Please be aware that this chapter may be deemed M rated.
Seventy Three
He took his helmet off and continued to weave his way around the sea of identical men moving through the barracks.
He had heard they were back on Coruscant.
That they had been rebuilt and were awaiting new orders.
Even though they all looked the same, Vail knew who the new recruits were. Their faces openly wearing the excitement of being part of something they never dreamed possible.
It would never have been, if it wasn't for Umbara.
And Krell.
Vail stopped outside the familiar room. The last time he had been there was under vastly different circumstances.
It was only eight days ago, but it felt like an eternity.
Kix was the first to notice him standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Tup. Let's go and grab a cup of caf?"
"Nah, I'm good," he replied, preoccupied with something inside his footlocker.
"Tup."
"Hmm?"
"Now, ok ner vod," the medic was trying to be subtle.
"But - ," he said annoyed, looking up. The red on the guards armour was the only thing he saw as Kix moved forward and pulled him up off his cot.
.
"Hey," he said to the tattooed man sitting on the bed. Jesse had stripped down with the intention of heading to the refresher, clad only in his black shorts, he felt unusually vulnerable.
"Hey," Jesse looked down, embarrassed by his behaviour on return from the last mission. He had been unceremoniously hauled back into the barracks, drunk and in shame at the way he had conducted himself on the lower levels.
The guard had said nothing, not uttering a single word, and now, here he was standing in his room. Jesse swallowed is pride and looked up, squinting at the bright light bouncing off the pristine white armour.
"It's good to see you back Jess," his voice was calm and low. "I was worried that you would be sent out on another hop before we got a chance to," he stopped for a second, "a chance to talk about what happened on Umb - ."
"Don't say it Vail," Jesse stood and warned. The five oh first soldier had always been the master at locking away the pain, usually replacing it with mirth or a tawdry joke to mask his despair. He had successfully managed to log Umbara in the back of his mind, hoping upon hope it would never again grace the light of day.
He couldn't allow Vail to utter the words, it would do no good now.
He quickly turned his back on the guard, closing his eyes and willing the emotions back where they belonged.
Vail moved towards him, and ran his hands up the sides of Jesse's arms. He too, closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath. His head swayed momentarily as he rubbed his face against the back of his only partner's head.
Jesse continued to face away from him.
"Vail, I can't do this. I'm sorry, but, but," he stammered, "things have changed," he rushed out, "I have to focus on getting through this war. It's what Hardcase died for."
"I'm not asking you to make a choice," Vail replied, his face tingling with the words he couldn't believe he was hearing.
"I'm sorry," Jesse turned and looked up into his eyes,and registered the hurt, "it's for the best."
He had shut down.
The loss of Echo had been difficult enough, but now, the death of Hardcase had taken all that remained.
He was empty, unable to give what was no longer there.
They stared at one another for what seemed like minutes before Jesse turned to leave.
"That's unacceptable trooper," Vail's voice bounced off the walls in the small room.
Jesse stopped, confused he questioned, "pardon?"
"I said, that-is-simply-un-acceptable. I know I'm not at the coal face, I know you think I don't know what it's truly like out there, and you know what? You're right! But I know you, fek, I am you remember. We're all the same, it's just how we get through this that makes us different. And I know how you think, how you feel, in here." He pushed Jesse hard on the left pec sending his back a couple of steps.
"Vail, I don't think you're lis - ,"
"No, I'm not listening. You can't keep pushing people away. Running to those hutaan down on 13 when I am here, in front of you asking, no begging you to let me in, let me help. I know I'm not Hardcase, I miss him too, but Jess, this war will go on forever if you share it with no one. Fight the war for him, but come home to me."
Jesse closed his eyes. Vail was standing so close he could feel the heat from his breath against his face. Two enormous tears rolled down his chiseled cheeks and Vail gently wiped them away with his thumbs.
"See, you need me," he smiled as Jesse sniffed and looked up into his eyes. Vail could feel the pain and loss, but he was not going to give up on trooper CT – 5597.
Jesse tried to laugh, but Vail wouldn't allow him deflect his emotions again, "Shh," he ordered, "I want you. Now."
