curled into snarls as sentinels of the Goddess's home. They almost looked like Moira in her wolf form but not completely the same. Rex stood there for a moment eyeing the creatures with some sort of fascination.

"Come on Rex."

She led him into the temple. The Goddess stood at the back of the open area as if ready to do battle. The white of the stone used for the Goddess stood out against the darker stones from the rest of the temple. There was a half sun and half moon insignia on the floor. The patterning outwards didn't make any sense to him since it was written in her language.

"What does it say?"

"In the arms of the Goddess Shall the Warrior's Loyalty and Honor be tested."

"Is that all?"

"No. With the metal tested the Warrior will find her grace in battle."

"Have you found her Grace?"

"Sometimes."

Moira moved towards the statue and placed something at the base of the Goddess. She moved to the right of the statue down a flight of stairs. He saw that she placed a flower and a feather in a bowl like engraving at the base of the statue. Shaking his head at the meaning behind it he followed her. A couple flights down it opened up into an arena of sorts but most of the jungle growth had taken over the stone where viewers would sit but the center arena was untouched by the vegetation.

"You couldn't just Jump down here?"

"It's disrespectful of the Goddess to do that. Besides I wanted you to see the temple."

"What's to the left side of the statue?"

"My room."

"You live here alone?"

"Yes, even though you see me quite a bit with my siblings I'm more often on my own."

"Why?"

She sat her cloak and sabers on the wooden bench near one of the walls. Rex put his helmet and to her behest his blasters next to her things. She smiled at him as she moved forward and stood in the middle of the arena. Her hand held out to him beckoning him forward.

"I'm not like everyone else. My values are different than theirs. Anyway, come on I brought you here to teach you some things."

"I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't interested in knowing about you Moira."

She sank into a fighting stance in front of him.

"We're going to start with hand to hand combat."

"I have a…"

"You will not always have one at hand and I want you to be ready."

"I was trained in hand to hand Moira. Several methods of fighting in fact."

"Not the way I was. My way is a mixture of Mandalorian fighting style and my clan's style."

"No Jedi in the mix?"

She tilted her head to the side to look at him.

"How often do you see a Jedi fighting hand to hand?"

"Point taken."

He moved to get in his own stance ready to face her. In seconds she moved and delivered and strong punch against his cheek making him stumble. She was keeping a straight face as he tried to shake his head.

"You should move faster and think faster Rex. You have been fighting Droids too much. You have to think and move faster than them."

He got to his feet again and got into his fighting stance. She rolled her eyes and moved forward.

"I'm going to knock you on your ass again Rex."

"How can you be sure?"

She moved again and kicked his ankle throwing off his balance then shot a punch at his face and froze millimeters from his nose. He went to grab for his blaster but they weren't there causing his hesitation.

"The enemy isn't going to play fair Rex. I assure you especially the Sith. Even some of my kind will not play fair when it comes down to it. Especially across the battlefield."

"I know that very well."

She stepped away from him looking down. Rex was taken aback at this one eighty shift in personality.

"I'm sorry for that Rex."

"For what?"

"Ventress in the temple."

"It's not your fault Moira you should know that. When I get hurt it's not your fault. You didn't start this war, and I am just a soldier."

"You're more than a soldier to me, to me you are just Rex."

He smirked at her. She shook her head. Easily she flowed into her stance waiting for him. But before they could begin again something made Moira stand up straight and move to stand in front of Rex. Her wings fanned out to block his view of whoever was in front of them, but he was taller than her. He looked over her shoulder at what she deemed a threat. A woman walked from the shadows of the stairs. Her hair was mostly white but tipped with the mint green of the assassin's clan. Her eyes were a dark green and cat like. A soft rumbling sound was coming from Moira at the woman. Her hands were clenched at her side. He was wondering why she wasn't calling to her sabers.

"You bring this creature here before me?" the woman said.

Rex didn't know what to do except for stand there and let Moira handle it. "You think this… creature is worthy?"

The rumbling in Moira's chest and throat was growing louder. Rex had a feeling her eyes were shifting gold. Stepping forward he placed his hand on Moira's shoulder. She looked at him. Her eyes were golden as he thought they would be. The woman moved and her response to that was to whip around and snarl darkly and backed up with Rex behind her. Rex knew enough to keep behind her. "Will you not answer your Goddess?" the woman taunted.

"My One is more than worthy and no one and nothing can convince me otherwise."

"Then step aside. I wish to judge this Clone."

"No, he's mine to protect."

"Step aside assassin. I wish to inspect this warrior myself. To see if he has earned the title."

Rex felt the need to calm his One down before something happened.

"Moira…"

She looked at him again. There was a war going on in her eyes, her mind and her heart. Then suddenly Moira shoved Rex away from her as the Goddess leapt for them. Both shifted to their animal forms. Moira barely managed to finish her shift as the two of them locked into a fight. The Goddess was a dark as night wolf. Her eyes were the color of dark amethyst. Rex flinched at every bite and every slash Moira took to protect him. He wanted to help but he knew this was her fight. The fight came to an abrupt end as Moira landed in a heap in front of him. Blood was dripping from the corner of her mouth, neck and several cuts along her body. Her sides were heaving as she struggled to get up only to be slammed into the dirt as the Goddess shifted and grabbed a fist full of her neck fur pulling her head back to expose her throat. The Goddess looked like she was about ready to lay Moira's throat open.

