Chapter Sixty-Three: The Airbase

By the time Fives and Hardcase spiralled their ships back over the airbase, I had already locked down the main tower and disengaged parts of the fence. Their arrival got the Umbarans away from the tower base, letting me get back out onto the landing pads to keep fighting.

I stayed in my space of calm, letting the Force lead me through my fights. I spun gracefully through the Umbarans, deflecting their shots with ease. A swing of my lightsaber here. A sharp kick to the chest over there.

When the rest of the battalion arrived to storm the airbase, it was pretty simple. The clones stormed in like a flood, spurred by the adrenaline of their recent victory and the hope for another. I stopped fighting as they raced past me, yelling while rounding up the remaining Umbarans. They moved quickly to establish the base as their own, dividing the Umbarans into prisoner groups and locking down all supply transfers.

My lightsaber slowly disengaged when I heard Rex's voice somewhere behind me. "Despite Hardcase's flying," the captain joked, "You two saved us all." I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Hardcase and Fives joining Jesse and Fives.

"Ah, it wasn't so tough," Hardcase lied.

"You sure?" Jesse asked as he removed his helmet. "You looked a little green when you came out of that fighter." I smirked from my position away from them, choosing to stay unseen for now. I'd have loved to have taken a ship of my own and blasted those damned machines to hell.

But I had felt the Force prodding me to stay. And it was good I did, considering I'd managed to deactivate the fence temporarily until the clones were inside. I stepped a little closer, still behind the clones and unseen….but closer.

"Captain," I stopped abruptly, hearing Krell's voice. "Report. What is our situation?" The Besalisk was approaching, flanked by clones. I hid the sneer from my face. He needed a report because he didn't help in the damned battle.

Rex stood at attention immediately. "General, we have taken the base and cut off enemy supply lines to the capital."

"Luck has smiled on you today, Captain. Consider yourself fortunate."

Rex took a step forward towards his commanding officer, my brows raising curiously. I felt defiance in him. That wasn't something I was used to. "It wasn't all luck, sir. A lot of men died to take this base."

He was trying to get Krell to understand. My heart ached for the captain, because he didn't know what I knew. He didn't feel the darkness that surrounded Krell's mind. The bloodlust I felt beneath his calm Jedi exterior. The longer I was near him, the more uncomfortable I felt.

"The price for such victory," Krell replied easily. "Perhaps someday you'll realize this."

There was a blossom of anger from Rex. The Force moved darkly around him, but he fought the urge to fight his general down. His fist clenched where he held his helmet at his side, but he said nothing.

"Dismissed," Krell said firmly, turning away. He stopped abruptly, his head turning over his shoulder. "Fett." My name on his lips made my blood turn to ice.

The clones followed Krell's line of sight, seeing me standing behind them. They seemed excited to see me at first, still glad from our victory. But it soon melted into concern when Krell turned to face me fully.

I didn't even have time to react.

My lightsaber, still held in the palm of my hand, was ripped from my grasp. It flew through the air, landing softly in Krell's outstretched hand. He examined it as my anger bubbled, my feet immediately taking me towards him. I stopped amidst the clones, though, my senses returning for a moment.

"I told you that your use of this weapon is disrespectful. Clearly, you cannot be trusted to have it."

I glowered at him, the Besalisk giving me a smug look. He closed his eyes briefly while I festered in my rage, fighting the urge to shoot him where he stood and take my saber back from his cold, dead fingers.

His yellow eyes snapped open in a moment, one of his dual-sided sabers igniting to point at my chest. I stood my ground, unafraid as I stared at him. "I feel your anger," he growled, leveling the glowing blade between us. "Your rage. Give me a reason, Sithling." He was daring me to make a mistake.

Like I had never really wanted the Umbarans to surrender to me in the control tower...Krell wanted me to mess up. He wanted me to fall to darkness-or at least close enough to it that they'd believe him-so he could take me out of the equation. Whether it was genuine malice or just the fact that he didn't like me, I couldn't be sure. Still, I'd never find out if Krell killed or imprisoned me.

Then what good would I be in keeping the boys alive?

