Saleucami

"He's what?" Cody exclaimed, trying desperately to control his anger that Grievous had slipped their net again, with yet more losses.

He channelled it, as he had been taught for years and as the war had reinforced for him. Uncontrolled anger by anyone had unforeseen consequences.

"He's headed towards the planet, sir. We're monitoring." Mayday confirmed, "Looks like his escape pod's been damaged. Its trajectory is all over the place. Tracking it now."

"Copy that!" Cody heard himself say, as he waited to get back into the battle. His adrenaline levelled out, but he still needed it.

.

Mayday tried to put the image of the Surrogator exploding out of his mind, compartmentalised its demise, he knew that was what Cody was doing now and everyone of his brothers, it was how they were trained. It was how they continued to fight and was part of the reason why they were the best. Fight now, mourn later.

He should have been on that ship.

"Cody, Rex and Mayday, we need more forces on the ground to track him. Join me!"

"Yes sir."

This was more like it. "Veetch, Hexx and Esk squad with me. We're going hunting."

"General Skywalker will continue the space battle." Kenobi continued, "perhaps we can finally end him…..end this."

.

"There's a number of escape pods nearby, sir." Advised Hexx, who had done a preliminary scan of the landing area. "I'm sending you their coordinates. There should have been more."

Kenobi divided his forces; not the best course of action but Grievous had to be found.

"Captain Rex, take some of your best troopers to the wetlands. Cody! Investigate the crash site."

He stroked his beard.

"Mayday take a squad to the North, search everywhere, account for every pod. I want him found."

"Yes sir. Veetch! Hexx! Let's go!"

They were remembering and avenging their brothers in their own way.

.

"Sir!" The call came through on the squad channel from Fi'ika, one of the shinies. The lad looked as if he had not shaved yet they were sending them out so young now.

"I've been monitoring the Seppie chatter and I can locate Grievous. He's signalled his fleet."

"Are you sure Fi'ika? We don't want to go on a wild Nuna chase."

"Yes sir. I'm still following it. He's still transmitting. He's waiting for evac."

"Well done! Continue monitoring."

"Sir!" Mayday patched himself through to Ghosts squad's channel. "Fi'ika's been monitoring some of the Seppie chatter and picked up a signal Grievous has sent to the Separatist fleet. We've pinpointed him. We're too far out. You're nearer, I'm sending you the coordinates now. We'll head there as back up, Mayday out."

The commander's message gave Obi Wan hope, revenge was against his Jedi training but he had fallen into that trap before and regretted it, partially. Maul had been a Sith. Grievous was not much better.

This was not revenge for his lost men, the clones who had no choice, the men like Cody who obeyed his orders without question but with humour and compassion to their fellow brothers. This was not revenge for the agony of loss he caused Plo Koon! Losing nearly all his men.

Obi Wan kept telling himself.

Removing Grievous would prevent more loss of lives.

He told himself again.

"Cody, Jesse, with me!"

They set off to the coordinates, pushing their Barq bikes to the limit. Cody had never seen his General so determined to get an enemy.

They caught up with him.

"Mayday?" Cody asked.

"We're still ten minutes out, sir."

"Copy that!"

Kenobi confronted Grievous, duelled with him briefly, lightsabers crashing together, sparks flying, before Grievous, leapt up towards droid's shuttle and made his escape.

Mayday and his squad halted their barqs and watched as Grievous left.

"Fuck!" Muttered Mayday.

"I second that!" Hexx replied.

.

"So Rex, how are you doing?" Asked Mayday, nursing his elbow, a stray blaster bolt had caught him just above it but he had fought on and was luckier than most. Hexx has caught one in the chest too, a few abandoned droids had emerged after Grievous left and he was in Bacta now. Veetch was checking on him, while Mayday caught up with a few of his brothers from way back.

Kix insisted Rex go to Medbay for a check up after returning from the planet; he stood fixing the last few items of armour on, running his hand across the scorch marks on his old chest plate. He would need to requisition a new one.

"It was an interesting form of transport you used to return on." noted Mayday, leaning against the door frame of the Medbay, "I'm sure there's a fascinating story there."

Rex had the best stories and told them well but it was never to inflate his ego. It was always to show his brothers in a good light and Mayday had to admit the 501st were one of the best. It was something to aim for.

In this case it was Jesse and Kix.

"It's an Eopie and I'm sure Kix and Jesse have updated you."

They had.

