Kix

...

.

.

.

Kix was in the mess with Jesse and Hardcase when they came in, and he had eyes on them as they got their food and sat at a nearby table. The brother in him initiating the observation with natural curiosity but the medic in him maintaining it, and giving them all a good once-over at the sight of their roughness.

There had been a vague flurry of commotion over the comms earlier, reports of containment needed at a local pub, and then a much larger hub of chatter about a fire-fight across from the main security complex. Not something big enough to mobilize any of the mobile squadrons temporarily assigned there, but a huge buzz for Coruscant apparently.

The faint intrigue was overriden by his medic's instincts and before he knew it he was standing beside their table, tray in hand, and they had all fallen to silence and sat gazing up at him in question.

"Something wrong...sir?" The closest one asked, amending his inquiry at the sight of the medic's insignia on Kix's pauldron and the stripes denoting his rank.

Kix blinked for a few seconds before finding his voice. He gave a soft snort and made a point of waving away the formality between them and giving them a look, the unspoken one medics gave when they wanted to speak on equal terms. He got nods of recognition and appreciation back.

"You all look a lttle rough, is all. Medic compulsion - just checking." He gave an amiable shrug. "Sorry if I'm intruding..."he passed his eyes over them again. The closer view confirmed they were definitely fresh off some skirmish, but had received the minimum of patching up, and posessed nothing too serious wound-wise.

The nearest one shook his head and gave him a smile. He scooted to the left and patted the bench between him and the guard beside him. "No intrusion, vod. Join us."

Kix sat and was offered a hand. "Hatch." The trooper thumbed at the man on the other side, and then to the one across from them. "Trust, and Ravi."

The 501st medic returned their nods and offered his own name in exchange, picking up his caf to settle in. He heard a familiar duo of footfalls and the clatter of trays against forearm plates as they were balanced to hold out hands in greeting, and he turned to see Jesse and Hardcase had followed. Hardcase gave a wave topped with a grin and Jesse dipped a hand for Hatch to take.

"Hardcase, and that's Jesse."

Kix wasn't surprised-gossip was the currency of the GAR and Hardcase and Jesse were both notorious story-collectors in their own right, preferring the especially bawdy and odd. Neither had many Coruscant tales that he knew of. Any minute, they'd take care of that.

"You guys a part of that fight?" Hardcase cocked an eyebrow.

Kix snorted. There it was...

"Part? We were that fight."The trooper across from Kix flashed a rakish grin and gave the table a light smack with his hands on either side. Jesse and Hardcase took up the offer with grins as wide as their trays and sat.

"So, what happened?" Jesse asked. His eyes dotted over them all with obvious interest as they resumed eating. The Coruscant trio were doing so with the common fervor of brothers at any meal, although also with a certain amount of distinguishable haste. They were eager to get, or return somewhere.

Hatch set down his cup of caf and rested his elbows on the table, taking up the task of tale-sharing, beginning to speak to them as much with hands as voice.

"Well...Someone had a little too much fun at a bar a few blocks from the main complex. We were doing some cleanup on that when we get a distress call from Aiya-"

"A friend of ours," Trust explained over a bite and Hatch nodded to him and took a quick bite of his own. He chewed quickly and swallowed before continuing.

"Yeah, so the code comes through and we panic, because we're blocks away and the road's cordoned off...We end up hijacking the larty that was waiting out front to transport the slew of baddies to the security complex. Commander's going spare because Aiya's not answering her comm, so he patches through to Sarge, who was on roving patrol-"

"Sarge was on patrol? I didn't know that." Ravi interjected, with a thoughtful expression. "Did he abandon his post?"

Trust scooped some more food on his fork and lifted it to his mouth. "It's Aiya. Of course he did." He said matter of factly. Ravi snorted and Hatch laughed. Kix and Jesse and Hardcase glanced between them, missing something but unsure what.

Hatch shook his head and continued. "Sarge and Turns were both close when they got the code so they had reached her by then and she's safe. And I think the Commander is finally breathing again..." Trust chuckled at that. " But there's a full out firefight going on between some guys and Commander Cody and General Kenobi-"

"What?" Jesse looked shocked.

Hatch gave him a vigorous nod. "I know! Who knows how that happened, but the Commander tells them to get Aiya to the roof, that we'll pick her up there because we're on our way. But there's Seps on the roof we didn't know about." He paused to take a sip of caf and Kix chuckled to himself at Jesse and Hardcase's expressions. They both had their faces close and hands on the table, leaning on every word.