So I let my anger slowly cool, even though I wasn't about to forget it. Krell watched me in silence, every muscle in the group round tight with apprehension. "It won't happen again, sir," I said smoothly, surprising everyone there.

Krell, while taken back, recovered quickly. "Correct," he smirked, clipping my lightsaber to his belt. "It won't." He said nothing else as he walked away, but I felt the smug feeling of victory radiating from him.

I was silent as I watched him go, my gaze burning a hole into the back of his head. I knew I'd get it back, either by Skywalker backing me up when he returned, or by taking it by force. I was a bounty hunter, after all.

"I-" Fives coughed slightly. "I can't believe you let him walk away with your lightsaber." He was trying to make light of the situation, but I didn't even look at him, my gaze still following the Jedi.

"Of course she let him," Dogma voiced from nearby. "He ordered her not to use it and she did anyways. That's a light punishment, if you ask me."

"Shut up, Dogma," Hardcase groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I ignored them all, though, trapped in my own raging thoughts. A hand touched my shoulder gently, making me jump. "Kida?" It was Rex, his voice soft. I felt his frustration at me still, deep down, over my defying him in front of everyone. But that was largely shadowed by his worry for me. If I hadn't been so enraged at Krell and maybe just a little bit at Rex for not doing anything….maybe I would've reacted better.

But I was confused, much like what I was feeling off most of the clones. Krell was a Jedi. He was supposed to be good. But something felt wrong and every step he took led to clone deaths. And I wanted Rex to do something, but he could do nothing more than speak up. And he'd tried that to no avail.

Thankfully, the men saw that. But I could feel Fives thinking that Rex still wasn't going far enough. Fives, like me, would disobey orders if they were wrong or there was a better option. He was a free-thinker, through and through. Rex was too, but as a captain, he had developed a code he lived by in order to lead others. It meant he followed orders with honor.

Disobedience wasn't honorable to most.

So why was I still mad at him, when I knew he was doing all that was in his nature to do? I didn't care. The whole situation was complete osik. From Krell to the Umbaran death machines. From Dogma being a kiss-ass to Fives wanting to practically start an uprising.

I needed to get away and clear my head.

I stepped away from Rex's touch without looking at the clones, my gaze still following where Krell had gone. I left without a word, knowing I'd say something that would get me in trouble.

I spent some time fuming on my own, staring out over the perimeter. When I'd finally let myself cool down enough to be back in public, I emerged to find Fives working at one of the gunships. I approached, giving him a nod as I sat on the opposite wing and began fiddling with my goggles in an attempt to fix the infrared.

"You alright?" he asked softly from where he worked below the wing.

"Peachy," I grumbled back, earning a soft-but equally frustrated-chuckle. My eyes lifted when I felt both Krell and Rex approaching. Krell was flanked by Dogma and Hardcase, Rex approaching from the control tower.

"Sir," Rex said in greeting to the Jedi. "There's a transmission from General Kenobi."

Meets up with Fives-briefing from Rex and clone argument about plan.

Krell barely even broke stride. "I'll take it in the tower." Rex followed them up, but Hardcase peeled off, seeing Fives and I at the ship.

Hardcase took off his helmet, flashing me a smile before ducking below the wing to greet his brother. "Hey, how's it coming?"

"Eh," I heard Fives grumble. "Tricky piece of hardware."

"Krell's got Jesse stacking ordnance."

My brows lifted at that, my gaze finally drawn away from the hardware of my goggles. Fives sighed and grunted from below. "I'm still waiting for Krell to thank us for handing this bae over to him."

Hardcase stood, looking up at the looming tower Krell and the others had gone into. I snorted a laugh. "Hey, he punished me for my part in it. Consider him saying nothing to you two the best damn thank you he can offer."

Fives pushed himself out from under the ship, pointing one of the tools at me. "That surprised me."

"What?"

"That you let him take your lightsaber!" Fives ran his hands through his hair. I felt his frustration and fear, but I only sighed.

"What was I supposed to do? Fight him for it?" Neither of the clones answered me, which was enough. They fell silent as I fitted my goggles back into place, the infrared fixed. I stood, moving to their side to inspect the ship. "Okay, first thing is that Fives isn't allowed to try and fix this ship anymore."