Jesse moved forward and held his mouth against the guards, resting his lips gently against Vails, savouring the soft warmth for a moment before they both moved their mouths in unison. Jesse felt he was betraying the loss of his brothers on the battlefield to be 'feeling' again, but he knew what Vail was saying was right. The fact of the matter was, they were gone, and no amount of self deprecation could bring them back.
Living, was the only way to honour their memory.
Somehow, Jesse knew everything was going to be alright.
Their breathing was slow before it moved to a more pressing pace. Their combined physicality daunting to anyone else but the two present in the room.
"I need to get out of this," Vail breathed in between kisses.
He broke away to begin unclipping his armour, aware all the time of Jesse watching him. The urgency had subsided momentarily as he turned and methodically stacked the white in a neat pile on the floor. Vail kept passing pieces to his friend, until he too, was dressed only in the black shorts.
Jesse stepped slowly into the space separating them, running his hands up the sides of Vail's torso, moving them to the front of his chest and then up to either side of his face. Staring at his mouth he moved forward slightly and brushed the guard's once again with his own. Vail's lips parted and the warmth of Jesse's tongue pushed tentatively against his. Vail moaned as Jesse moved his hands around to clasp his neck and hold him close. Slowly and sensually they continued. Vail moved one hand down and caught the black material at Jess's hip. The simple action stirred something deep in them both – reconfirming their commitment to one another. Vail then took charge, moving his hand in a methodical rhythm all the time kissing Jesse's neck as his partner's knees began to weaken.
Jesse parted his legs slightly, inviting Vail further into his intimate space. They danced together towards the wall where Jesse broke the kiss and took in a breath, his mouth remaining open, as he closed his eyes panting, wanting. The juxtaposition between hard and soft was never so evident as Vail continued to please his soldier until a cry of both ecstasy and pain shook the room and Jesse fell forward into his arms.
They stood together, foreheads touching until Jesse broke the spell. He kissed Vail again and grabbing his hand, pulled him towards his cot. A small laugh filtered the room.
Kix sat in the mess hall watching his brothers come and go, mentally noting all the units represented by the colour on their armour.
"I really don't think I can drink any more caf Kix."
"Just five more minutes Tup, just five more minutes."
#
Stoyan had spent the past three months working at the Scillal Shipyards.
They had won a tender for six Victory II-class frigates and had only eight months to complete the order without being in breach of their contract.
It was the perfect job for the nomadic Jedi. He would get to work at 0600 and work until 1500, with an hour break in the middle of the day.
Stoyan had progressed to the munitions section. Working close with the engineers in making sure the fighters would have enough fire power if it came across – what, exactly, he was yet to figure out.
He asked no questions, and the contractors liked it that way.
He had made a couple of friends. One in particular had even extended a dinner invitation, of course, he declined gracefully. But every Friday he would join these two humans and drink at the local bar built on site for the workers. It was pay day, and the company would more often than not earn back some of their credits they payed out.
He felt unusually, settled.
The first time in a long time.
He had outgrown the escape pod, and had manufactured a modest cabin out of the local wood, near a small lake, hidden amongst the low and lush vegetation. He could practice his meditation and keep his wits alert killing fish only to eat.
Coupled with the job and the weekly drinking ritual, he had forged a new identity for himself, again.
'Yes,' he thought, as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, 'this is the happiest I've been in ages.'
Then he laughed, the sound startling a flock of small Angel birds that alighted in a flurry of purple from the tree he was sitting under.
.
The two 501st sat in the cockpit, plotting the course to Scillal. Fives sat back in his seat and watched as the captain punched another series of numbers into the control panel.
Rex smiled as he turned to his ARC. "So, you haven't mentioned Casparar."
"Well, I'm here aren't I?" Fives grinned in return. "It wasn't easy, but we got the intel and blew the osik out of the Sep base. This little side trip counts as twenty seven. Someone needs to cover your shebese."
"I heard you were in a tank for 48 hours."
The smile dissipated from Fives' face. He turned and looked out into the darkness and remembered how he had drowned just under the ice. He owed his life to the men on that gunship.
A red light began flashing, diverting Rex's attention from their conversation.
"We are hitting Scillal's orbit general."
