Sensitive:
Two minute ago, Tezza had been standing with Cody as he glared at the minions blocking their exit, bemused by her conflicting desire to see him toss the stubborn idiots on their heads and gratitude that he had the restraint not to, considering that would likely have caused them even more problems.
Now, she was finally outside the transport and staring at a scene she never would have imagined in her wildest dreams all while feeling a deep sense of urgency to get to her horse ASAP. (There were actual, functional lightsabres in famous characters' hands for stars sake!)
The time between then and now had certainly been interesting.
Interrupting her heated contemplation of Cody's possible ability to throw hazmat covered morons out of his way like they weighed nothing, she'd felt the large transport shudder slightly under her feet as CeCe's big body bumped against the wall. She'd immediately sucked in a breath in alarm, knowing her horse.
CeCe was generally very good about being shipped places, but he always knew when they'd stopped and he never failed to make his opinion known if it took her too long to unload him. Bumping the wall was the first sign of impatience. Next would be the inevitable screaming at her to let him out, and that would be followed by him applying his hooves to the walls just to make more noise, as if it was possible that she might just miss his screeching whinny. She was still hoping he grew out of his pubescent young teenager brat stage, which a four year old horse was certainly the equivalent of, and learned to just chillax, but it hadn't happened yet.
Tezza had then turned to Cody with wide eyes. "CeCe!"
Fortunately, Cody was a smart man and had understood the urgency in her tone, because she didn't have time to explain via translation program. He'd narrowed his eyes for half a second and then turned a truly lethal gaze on the two minions blocking the exit that would have put the fear of the Gods in even the most obtuse bully. She'd thought he'd been ferocious looking before. She'd been wrong. In his battle-scarred armour, Cody was a warrior from head to toe and his expression said he'd gladly crush anyone who stood in his way.
And, kriff (to borrow a Star Wars curse word), was he ever hot like that.
Apparently the minions had also sensed the deadly seriousness, because at Cody's step forward and growled out words that had probably translated to 'move or die', the minions had quickly moved to the side, their eyes wide behind their face shields, and their grips tightening even further on the cats in automatic panic. (The cats hadn't been impressed.)
Tezza had then followed Cody out into the cockpit, where she'd proceeded to try and tell the pilots that they needed to let her into the cargo hold right away so she could calm down her horse before he wrecked their ship, but they'd only shaken their heads and said it was against orders and they couldn't possibly unlock the door for her without Smythe's permission.
Tezza had been very pressed not to sick Cody on them. Instead, she'd barged out the open door to the top of the stairs and gazed around nearly franticly as she looked for Smythe and instead been shocked by a scene straight out of a Clone Wars/sitcom hybrid show before spotting a very obvious 'man in charge' type.
She told him the bare facts in a tone that left no room for argument as her horse continued to bang the walls.
The man – big, crew cut black hair, piercing grey eyes, and the same shade of deep bronze skin that had become very common after centuries of interbreeding between different ethnicities – nodded slightly once. "Of course. My apologies." He turned those eyes on Smythe and growled his name. Smythe jumped like he'd been shocked and then dashed back up the stairs to talk to the pilots. Then the man tilted his head at her. "Come."
Tezza and Cody trotted down the stairs, squishing past Smythe on their way. She chose not to glare at him out of the kindness of her heart, but she really should have.
The man, whatever his name was, strode towards the back of the transport and the already lowering cargo ramp. Tezza quickly caught up to him and surpassed him while all the rest of the people from the Star Wars universe and from Earth followed along as well, radiating a curiosity that was easily felt despite her worry.
"CeCe! Cut it out!" she scolded very loudly before she even rounded the corner.
Instant silence came from the hold, her horse knowing he was being bad.
She jumped onto the ramp from the side and climbed up it, CeCe coming into view once she was about halfway up. He was staring at her with perked ears and the most innocent expression on his face. "You," she shook her head at him as she approached, "know better, you brat."