Hardcase laughed, joined with the laughter of Jesse and Tup. I gave them both small smiles as they approached. Tup was quick to join me as I removed a panel from the top side of the wing, inspecting inside. He crawled up with me, offering me a childish grin. I got to work sorting out the hardware, my algorithms running to decode it the moment I plugged in.

"That was badass, what you did today," he said a bit shyly.

I lifted my brow, letting out a cough of sarcastic laughter. "What? Get humiliated by that jagyc of a general we're following?"

"You should be careful what you say." Our heads snapped to the side to see Dogma joining us. As much as he was annoying sometimes, Echo apparently used to be a bit like that too.

And like Rex, according to Anakin.

"You're lucky the General doesn't understand Mando'a," he announced as he sat to fiddle with his blaster. Fives leaned against the wing beside him, giving him a raised brow. "What?" Dogma asked. "I'm just saying, he hasn't been very forgiving towards Kida and I doubt he would start now if he heard her talking like that."

I glanced down at the machinery below me, trying to look busy and distracted. Maybe he was annoying….but he was saying it to protect me. Maybe some was pride and honor and the huge tree up his shebs. But still, he cared. Somewhere in all that Geonosis coding and Republic armor.

I felt a bit bad for my outburst earlier. In the end….he was lost. He, like Tup, was young compared to many of the clones here. Rex was older and was still struggling with honor and duty in situations like these. Maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Tup handed me the next tool I needed without my having to ask. I flashed him a smile as Rex approached, announcing that we were advancing on the capital, despite a new ship bringing supplies to the Umbarans. Krell's plan. Obviously.

"Head on?" Jesse asked from where he had started to work on an Umbaran computer. "Again? That didn't work out so well last time."

Fives jumped in, pushing off from leaning on the wing adamantly. "Those missiles have a 100-megaton yield. We won't even make it to the delta!"

"What can I do?" I glanced away at Rex's answer. Mine had been similar. I guess we were all in the same boat. "I've tried to reason with him. Those are the orders."

"Great, another suicide mission. The capital is too well armed," Jesse sighed.

Tup sat back beside me, making me pause in my work to glance up. "Why does it seem like he has it out for clones? And what about Kida? Calling her a-a Sithling?"

I shrugged, muttering quietly, "He's not wrong."

"He didn't mean that as a compliment," Tup responded, giving me a frown. I conceded, turning my head as Dogma spoke again.

"I think you're all overreacting." I rolled my eyes, giving Tup a pointed look in response. The young clone covered his smile with his hand, turning away to smother a chuckle. "Obviously General Krell knows what he's doing. Do you really think he doesn't care when he loses men?"

Jesse crossed his arms, watching his brother closely. "I'm not saying that. But I do think his desire for victory has blinded him to the fact that there are lives at stake."

I glanced down at the mechanism I was working on, thinking. The readings I got off Krell made me think he didn't care. But then again, I'd never thought to root into his mind during a firefight while my friends were dying. It wasn't really the highest thing on my list at those moments.

Then again...when I thought back to the horrific moments, I could remember the emotions like it was a picture painted across my thoughts. Death. Loss. Pain. Fear. Valor. Anger. Relief.

And during that moment, I returned to when I'd held a clone until he died, tucked away in cover from the Umbaran's bombardment. The emotions had been overwhelming. And then there was Krell. A stillness, but something unlike what I'd felt in other Jedi. Something almost like...contempt.

I shook my head, looking around at them. "Well, I am saying it. Krell doesn't care about his men. And you don't need the Force to see it. I had Apex research the general when he first got here." I glanced down briefly for a moment. "I've never seen a general with these kinds of casualties."

"He's out of control," Fives announced fiercely. "He is not acting like the other Jedi. He has no respect for us. Hell, even Kida is acting like a better Jedi than him!" My brows shot up in both shock and maybe a bit of hurt? I wasn't sure. It didn't feel great to be compared to Krell, or be called a Jedi, considering my thoughts on them. But I guess he was praising the Jedi in this situation...so I took the compliment in stride.