"And when we get there, neither of us is expecting the other, so we kind of just stare at each other for a few seconds. Then all hell breaks loose. Commander's trying to contact Turns because we can't see them, and he says they're in the stairwell and Aiya's ok but he sounds bad." Hatch paused to frown and rub his hands together "Really bad. And we know he's down and if they get in the stairwell...So we're hitting them hard, trying to keep their attention on us. They land a strike on the larty and it goes down, practically right on top of their own ship, the dikuts. And then we're all scrambling from the wreckage, just trying to get them before they get us. Eventually backup arrives although the fight's almost over by then. Afterwards, we get Turns and Aiya and come straight here to the med bay."

"And now we're here, with threats to our hides from the Sarge to eat something and bring back caf."

"Your friend?" Kix asked.

"In a bacta tank. Pretty rough, but gonna make it. Surge is top notch, and Turns is stubborn. He took some high powered rounds, though. Punctured lung and a shot to the guts, and two to the leg. But, he made it."

Kix nodded solemnly. "I'm on shift after this, I'll keep an eye on him." The three troopers all gave him a look of sincere gratitude.

"We're headed back after this. Bringing Surge and the Sarge and Aiya some caf."

"She's here still? Your friend?" Kix was pretty sure there was a slew of regs against that.

"Yep. Wouldn't leave. The Commander ok'd it befre he left. He had to get back out there, though. Wasn't too happy about that."

"Looks like you'll have a full med-bay tonight, Doc. Hope you don't mind!" Ravi winked at Kix and he was slightly taken aback, but shook his head.

"Not the crowd I'm used to, but I'll manage," the medic admitted, though with good humor.

They all finished eating in relative silence after that, letting it soak in perhaps, although a small query passed between them here and there between bites. They lingered briefly over empty trays, a wordless parting which was common in circumstances like this. Quick but meaningful nods and looks and clasps of forearm plates. Companionable curling of the lips. Well met and parted. Back to business of the run of it.

The sound of the door to the mess hissing open came from across the room as they were rising and they all wordlessly turned to see who it was in unison.

Kix blinked with surprised recognition. In the doorway stood Commander Fox, and he made his way towards them when he caught sight of them, a small child in his arms and a woman beside him who was brushing the long dark waves out of her face as they approached, a large bag on her shoulder.

They all greeted the Commander with a salute, although Kix knew Jesse and Hardcase' attention was likely more on the civilians with Fox, as his definitely was. Fox gave them a curt nod before eyeing his men tiredly.

"I wanted to get them past security, but I've got to head back, Tarkin's already raving. Can you...?"

"No problem, Commander." Hatch reached his arms out for the little girl wrapped in blankets in his Commander's arms, and Fox handed her over. There was a reluctance in the gesture which spoke clearly of disappointment and obligation. Kix watched as the small arms laced the trooper's neck in practiced ease with mounting curiosity and surprise. He stared back at the bright and curious eyes that inspected him and the two other new troopers in turn. Trust stepped forward to give the woman a quick hug, then took the bag from her shoulders. Behind them Ravi had gathered the empty trays and made to turn them in. On the way he stopped to wrap the woman in a quick hug from behind with his free arm, then gestured to the serving counter.

"Wanna help me carry coffee, Loreen?"

So that was her name. Kix made a mental note of it.

She smiled and nodded, turning to give Fox a few soft pats on the chest plate and a smile before she followed. The commander gave her a small one in return, then ran a hand over the little girl's head, who gave a small wave, and then he dipped his head at them all before turning and leaving the mess swiftly.

Kix watched him go, resisting the urge to call him back him to sit for a quick check-up. His armor was dinged enough for the medic to know there was bruising beneath, at the very least, but he could sense the futility of it. Like the rest, while the injuries appeared painful, none was life-threatening. He decided not to press the issue. Maybe once they returned to the medbay, he'd order it, but not now.

He waited for Ravi and the woman to return, attention torn between their backs and the little girl in the arms of the trooper beside him.

Kix was blown away by Hatch and Trust's apparent indifference to the absolute novelty of the situation. Jesse and Hardcase were wide-eyed, shifting feet to the side. They'd never been in proximity with a child who wasn't a younger version of themselves, and found her as amazing as anything they'd ever laid eyes on. They were also clearly memorizing everything about her, likely to answer questions that tagged behind stories, later.

