Sixty Four

Rex walked back to his quarters.

He had four days furlough and he was about to leave Coruscant and head to Oriis with the young Representative.

He would be able to live those four precious days as a normal human, expecting his first child.

A dream he never allowed himself to imagine, let alone live.

A smile crept across his face.

He came back Umbara where countless others hadn't.

The guilt would be one he would allow himself to bear, he would hold it close and let it be a constant reminder of just how lucky he was to have survived, no thanks to the Jedi, but to the men he fought alongside.

It would forever be their victory.

He caught a glimpse of his ARC heading into his own room, dressed in full armour. Rex stopped for a second, and decided to follow.

"Knock, knock," he said as he tapped lightly on the wall.

"Come in Sir," Fives answered officially. He was distracted and grabbed his pack, opened it and began to pull items from his foot locker.

Rex took in the scene, he knew what was happening. "You heading back out?"

"Yeah. Got another assignment." Fives continued to busy himself packing, avoiding eye contact with his superior.

"You're supposed to be on leave? All the 501st are having an enforced break."

Fives didn't answer, but kept packing his bag.

"Fives, what's going on? I can have a word to HQ if you - "

"No way Rex!" He turned and faced the captain. "I asked for this assignment, Sir."

"Asked for it?" Rex was confused. Time off from the war was a rare and treasured commodity. The men would normally only have time out if they were injured or sporadically in between hops.

Fives clicked his tongue in annoyance, he knew he had to explain why he wanted another mission on the back of Umbara.

Why he couldn't have a break, the tally was mounting up. He was getting close now, time was ticking.

"Here." Fives shoved a piece of flimsie at his captain. Rex took it without his eyes leaving the ARC. He waited a moment before he looked down at the words written in front of him.

The first thing that struck Rex was how worn it was, as if it had been opened and read a hundred times, the material beginning to tear along the fold lines.

"Where did you get this," Rex asked carefully.

"Reg manual. Echo's reg manual actually."

"What are you up to?"

"Umbara was twenty five, after this I'll only have four more to go."

"And you'll leave?"

"Yes," he stood firm, "I have a woman also, we'll leave together."

"This assignment?"

"Casparar."

"In the Selucami sector?"

Fives stopped and looked at his captain.

"That's right," he said slowly. He then remembered that was where Rex had nearly been fatally injured.

Rex looked at Fives and nodded his head, handing the flimsie back to him.

"Good luck."

The ARC studied the flimsie again, for the umpteenth time and smiled.

"Thanks captain."

"No, thank you Fives."

"Sir?"

"I should have listened to you earlier on Umbara. You and Jess should never have been put in that position. If it wasn't for your ingenuity, none of us would be here. You're a true ARC. Please accept my apology," Rex extended his hand and Fives took it.

"It was a pleasure serving alongside you again Sir."

"Keep your head down, the Republic can't afford to lose another ARC. You lot cost too much to train." Rex said over his shoulder as he continued to head to his office.

In reality he was saying, 'I can't afford to lose another friend.'

He opened the door and tossed his comm link and chrono on his desk and picked up the pile of flimsies that had accumulated during his time in the med bay.

He stopped when he saw the order req sitting on top.

CT-7567 : Report in to Kamino, [20][07][25][0700]

Skywalker

He had four days before he would be meeting up with his General and Commander to oversee the reformation of the 501st.

Four days.

Alone.

With her.

Away from ground Zero.

Rex was distracted by his thoughts and missed the stream of men passing his office to the commotion that had begun in one of the rooms. The raised voices and the sound of furniture being thrown forced him back to the reality of a commanding officer.

He had been away from his men too long and it showed in their behaviour.

"You're so fekking perfect aren't you?"

"You're drunk ner vod."

"Don't call me brother," he warned.

"Put it down Jess or I swear - "

"WHAT! You'll do what? Give me a little prick? You're the medic remember?"

"I might be the medic, but I can still take you down," Kix's voice was rising as the argument continued to unfold.

Rex had to get in there, and quick.