Rex took a small step forward. "Listen, I don't agree with him either, but…" he seemed to struggle for words, "I don't have a better plan."

"Well what about using these starfighters to destroy the supply ship?" Fives offered, glancing over his shoulder at the lines of ships.

"Our fleet has been trying," Rex sighed in response. "The Umbarans have it as protected as the capital."

I glanced up to Fives, seeing him walking over to Jesse, who was still working at the console. My wrist computer beeped, telling me that I'd deactivated all kill bugs in the starfighter hardware. I cleared my throat, earning a grin from the ARC trooper, who clearly knew what that meant. "But we have their access codes and their own hardware," he declared to his captain with a cocky smile.

Rex seemed shocked for a moment, his voice almost breathless. "You were able to crack it?"

"Mmm-hmm." Fives punched Jesse's shoulder playfully. Apparently the clone had been finding access codes for his brother, rather than stacking ordinance for the general. Jesse was grinning still, so clearly he preferred Fives' task. "We can sneak right past their blockade...get where our ships can't." Fives' face was cracked wide with a smile, his hands held before him almost like he was pleading.

Rex's gloved hand touched his strong jaw in thought. I averted my gaze, still confused between anger and guilt.

"If we take out that supply ship, then we cut off arms to the capital." Fives' tone was firm, but hopeful.

Rex's face reflected that after a moment of thinking, his eyes showing the old spark I was used to. The one of valor. Intelligence. Leadership. And hope.

He gave us all a curt nod as he turned to start walking towards the command tower, likely to relay this idea to Krell. I watched him in silence for a moment, my fingers twiddling the decryption key I'd fashioned while everyone was talking.

Fives cleared his throat, making me turn. He was giving me a pointed look, glancing after the captain's retreating back.

"Think you can handle this without me?" I asked Tup softly after a low sigh. The young clone gave me a brief confused look before it clicked.

He grinned, his teardrop tattoo wrinkling on his cheek. "Have fun."

"Shut up." I tossed Tup the decryption key as I hopped off the wing of the starfighter, hurrying after the captain. The clones behind me were all chuckling, aside from Dogma, who seemed utterly lost. Then again, I doubted any of the clones had told Dogma about what happened at my club most nights. Not with his track record of being a suck-up.

When I was far enough from the clones and close enough to Rex, I called after him. "Captain!"

His steps stuttered only slightly at my voice. His tell was his mind, as it practically blanked for a moment before he roughly shoved me from his thoughts. I was taken back, stopping in my tracks as he turned.

"I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of my head," he said curtly, not meeting my eyes. Still, I could tell his stare was cold.

I swallowed thickly, but stopped the automatic apology that started to come from my lips. All this time with Krell was making me act more like the docile slave I was once trained to be.

I hated that.

"How else am I supposed to know what's going on with you?" I asked instead, crossing my arms. I wanted to look imposing, but I felt like I was trying to shield myself with my arms instead. "You don't talk to me."

Rex's golden eyes flickered to me only briefly before he sighed, staring at the ground between us again. "We can't…." He sighed again, seeming to struggle for the words. "We can't act like we do when…"

His words tapered off, but I understood. I glanced away, trying to fight the emotions brewing inside me. This entire mission had been bad news. It was overwhelming in every capacity. It was making me….unsteady.

Unsteady in my dedication to the Republic. Unsteady in my trust in the Jedi. Unsteady in my dedication to the Bendu.

I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself as I counted off silently in my mind. "I know that," I said finally, finding no other words within me. I was exhausted-we all were. I swallowed again. "I'm sorry about-"

"It was out of line." His words were sharp when they cut me off. He sounded like a commanding officer. I felt my back straighten just slightly. "I know you're reckless and that's something you're proud of, but I won't accept that under my command."

My anger flared, licking dangerously at the part of me that remembered the power of the darkness. I forced it down with determination, lifting my head slowly to look at Rex in the eyes. Over the time we'd spent together, he must have gotten used to me touching his mind with my own.

