FIVES

The four of them eventually stop at Shaum Hii when Leia is about seven. Leia's powers were getting stronger all the time. Rex worried that while the constant moving was keeping them ahead of the Imperials, it wasn't doing Leia any good. It was a constant battle to remember that while children were naturally very adaptive, Leia wasn't created to handle the same things as the Clones.

So they traveled to Shaum Hii, where in the aftermath of the Siege and the ending days of the G.A.R, there lay an abandoned Kelabe class warship.

The ship herself was probably in mostly good working order except for the underbelly and the hyperdrive. Her bulkheads had carbon scoring and blaster fire scorches. Her hull was peppered with the same from nearly a decade ago. But the corridors were sturdy as was her hull. Their roof wasn't going to cave in during a heavy storm. The locals didn't give them a passing glance at their oddness either. Rex counted his few blessings.

The four moved in and began to call it their was eventually forced to go to a proper school and get some proper education. And afterwards, the Clones still taught her how to fight and train, still attempting to help harness her Force abilities in ways that Leia could understand them. But while Leia was at school; the Clones did their best to restore the former Warship to her full glory. They would go into town and work for the Locals occasionally, trading their work for parts and essentials.

They had been here nearly three-quarters of the Planet's rotation, when Fives ran into Rex. The A.R.C trooper looks settled in a way Rex hasn't seen him since Echo had gotten captured. There's a new proud tilt to his head and shoulders, a sure footed gait to him that Rex silently thanks the force for. His Vod has done well with himself.

The other still speaks of things, the captain had given up, however. Fives speaks of a new war coming. New lines drawn in the sand. Of rebels and secrets and hope. Of a rebellion needing more experienced soldiers and more manpower. He speaks of leaving a better future for their younglings.

Rex can't help but listen to his Vod, it is the least he can do for Fives after all. But the captain already knows his answer; he cannot leave Leia. Rex cannot go and fight, but Fives is persistent.

Fives speaks of a galaxy in suffering, in pain under an Emperor's cold greedy clenched fist. Of his Second's sheer strength and skill and bloodlust, a second that is a sith. Of greed and agony and hatred and oh so much suffering.

Rex doesn't know what to say to his vod, he had given that life up. Rex was still a soldier but he knew he had a new mission. It was no longer to fight on the front lines, with screams and blaster bolts in his ears at night. No more Clankers, Stormies, and Imps. No more losing Shinies before they even paint their armour.

Rex now had a tiny frail little girl with brown eyes and hair, who looks like her mother but is all her father. Leia needed him in ways that a galaxy in war does not. This was his mission. Ashoka asked him to protect her, and he will. He will protect her because he failed to protect his commander and his General.

Fives understood. His vod got a knowing gleam in his eyes as he punched Rex's unarmoured shoulder. "It's alright, Cap'. I've got three of my own ad'ikas to look after back home."

Rex nodded tiredly, feeling the blaster burn of a stress headache slowly creeping up on him. The galaxy had sought to bless them with three more of the A.R.C trooper? Force have mercy!

before Fives disappeared into the bustling market, he tossed a silver commlink to Rex. "If you do change your mind or need help, you can reach me on that, sir."

And with those parting words, Fives left him standing in the middle of a busy market street. Head filled with thoughts Rex had long ago put aside out of necessity. He was still holding the metal device when Fives completely diss appeared out of sight. Vanishing the same way he had appeared after nearly a decade of being gone.

The retired Captain didn't know how or what to tell Kix or Jesse when he got ship side that night. But afterwards when Leia was asleep; the entire day's events spilled out of him the way blood spilled out of a shot 'Trooper.

"He's right, you know." Jesse spoke first, always the first one to any action. "We've spent nearly three years hiding here or there. Why not connect all of those people who are helpless but want to do something? Why can't we help the Rebellion?"

Kix snorted, leather boots propped against the metal table. The medic was stiffly comfortable in his awkwardly slumped position. "We have Leia'ika to raise, you utreekov. We can't just go back to storming the enemy. Have you hit your head against a bulkhead recently?"

"I'm no fool, Kix. We were created to fight for the galaxy. And now we sit on our backsides telling stories of the good ol' days while growing soft, fat, and old." Jesse shot back. His voice was just this side of being a whispered shout, barely holding his volume down.

"Yes, I am. We have no Jetii anymore, Jesse." Kix's grin was sardonic, his body slumping even more as he shrugged. "The galaxy didn't need us for their wars before, they don't need us now."

"Enough, you di'kuts. This isn't up for debate. We aren't going." Rex interjected before his vod could escalate things and potentially wake up their charge. "If we run into people who want to help, we'll point them to the right diretion, but we have Leia. We're going to protect and raise her the way the General would have wanted to. It's what we owe him."

With that the matter was formally settled. The three may not have agreed with each other fully, but the two did see Rex's point. They did owe their General. They owed their General many things; their lives more times then not. The Clones had been loyal to their General. They had been loyal and faithful, and they had followed General Skywalker into the Rancor's den more times then naught, it was only right they did this for him as well.

Wasn't it?

End Note: so I'll still be writing These short Drabbles, no worries! But this world has called me very sternly to actually expand it and write a full on book, so once Leia reaches a certain age, we're going to fully switch gears here in a bit. So keep your eyes out for that, hopefully. I love the reviews and the kudos and favorites and subscribes! It's honestly kept me from putting this whole universe away in a box, so thank you!