Forcing his way through the small crowd that had formed, he made his way into the room with three cots and only two troopers.

"What in the nine Corellian Hells is going on here?" The captain's voice boomed throughout the barracks.

"Oh fek off will ya?"

"I'll have you thrown in the brig for that!"

"Good, then I'll finally be rid of the Arch Angel here. Why not a firing squad! But this time, find the guts to pull the trigger yourself!"

It was a low blow by Jesse.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rex bellowed, before turning and shouting to the crowd of men, "GET TO YOUR QUARTERS, ALL OF YOU, ON THE DOUBLE." Out of the corner of his eye he saw the ARC head out, smiling and raising a hand to his head in salute.

The 501st was in deep osik and the Captain needed to take charge.

Pointing his index and middle finger at the two men in the room he stated, "You two. Suit up. You're coming with me."

"But Sir, we're on leave!" Kix pleaded.

"Not anymore you're not. Now move it! You both have five minutes."

"Sir, begging your pardon, but Jess is intoxicated, he - "

"He can sleep it off enroute. Four minutes and counting," he stated and swore under his breath all the way to his quarters to pack his own bag.

Rex grabbed his gear and began throwing it carelessly into his kit. Jesse's words had come back to haunt him, 'find the guts to pull the trigger yourself.' The trooper was right. Rex had inadvertently put his men in danger more than once on that mission.

He stood and rubbed his temples with his fingers.

"Everything alright Sir?" It was Finn, his aid and quartermaster for the unit.

"Yes, Corporal. I'm heading off world and will be meeting up with the General on Kamino to regroup the unit. I have left orders for Appo to take control of the men remaining here on Coruscant in my absence."

Rex noticed Finn check out the way in which his kit was packed, the lack of order that was out of character for the captain.

"If I may Sir?"

Rex nodded and stepped aside, adjusting his chrono as he watched Finn move towards the bag and lift the red trousers out and fold them correctly before turning to the tunic.

"Here you are Sir, all done."

"Thank you Finn."

"Good luck Sir, we'll see you and the 501st back in a week."

Rex smiled and offered his hand to the corporal before placing his pack over one shoulder.

He walked out of his room to be greeted by the two troopers standing at attention.

"Put your buckets on so I don't have to look at either of you," he was angry and the two knew they had pushed it big time. Silently the three marched out of the barracks compound and into the Hanger bay towards the Nu-class attack shuttle.

"Fek," Jesse mumbled into his helmet as he walked up the ramp and threw his kit down along with himself in the passenger hold.

"What exactly are our orders Sir?" The medic asked.

The captain ignored the comment and continued past the two troopers. Kix stowed away both his and Jess' gear before removing his helmet. Jesse had done the same, the nausea from the alcohol coming in waves.

The tension was palpable as the three waited for the flight crew to embark. The look on both the medic and the troopers face said it all when Rex greeted the flight lieutenant.

"Reed, we have a couple of extras joining us."

Jesse looked up, his head now thumping, "Oh great! We survive Umbara only to buy it on a flight during leave."

"Jesse," Reed commented smiling, "still the smart mouth I see?" He turned to the captain, "Sir, we'll take off once we have all the passengers on board."

He continued past the men through to the cockpit and began the take off sequence.

Rex nodded and stood with his hands held firmly in the small of his back. He would have to explain to her why the trip he was so desperate to have, was now including two of his men. Kix watched the captain, he knew Rex was nervous and pulled Jesse up by his pauldron.

"Hey," the recalcitrant trooper objected.

"Atten-shun," the captain ordered.

All three men in white stood as straight as a pin. Gem looked up surprised, her mouth opening slightly at the sight.

"Rex?" she questioned.

"Gem," he began but was stopped by the sound of retching from Jesse followed by him vomiting into a plasti bag that Kix had thrust under his chin.

She just raised an eyebrow and took her seat at the front. Pressing the commlink to the cockpit she announced, "take us home will you Reed."

"Copy that Ma'am," he replied as the forward thrusters were activated and the craft quietly lifted off the tarmac.

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