I guess in that same time, he learned how to start blocking me out. Because when I reached out desperately with a sense of calm and endearment, I met a wall. I pulled back like I'd touched a hot flame, recoiling physically with a half step backwards before I stopped myself.

Rex sighed lowly. "Kida, out here...I have my men-my brothers-to worry about. I can't be worrying about your recklessness putting them or yourself in danger." My anger was only rising with each word the clone captain spoke. My pot was near its boiling point. "You need to learn to take orders."

"Even when they're wrong?" I asked, unable to hold it back.

Despite his mental wall, I felt Rex's patience thinning even further. "That's not for you to decide!" Some clones glanced our way, our eyes dropping to the ground under their curious gazes. Rex dropped his voice down again. "This is exactly what I mean. You're undermining my command. Can you understand that?"

"What I understand is that you think I'd ever put you or your brothers in danger," I hissed back, taking a daring step closer. Rex seemed taken back by my tone. Then again, I suppose he'd never heard me speak that way before. At least, not since we'd become friends. My anger was bubbling inside me, spilling out in hot tears that I was barely holding back. "I was brought here because I'm good at what I do. Not because I'm good at following orders." I lifted my chin, my jaw tight with my restrained anger. "And I refuse to take disrespect from anyone. Never again. Can you understand that?"

Rex only blinked at me, unsure how to respond. What could he do, really? I had him backed in a corner. For a moment, I felt triumph. And then I sensed the tiniest whiff of fear from Rex. Fear of me. Fear of the things he'd heard and the stories I'd told him. Fear of the monster Krell foretold I could become.

I stepped back, looking away as I finally lost the battle with my tears, the salty drops staining my dirty cheeks. "That's how you put someone in their place, Rex," I said softly, my words sounding weak through the tears. I hated that, but knew there was nothing I could do. In the end, there was no hiding from Rex's searching gaze. That is...if he ever looked at me with that searching gaze again after all this. "If you want the men to respect you, that's how you do it." I breathed slowly, my eyes still downcast. "Good luck pitching the idea to Krell."

I turned abruptly and walked away, leaving the captain in his shock and uncertainty. I was embarrassed. Angry. Hurt. Offended. Sad.

Confused, was likely the best descriptor.

So I hid away in the Umbaran compound, finding a nice little corner that opened to the dark sky that sometimes sparkled with the battle occurring in the stars above us. After so long with my kyber crystal, it was weird not having it there as I meditated. It focused me, especially since I'd healed and bonded with it.

Still, I knew I needed to settle my thoughts in order to see Rex again. I wouldn't let this war destroy me. I wouldn't let Krell destroy Rex or his brothers.

And I wouldn't let this stupid mission come between me and the man I loved.

I wasn't sure how long had passed when I felt settled enough to ease out of my meditative state. I felt more centered, despite being unsure how to handle Krell. Still, I chose to trust what I'd learned from all of my teachers: Anakin, Obi-wan, Ahsoka, Qui-Gon, Jango, Bendu, the Father, Yilria, and even Darth Bane.

I would trust the Force. When I was still and quiet….and really listened….I knew I'd wield my saber again. I knew Rex and I would make it out.

But I also knew there was still great darkness to come. And not just on Umbara.

The base's activity had died down a bit while I meditated, many of the clones now taking rotations to bed down in the barracks. I headed there, seeing no armor designs that I recognized in the clones milling about outside.

When I drew closer, I could feel tension coming from inside. I could sense many familiar presences. Fives. Rex. Dogma. Jesse. Tup. Hardcase.

The first two of which were heading towards the exit, both still boiling with frustration. I backed up from the door, ducking behind a casing of supplies. Rex exited first, helmet held at his side with a fisted hand.

"This is about more than just following orders," Fives called as he ran out after his brother.

Rex stopped, glancing over his shoulder steadily. "It is," he allowed. "It is about honor."

"Where is the honor in marching blindly to our deaths?" Fives' mind flashed to Echo's death, making me flinch at the horrible sound of the explosion. "ECHO!" I heard Fives scream in my thoughts. I shook it away, concentrating on my friends again.