"Good," Anakin replied, as he appeared over the two seated clones. He seemed preoccupied and had felt something for the past hour. Trying to focus and meditate was never something Anakin was good at, and it frustrated him that he hadn't payed more attention to Obi-Wan. He smiled and looked at his captain, 'take us down Rex. Let's do this. Fives, we need to go over the mission brief one more time."
"Sir," the ARC jumped up from his seat.
Artoo then began making a series of high pitched beeps and Rex turned to see something metallic flash off their starboard side.
"Hold on! Evasive action," he yelled as he pulled the ship hard to the left. The crew of the Twilight watched in horror as they narrowly missed being hit by the spinning, out of control craft.
"What the fek was that?" Fives asked as he regained his composure.
"More who the fek was that," Rex replied, watching as the obviously damaged ship spun into Scillal's orbit. "They have CIS markings Sir, do you want me to follow."
Anakin was distracted again.
"No," it was unlike the general to deviate from the mission at hand, "we have our orders Rex. Let him go, by the looks of him, they'll be nothing left when he hits dirt side."
.
Echo was back on Coruscant.
He was walking through the GAR barracks alongside Fives, down the corridor he knew only too well to their quarters. They were laughing and talking about their latest mission. Fives slapped his back "it's good to have you back ner vod," he said as they turned into their room. Echo smiled the watched as the walls slowly fell away, replaced by the undeniable red dirt of Geonosis.
The noise from the weapons filled his head, he clenched his jaw at the pain.
He rolled, turned and out manoeuvred an insect. Blowing hard, he checked the charge on his deece and looked up to see the woman he loved most in the world.
Freya?
It was out of context, seeing her there, but he didn't care in the slightest. She was radiantly beautiful, holding something small in her arms.
He went to her, dropping his weapon as he swept her up into his arms. The dust whirling around them until it turned green and thick with foliage. Echo drank in her scent, savouring her hair and allowing his lips to touch the soft, smooth skin on her neck.
At that moment, nothing else mattered.
He pulled back to see her smile, as she handed him the small bundle she was carrying. He returned the warmth and looked down and moved the palest blue material aside.
Uh?
He was visibly shocked at the ugly sight of a hutlett, green and grotesque, squirming and squealing, penetrating his head and making his ears hurt.
He was confused and dropped to his knees, holding the wailing alien and closing his eyes, willing it to end the incessant noise.
Araaagh!
He tried to scream and looked for Freya, but the pain tore at his left side. She wasn't there, replaced by a Darthomir witch who then began to drill a red light into his ribs, her face as twisted as the pain it inflicted.
N-n-oo.
Echo shook his head hard, he then found himself alone, lying on something wet and cold. He shivered and began crying as he looked down at his legs, which were no longer there.
Uh, uh, uh. . ?
Panic stricken, he moved, the pain biting hard at his flank, this time breaking the nightmare and bringing him back to reality.
Argh!
Echo's eyes snapped open, they had crash landed.
Everything was quiet.
Instinct kicked in. Echo quickly released himself from his seat.
Oomph!
He rolled with reluctance and ascertained his injuries. His held his left side as he quickly checked out his legs, touching and moving them frantically.
He began panting as he lifted his top to the area smarting in pain.
"Fek," he mumbled as he reapplied the pressure.
The pain brought clarity along with it.
"Marlo? Marlo!"
She hadn't been as fortunate as the ARC.
Dr Lane was thrown from the wreckage and was lying face down, not moving.
Echo stumbled and landed hard next to her, the taste of blood metallic in his mouth. He moved two fingers to her carotid and waited to feel the light pulsing against them, he then gently moved her body over onto her back.
She was alive, but only just.
He would now need to draw upon more than his training and sheer determination that had seen him survive the Citadel.
He thought his battle was over and had dared to dream he would be home, seeing Freya and meeting his new child.
He was wrong, he was far from home.
Cradling Marlo in his lap he began shivering, he knew what was happening. He began working through the physiological process his body was undertaking; the surge of adrenaline released from his adrenal glands followed by increased heart rate and rapid breathing indicating he was in shock.
'Maybe this was how it was supposed to end?'
He was tired, and listening to the laboured breathing of the woman who had done so much to save him, Echo gave up, just for a minute, and allowed his eyes to close.
Sleep.
He'd get up, in a minute, and ascertain the terrain.
In a minute, he'd fix everything.
It was what ARC's did.
In just a minute.
.