"So was she good looking?"

"You know she was." Mayday knew Jesse would have described her in graphic detail, even though he had only spoke with her for a few minutes.

"Did she have that accent?"

"You know she did." Jesse would have never left that out, "Thought there was another voice you liked." Rex came back.

Whoa! Something had definitely happened, if Rex went on the offensive, he normally liked to relate his war stories.

"Hela performed a concert for us. Some of your lads were there."

"Yeah, I heard."

"First one I've heard of." Admitted Mayday.

"It is. So why?" Rex narrowed his eyes pushing his advantage.

"She wanted to say thank you."

"Yeah!" Rex replied dismissively, "for what?"

"For what we do."

"We, or you?"

"I've done nothing." Mayday replied truthfully.

"Yet!" Rex shot back, grinning.

Mayday shook his head, "I see you've recovered. I'll be seeing you."

Rex didn't see Mayday's grin as he left Medbay and walked down the corridor.

.

Coruscant

The Chancellor's Office

Hela sat waiting for the Chancellor to finish his meeting with his advisors. She was surprised to see Orson leave with Mas Amedda, followed by a Captain Tarkin, Isard and others she didn't recognise.

Orson nodded to acknowledge her; she had not seen him since that night. She was slightly astonished to see the Chancellor meeting with men and women who were not high ranking advisors, as most she had seen in his office were, Senators mainly.

Mas Amedda waved her in, that was odd in itself. She walked in, apprehensively and she knew the reason why, when she saw the Chancellor sitting at his desk, rubbing the side of his head, as if trying to relieve a headache.

"Chancellor, are you ill?"

"When did you stop calling me Sheev? "

His question surprised her; they had this unspoken rule. When she saw him at the Chancellor's office or in an official capacity, she addressed him as the Chancellor, anywhere else, if it was informal, it was by his first name. He had told her that when he had personally picked her up from the final displaced persons camp, just before he brought her to Coruscant after she had been ill; she had been told. She couldn't remember much of that time but they had been told it was to do with the ordnance the Droids had used.

Ben had been there to supervise, with Anakin by his side, the Jedi had helped with the relocation of children but the Chancellor had taken a special interest in several children. Those with gifts. She had been lucky, she had shown this musical ability.

"I thought this was official? Are you ill?"

"No my dear." He rose and gestured to the settee, sitting next to her as she sat.

"No. I'm not ill my dear, my doctors have confirmed that. Just feeling my age a little and this is very taxing, with the war. So many parts to supervise but thank you for your concern. Then there's the Jedi…Ah. Tea."

Hela sat down and took the cup of tea.

"You haven't been to many of my performances this season, have you. You should relax more."

"Yes my dear. I should and would, but for the war. Now this concert you gave."

Hela took a deep breath waiting for the 'I'm disappointed in you' talk. He had disagreed with her doing the concert and she only ever had a few talks like that from him before but the feelings she had from them lingered for days, even weeks afterwards making her feel uncomfortable.

"It was very kind of you and just what the troops needed. Some of the Jedi were not happy, thinking you were interfering on my behalf but I explained it was all your idea and Master Plo Koon defended you."

"He did?" She had expected to hear Obi Wan's name.

"If you wish to do more, you have my blessing."

"Thank you. I was expecting…."

"Me to be angry?"

"Yes."

"When have you ever seen me angry with you?"

She couldn't remember any anger, as such, just overwhelming disappointment, "You haven't. You've only ever been supportive."

He nodded.

"Now my dear," he continued, before taking another sip of his tea, "I feel much better already but this new project you have. Tell me all about it."

He watched her closely, as she spoke animatedly about the new musical, feeling the flows and eddies in the ever changing Force showing him the way forward.

There would be more opportunities.

.

Mayday watched the Concierge Droid of Hela's Apartment complex, as he walked up with the confidence of any Commander in the GAR and a fully trained ARC trooper. He could take down any droid, and would.

"Commander Mayday to see Ms Nim." He announced, and turned before the droid had a chance to reply; walking to the lifts. He stopped and heard no tinnie clanking after him. They all sounded the same to him, unless they were on rollers.

He allowed himself a smile as he keyed in the floor number. He had the code to the apartment memorised ready; the lift started and he listened to the non music piped through as he rode up.

He sniffed the flowers, unsure about them; Hexx had obtained them for him at the last minute. Veetch always said he was good at procurement and Mayday knew why now; he didn't always go through regular channels but Mayday knew that before he accepted the transfer in. He was part of his fledgling battalion now and was good for morale. The men were gradually knitting together.