"It is not our call." Rex was staying calm this time. Good. Maybe he'd handle this better than he'd handled our conversation. "We are part of something larger. We are not independent of one another." I looked down, my jaw clenching again with the emotions I'd just taken so much time to carefully school down. Osik.

"I'm sorry. I cannot just follow orders when I know they're wrong, especially when lives are at stake."

Rex's resolve hardened, his anger flaring. I didn't dare prod at his mind, not wanting him to know I was listening. Still, his words sliced deep into my chest. He'd said similar words long ago when we'd been at Cut Lawquane's homestead.

I suppose….some part of me had hoped that idea had begun to change. Not necessarily in his dedication to the Republic, since I had long since come to terms with that. And learned to respect it.

But more so in the idea that he was more than just another clone. He wasn't just another part in the machine. He wasn't replaceable. Not to me.

"You will if you support the system we fight for," Rex said firmly, drawing my solemn attention back to the clones. He was getting more heated, poking Fives in the chest.

The ARC trooper threw off his captain's hand. "I do support the system," he professed. "I do! But I am not just another number. None of us are!" He turned, but stopped when Rex scoffed a low chuckle.

"You sound like Kida," Rex grumbled, sounding annoyed. I scowled from my hiding place.

Fives whirled, glaring at his brother. But when he spoke, his voice was hushed. "That's another thing. You have something. Something most of us will never have the luxury of having." Fives looked almost sad for a second as he stared at the ground. "She cares for you, Rex." His voice was small. Maybe even a bit broken. "All of us." He shook his head. "What she did after Echo-"

"I know." Rex seemed calmer now, his demeanor sad.

"Then why do you expect her to be something she isn't, when she's already so much?" I was shocked by Fives' words, my back pressing against the racks I hid behind. "She's a bounty hunter, not a soldier." Rex went to argue, but Fives held up his hand. "And she hates to admit it, but every day, I see her become more like a Jedi than a bounty hunter." I frowned, but I knew he meant it as a compliment.

And then again, maybe it was true. I'd just spent hours meditating and trusting the Force, after all.

Rex sighed. "Why are you telling me this?"

I felt Fives' resolve build, his frustration with his captain coming back. "I'm telling you because I care for you. And as much as I think you don't deserve her right now," he hissed, turning on his heel to call over his shoulder quietly, "I don't want you to lose her."

"Fives, where are you going?" Rex called.

Fives stopped at the door to the barracks, looking over his shoulder. "To round up some pilots." He reentered the barracks, leaving Rex alone with his thoughts. I still didn't dare peek into them, for fear of him sensing my meddling. After a moment, the captain turned and left.

I surmised from what I'd overheard that Krell had rejected Fives' plan. That wasn't really a big surprise.

After waiting a second to ensure it was safe, I stepped from my hiding place and waited by the barrack doors. It only took a few minutes for Fives to emerge, flanked by Jesse and Hardcase. They seemed shocked to see me lounging casually in wait.

"Gentlemen," I greeted, giving them a nod. "I heard Krell wasn't a fan of your idea."

Hardcase rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Eh, not really. The captain said it's because we don't have the time or training to pilot starfighters."

Jesse cast me a smile. "Know any good pilots who could give us a quick lesson?"

"I might," I grinned, crossing my arms. "But there's a catch."

Fives mimicked my stance, quirking a brow. "Oh?"

"I get to go with you."

"Rex won't like that," Hardcase laughed, elbowing me as he walked past me with Jesse. I shrugged in response, only earning more laughter.

Fives threw his arm around my shoulder, dragging me with him out of the barracks and towards the hangar. "I always knew I liked you, Fett."

MANDO'A

Osik- shit

Jagyc- dick

Shebs- ass

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope everyone is staying up to date on the new episodes! They have been very very good through the Mandalore Arc. For any of you wondering, yes…. Kida will be a part of the Siege of Mandalore. And Order 66.

I am incredibly excited to eventually get there, but for now, am super pumped to be working my way through Umbara. (After this, it's the Zygerrian Arc and I'm very excited to finally bring in some of Kida's slavery memories and such! Yay backstory!)

As always, likes/reviews/questions/shares/reposts are always appreciated and encouraged!

-Ryder