CeCe only snorted at her, shaking his head as if in denial, looking smug now.
"Yes you are, don't give me that," she grumbled as she reached up to grab his halter and glare into his big brown eyes.
He bumped her in the chest with his nose, not caring much for the staring contest, rocking her back a step despite her grip on him. Tezza huffed out a laugh and then wrapped her arms around his massive head as he rested his forehead against her chest, sucking up. Such a giant baby.
She rested her cheek on his black forelock in return, basking in their shared love. CeCe was her everything.
Or at least, he had been, she realized as she saw Cody come to stand beside her, his hand reaching out to awkwardly pet her horse on the neck.
Tezza let go of CeCe with one hand and stood up straight again to lean into Cody's side, her free hand grasping Cody's to show him how to scratch under CeCe's mane where the horse was always itchy.
Cody's smile as CeCe made funny faces of bliss was more than everything – it felt like her new home.
Anakin stood with his arms crossed at the top of the ramp with his Master and his Padawan on either side of him while they and a small (and growing) herd of other onlookers all watched the spectacle of the generally reserved Commander Cody fawn all over a pretty girl and her handsome riding beast. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels that," Anakin said quietly so as not to disturb the bonding trio.
Obi-Wan slanted him an amused glance. "What, the ridiculous urge to go, 'awwwwww', or the glowing presence of the girl who is clearly Force sensitive to some degree and has an incredible affinity for animals?"
Anakin huffed while Ahsoka giggled under her breath. (All wrapped up in Rex's arms, who stood at her back, Snips was also throwing off enough contented love vibes to affect even the surliest individual.) "I was talking about the later, but the former also applies." He nudged Obi-Wan in the shoulder. "You know we have to take her and her beast with us now, right?"
Obi-Wan shot him another look before staring at Cody like he'd never seen him before. (Understandable, considering Cody had his arm wrapped around the girl's waist now and his forehead was pressed to hers as they spoke to each other with their eyes only, language barrier clearly not a problem.) "It's either that or leave Cody here. I can literally see a Force bond forming between them. There's no way I could separate them." He sighed, clearly upset at the idea of losing a good friend. "I suppose we should ask them what they'd like to do."
"I suppose," Anakin agreed, but his instincts said that leaving Cody behind would be a mistake.
A gently cleared throat had Anakin and company looking over at Champilo, who was walking up to them with Padmè at his side while scrolling through information on his wrist computer. The man said something, to which Threepio answered from down below, shuffling up the ramp as quickly as he could.
"Master Champilo has requested that everyone listen to him for a minute," the droid said clearly enough for even Cody and the girl to hear, as immersed as they were with each other. The couple separated slightly, faces flushing with embarrassment as they realized they'd had quite an audience, but walked over anyway.
Champilo started talking and Threepio started translating as soon as he had everyone's attention.
"First, I was just notified that the worm hole has started showing signs of destabilizing, with an estimated thirty minute window before closing completely."
Anakin and his entire group sucked in a collective breath filled with alarm, all of them ready to bolt to the Sky Angel with all due haste.
But Champilo held up a hand in a universal 'wait' signal, keeping them all essentially vibrating in place. "Second," he pointed at the girl with Cody, making her squirm slightly and Cody glare warningly, which the other man ignored. "You, Miss Stranik, have no familial ties to Earth left, which should never happen, but, well..."
The girl shrugged sadly, understanding where Champilo was going with that.
He continued, a sympathetic look crossing his face. "I can see that you have formed a strong attachment to Commander Cody and he to you. If you want to go with them, I won't stop you."
The girl looked at Cody, so much hope in her eyes and aura it was almost painful to witness. "Please," she whispered in her language.
Cody touched her cheek, his own gaze filled with unabashed adoration before he turned to look at Obi-Wan. "Sir?"