They all watched as she wiggled in Hatch's arms to get a better view of them, which caused the blanket around her to come free and fall to the floor. Trust bent to retrieve it and he did so, picking it up and tucking it back around her, in one swift move.

But she had eyes on Hardcase and Jesse and hardly noticed. After a long moment of open stares she reached two arms out to Hardcase, small fingers cloying the air between them.

Hardcase jolted back slightly at the gesture, before blinking for a moment and raising eyebrows, and arms, with more than a touch of uncertainty. Jesse gazed on with a slight look of horror. Hatch swiveled to see what Fayna was reaching for and handed her over to the new brother with a grin. Jesse was making a neck-swiping motion with hand, mouthing the words "bad idea" at him. Hatch laughed.

Hardcase took the small girl carefully and stared at her for a few moments before he began giving her a slight bounce with his arms, perhaps something he'd seen someone do in a holovid at some point. She gave him a grin and placed her finger to his chin.

"You have raindrops on your face."

She tapped the marks there and spoke earnestly, and as though he was unaware of his tattoos. Hardcase blinded in surprise then chuckled.

"Raindrops? I guess I do." He bounced her again. "You like 'em, kid?"

She pursed her lips and gave him a devoted nod before turning to Jesse. She pointed to his head. "And you've a sun."

Jesse's eyebrows rose. He lifted his eyes as though trying to see the tattoo across his head himself before looking back at her. "Is that what it is?"

Kix watched as the little girl then made the pass to Jesse's arms, and began to trace the marks on his face in a manner not unlike a fairy bestowing a magic charm. For their part, Hardcase and Jesse appeared very charmed, the reverence she seemed to hold for them an enchantment of itself for ones made and told to be possessed of so little value.

They were both reluctant to give her back when Ravi and Loreen returned. Loreen handed the caf she held to Hatch and held out her hands to the girl, who joyfully switched arms. "Come on, Fay." Hardcase and Jesse watched, smitten.

They gave Kix mock pouts as he waved them off to the barracks.

...

Back in the med-bay a woman sat beside a Coruscant medic on one of the beds in the main room, looking pale and tired, but she brightened at the sight of them and stood to take the little girl into her arms tightly.

Loreen gave her a long hug, arms around them both, then moved to do the same to the trooper at her side. She gestured to the bag that Trust eased down on the bed beside them.

"I brought some overnight stuff and sandwiches and things. Wasn't sure how long we could stay." She looked between them both.

"How is he?"

"He'll be ok. Sarge is with him now." Surge answered with a nod of his head to the room off the main one. He looked exhausted, but happy. Hatch stepped up to press the cup of caf in his hands and the medic gave him a nod of thanks, bringing the cup to his lips. He caught sight of Kix flipping through the holopad he'd placed on the counter and gave him a nod of recognition. Kix gave him a small smile of comraderie in return, noting that the medic on the bed wasn't on shift by the records. He assumed he was a member of the squad, and had likely taken up the operation on his friend along with the already assigned medic.

It wasn't regulation, but it didn't bother Kix. He'd have done the same.

"Can we go to him?" Loreen asked. Surge nodded, his eyes drifting to Fayna. "It might be...a little frightening for..." He broke off to look to Aiya for reassurance one way or another. She nodded mutely, looking down to the little girl in her arms. She kissed her head and pressed the curls back from the small forehead, then lowered her softly to the bed. "I'll be right back ok?"

Fayna nodded and sat, legs crossed and blanket on her lap, fingers weaving it against her palms. Ravi handed Aiya the cups of caf and she and Surge and Loreen stepped into the other room.

Kix decided to give them some privacy with their friend for the time being and ran through the usual stock checks before sitting down at the desk in the corner to catch up on some of his own paperwork. It seemed like he always had an endless supply of it, and not much time while out in the field to do it. The temporary break on Coruscant was helping him to catch up on much. He began the process of it, although his mind definitely wasn't on it.

Fayna gave a small shriek and Kix's head snapped up in time to see Ravi hoisting her piggy back and bouncing a little, which made her giggle. After a few minutes of that their attention was drawn to Hatch, who was inspecting the contents of the bag Loreen had brought. Ravi gave a sly look and stepped closer to lean over his head. With prompting from Trust, who was making air gestures of hitting the unsuspecting trooper, Fayna gave Hatch a quick smack to the back of the head. He looked up in surprise.