"Stop!" Rex finally called. "Enough!"

The Goddess gave him a sharp look, but he wouldn't back down.

"He values your life assassin, but that doesn't convince me that he or any of his kind are worthy."

That set something off in him that he couldn't explain.

"Who are you to judge my worth when she has chosen me?"

She looked at him and the look made shivers run down his spine. "Moira has judged my worth and still chose me."

"You are brave for a Clone. One who looks like so many others. She has chosen you but have you chosen her?"

"Don't Rex," Moira wheezed. "Don't say anything else."

The Goddess slammed her head down on the ground again hard.

"Silence. Let him speak. His words may yet save your life my Guardian."

"I do look like so many others but she chose me and I chose her."

The Goddess snorted at his words. She let go of Moira and stood to face him. There was something otherworldly about her gaze that made him a bit uneasy but he shoved it down. Moira needed him to be strong right now.

"You say that but do you honestly understand what it means to be the One of a Fate Assassin? Or one who guards something sacred?"

"I do not completely understand but I'm willing to learn to stand beside my One. My One who has so much faith in me."

The Goddess's eyes searched his, for what he couldn't guess. Rex bravely stared the Goddess down. He tried to convey to this woman that his words were only truth. He didn't understand the full capacity to which Moira cared about him and what she stirred in him, but he wanted to understand. He would stand beside Moira for as long as he was able. The Goddess shook her head.

"You are foolish to put such faith in one such as him, but I will not hinder you. Though, he does have a strong heart and a warriors spirit."

Moira rose unsteadily. Her fangs barred for a moment before moving backwards to stand beside Rex. He rested his hand on her neck to let her know that he was there for her.

"That's why I fell in love with him."

"He doesn't love you in the capacity you love him."

He watched Moira's ears droop a bit but then her ears flicked forward.

"You're right," Rex murmured softly. "I do not love her as she loves me but it isn't completely impossible for me to fall in love with her warrior spirit."

The Goddess turned to walk away from the duo. She paused in her exit.

"Know your fortune Clone. She is fiercely protective of you as her One. Do not allow such loyalty become a weakness."

The Goddess vanished. Moira let out a heavy breath. She turned her face to his. In exhaustion she rested her head against his chest. Rex reached up and ran his hand down the side of her face.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, she took it easy on me today."

"Does she judge all?"

"Aside from being the War Goddess she is also the Goddess of Warriors. So she judges all those she feels are worthy or unworthy. She has to be sure with special cases within the clan."

"Sure of what?"

"That we'll make it together."

"She thinks we'll make it?"

Moira hummed softly at his words. "How do you know?"

"I can feel it just as I can feel you Rex. There will be tests and trials but I think we'll make it. That's only if you have the faith to walk beside me."

"Moira…"

"You don't have to make that decision now Rex. I don't expect you to."

She shifted and stumbled a bit. He caught her. They stared at one another. He reached up and brushed the trail of blood from the corner of her lips with his thumb. His com started beeping. A groan of annoyance escaped Moira. She backed away from Rex and went to the bench knowing Ahsoka was calling. Rex walked up beside her and grabbed his blasters and holstered them and went for his helmet.

"The battlefield calls."

He put his helmet on and looked at her. Moira reached for her bag and pulled something out and handed it to him.

"Keep this on you."

"What is it?"

"A data pad on my language."

He stuck it in his hip pouch. "It's coded specifically to you so no one else can open it."

"Are you okay for this?" Rex asked cautiously.

"I'll be okay."

She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder and then cloaked herself. She brought the hood up over her eyes. "Are we going into a middle of a battle."

"Not yet."

"Are you ready?"

He gave a curt nod. She focused herself and they landed in the hallway of a familiar battleship. Ahsoka was leaning against the wall. Moira stumbled a bit. Rex managed to grab her arm to keep her upright.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rex asked.

"Yes. Fighting her is always taxing even if it wasn't a serious battle."

"That wasn't a serious battle?"

"I was unconscious for three weeks the last time we had a serious fight."

"Over what?"

"Not now Rex."

"No tell me what it was?"

"I was a low point at that time Rex. I was a cold blooded killer. I took a contract on a man. A contract I should've turned my back on, but I didn't and paid the price with the Goddess's punishment. Just leave it at that right now. I don't have much energy left to stand here and fight with you."

"Let her go Rex," Ahsoka told the older man.

"I'll see you guys later."

She vanished just as quickly as she'd come.

"Really?" Ahsoka said softly to him. "She was struggling to stand up and you want to argue with her about something."

"Commander…"

"Moira doesn't hide stuff from you Rex to be malicious."

"I know kid. She carries a whole lot because of me."

"I think she does it willingly Rex no matter the cost to herself. I thought the two of you were going to square off and I doubt you'd hurt her that much."

"Her War Goddess decided to judge me."

"That bad?"

"Yes."

"Well we better get ready."

Rex nodded his head and looked over his shoulder as he walked down the hall following Ahsoka. Hoping, that Moira made it back to her home in one piece. he