No more words were needed. Everyone knew exactly what Cody was asking; Was it even possible for Cody to have a relationship and keep his place at Obi-Wan's side as his second in command? (According to the regs, clones weren't allowed to form such attachments to civilians, with the threat of reconditioning keeping them in line.)
Obi-Wan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yes, Cody. We'll make it work somehow."
There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone and Cody breathed out a, "Thank you, General."
The girl squealed slightly when she heard the translation and then she was hugging Cody with a grip that looked like it would never let go and that was that, clearly.
Anakin thought it best that Champilo hadn't heard that the girl was Force Sensitive, or they would probably have to kidnap her from her people to get her off her planet since there was no way they'd leave her behind at this point. (It would break Cody's heart, for one.) They'd tell the girl herself once they were safely back in their own galaxy. As for Cody, it wasn't really surprising that he'd fall for a gifted person, considering how attuned the clones were to people with the Force. Obi-Wan would probably enjoy training her.
"I believe you're right," Obi-Wan answered his thought with a contemplative stroke of his beard, staring at Cody and the girl as his own thoughts whirled behind thin shields.
Anakin smirked slightly at his Master and then focused on Champilo again. "Was there anything else, or are we free to go?"
The older Human hummed an affirmative. "In exchange for the girl, perhaps you would consider leaving your broken Y-Wing with us to study along with all rights to the wreckage in space. We have yet to successful replicate your hyperspace technology and having working models would certainly help."
Anakin waved his hand graciously. "It's all yours. Not like we have time to pick it all up. If you manage to cross the galaxies one day via another worm hole or the long way and find ours, come say hi."
Everyone laughed at Champilo's dry, "Will do", knowing how unlikely that was. Then he was nodding at the girl again. "You'd better load your horse and all your things on their ship if you're going with them."
The brunette girl gasped, pulling away from Cody and looking at Anakin with big eyes. "Is that okay? Can CeCe come too?"
Anakin shrugged. "Sure. There's room in the hold."
"Thank you!" She spun away and then right back again. "What about the tookas?"
Anakin raised an eyebrow in question at Threepio's translation. "Tookas?"
She nodded quickly. "Yes. Two of them. They're not technically mine, belonging to the barn, but... they think they're mine, so that sort of counts, right?"
"Ummmmmm," Anakin looked at Champilo for help on this one. Personally, he had no objections to two more animals on the ship. He liked tookas anyway. They were cute and usually liked him.
Champilo shrugged. "No opinion. Tookas go where they want, generally. If they think they're Tezza's, then they won't be happy being left behind." And I really don't want to have to deal with that, was the unspoken thought that hung in the air for anyone with a hint of telepathy to hear.
The girl, apparently called Tezza, beamed, looking about one second away from hugging the former soldier (because if he wasn't, Anakin would eat his boot.) "Thank you," she gushed again and then spun to get her horse all while calling orders to the yellow suited men who'd wandered over to watch the spectacle as well as a couple of uniformed men carrying what Anakin now saw was two tooka-like creatures in their arms. (Artoo was hovering behind the cops and keeping a swivelling eye on the animals as if he'd decided to become the fluffy creatures' personal guard. It was hilarious.)
The men gathered up an astonishing amount of supplies from the cargo hold in only minutes and took them to the Sky Angel, all while Anakin watched with a grin twitching on his mouth and an equally amused Padmè wrapped in his arm and pressed to his side. He turned to Obi-Wan as the last thing was loaded, which happened to be the large beast that could make an astonishing amount of noise yet followed Tezza like a docile puppy. "It seems to me that Cody has found himself a girl with a knack for leadership and just might challenge his record of absolute authority over his men."
Rex, overhearing, snickered. "You have no idea. The vode are going to love her and Cody's going to end up assigning KP or latrine duty to the entire lot of them."
Cody, also overhearing (as Rex had clearly intended) as he finally left Tezza's side to join their group, grimaced comically. "Undoubtedly. Our younger brothers are brats, every last batch of them."