"Hey!"

"Serves you right, digging in ladies' bags..." Ravi tutted.

"What? I was looking for Fay's lovie!"

"More like the sandwiches Loreen mentioned," Trust scoffed.

Kix chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Brothers really were the same, no matter where they were stationed. The thought made him smile and he paused his work to watch the bickering trio. Now they were all bent over the bag, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible as Fayna began rifling through and tossing the contents all over the bed.

The door to the back room opened and an unfamiliar trooper stepped out, the clack of his boots pausing as his attention fell on them. He looked at them for a moment before shaking his head and walked over to pick up the little girl, who was half buried beneath the things she had pulled out. He balanced her on an arm, a cup of caf in the other, looking nonplussed at the others. "You lot-"

"Sarge!" Fayna exclaimed from his arms, a burst of high-pitched recognition and a jarring embrace that almost made the sergeant drop the caf. He blinked at her in surprise, whatever he had been planning to say forgotten in the interruption. A look of humor and endearment passed his face after the initial surprise wore off and he smiled at her.

"By force, that's the cutest thing ever," Hatch admitted, rubbing a hand over his eyes as he sloppily stuffed the bag's contents back in with the other. Trust gave his arm a smack and took the contents out to refold and pack away again neatly. Lex gestured to the bag.

"What's all this anyway?"

"Overnight bag, I think."

"What? They're staying here?" Lex looked back to Fayna in surprise.

"I think so. Or maybe at the barracks?" Hatch looked at Fayna. "What do you think little bit? Wanna sleep with us?"

Kix watched on, intrigued. He tried to picture bringing a kid to spend the night with the 501st. It'd be absolute chaos, and no one would get any sleep, the medic was sure of it. He knew Ahsoka would find her adorable, without a doubt. The General would probably raise an eyebrow or two, but have a shrug of it. Rex...Rex would have a nuna on the spot.

Fayna eyed Hatch seriously, speculating. "Do you have pillows?" She asked, sincerely.

"We do indeed. And bunk beds!" He winked at her. They'd all heard the story of the brightly painted bunk bed that had caught her eye in the furniture shop from Aiaya. Fayna clapped her hands. 'Ok!"

"Now we just have to decide who sleeps with who," Ravi tapped his chin. "Loreen is with Surge of course..." Kix blinked at that information. "And since the Commander's busy, Fay's with us." He passed a hand over himself and Trust and Hatch.

"Which means..." he cast a narrowed side glance at Lex who was taking a sip from his caf. "Aiya sleeps with Sarge!"

Lex sputtered and choked on the caf he just drank, aggravating his predicament by keeping his mouth closed to prevent spitting it out over Fayna. He coughed for a few minutes, fixing Ravi with a glare when it finally eased, cheeks ablaze. Ravi, Trust and Hatch were all shaking with mirth. Fayna was looking between them all, the implications of the exchange lost, but she deciphered enough to assume the trooper leaning on the bed was behaving inappropriately. She gave him a hard stare of her own, pursed lips and furrowed brow, shaking a stern finger.

"You wanna scrub 'Freshers for a month, private?!"

Kix laughed out loud, and he made it a point to memorize the scene and brothers before him. The sergeant had a look somewhere between mortification and pride, and the others were now doubled up with laughter. It wasn't the medic's intent to eavesdrop on the goings-on of the brothers across the room, but he knew he'd never forget that one, and neither would the 501st.

...

Thank you for the reviews and favorites and follows guys! I really do appreciate it. :) Makes me want to keep tackling this even when I can't seem to write. Sorry about the long wait. I'm hoping to be more regular in the future, we just had a lot came up this week and I struggled with this one. I have a hard time writing canon characters for some reason.

I'm trying to come up with a schedule for chapters so I stick to it. It looks like TOC will probably be updated Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and TOK on Fridays. And one-shots here and there. Most of those are already written, I just have to type them up.

Next is Ahsoka! Another slow, fluff chapter of sorts like this one... but I need her to meet my guys because it sets the framework for the stories involving canon events coming up soon.

MS CT-782: I forgot to ask, have you heard the Loreena McKennit version of the Highway Man? It's lovely, and that did pop in my mind as I was writing that scene too, that's so cool :)