He sniffed again, taking in the heady fragrance and the vibrant blue colour and he wondered if it was over the top.

The lift door pinged open. He was not on the correct floor yet.

An elderly woman entered; he automatically moved forward and held the door open for her.

"Thank you young man." She addressed him, "I'm not as quick as I used to be." She seemed to be breathing a little fast as they continued upwards.

"Just been to see my friend. He's not so good nowadays. Then he got caught in those explosions."

She looked him up and down and then fixed her stare on the flowers.

"Ooh! Blue Plom blooms." She drew closer to them and sniffed, "Hmm. Beautiful. Their perfume is gorgeous, much better and longer lasting that the red, whoever receives these is a very, very lucky person."

She looked him up and down again.

"Soldier?"

"Yes, ma'am." He straightened up a little.

"What rank are you?"

"Commander, Ma'am. Commander Mayday."

"You look very young to be a soldier, and a Commander, as well. In my day Commanders were all grizzled old men."

"I'm old enough ma'am."

She nodded slowly, "Yes, I'm sure you are."

He watched, she stood ramrod straight now and was dressed impeccably. White hair pulled into a tight bun, behind her head.

"Did you serve?" He asked.

"Admiral Ella Rys, Republic Navy - retired."

She snapped a smart salute to him.

He returned it.

She watched the numbers go by, "Is it Hela by any chance?" She asked, "She told me about the Concert. She's a good girl, that one."

"Yes ma'am."

"She asked me what I thought soldiers would like to hear."

"She chose well ma'am."

"Good but that doesn't tell me what she sang. I wasn't sure if she would be up to it."

"She was, ma'am, very." the lift stopped, "I think this is your floor."

"It is, isn't it. Lucky, lucky girl. If I was thirty years younger….."

The door opened.

"You look after that girl. I do love her singing."

.

Hela opened the conservator and searched inside; there was very little left. She would need to put an order in. Zur seemed to eat a lot. She hummed away at the latest song she was learning and adjusted her full set headphones so there was no distraction from outside noises. So she heard only the music. She hadn't committed the words to memory yet, this was just the melody.

Pulling out the cheese and crackers, she decided that would have to do. There were some berries as well. She boiled the water ready to make the tea.

"La-la-la-la-la—laa—la-la-la-la." She sounded out the melody and the timing. The words were another thing. This was not the normal opera she sang but more lightweight. A comedy.

Some said it was beneath her but so far she was looking forward to it.

She stuck her head in the conservator again, she was hungry and wanted something more.

.

Mayday reached the door; he checked his comlink. He had messaged her when he was on his way but there was no reply but she had said to just go in, if she wasn't there.

He entered the apartment. It was large, larger than he expected but empty and the lights were low.

"Hela? Are you in?"

He took another step in; he didn't feel comfortable being here, if she wasn't, even though he had her permission.

"Hela is that you? It's Mayday."

He listened, there was no reply, then he heard movement. He carefully placed the flowers on the side table and pulled his blaster out ready, moving slowly and quietly forwards, towards the noises.

Hela pulled out some cold meat and added it to the plate, still humming the tune. She was looking forward to this, with a new Tenor, who was younger and funnier. Balancing the plate on one hand and holding her mug in the other, she backed out of the kitchen, pushing the swing doors with her backside. She closed her eyes as she memorised the last stanza. Then she took a step forward and opened her eyes.

The blaster barrel was pointed straight at her. It was all she could see. She couldn't feel anything, hear anything and couldn't move.

The droid and its blaster filled her vision.

Mayday watched the plate and mug drop from Hela's hands but she didn't move.

"Hela. I'm sorry."

Mayday rushed towards her, she wasn't moving and didn't see him. He grabbed her by the arms, shaking her, "Hela!" He wasn't sure what was happening, then he saw her eyes. She wasn't looking at him but past him.

Hela felt herself being shaken, the droids and blaster disappeared, instead there was Mayday.

"May…day?" She stuttered! Pulling her headphones down.

"You scared me." He said, holding her at arms length studying her, "What was that?" He had an idea, he'd seen brothers have flashbacks, especially after Geonosis. She looked very much like they did.

"You scared me!" She retorted, coming back to her normal self.

"I messaged you." He nodded to her comlink which was flashing.

"Sorry. I was engrossed in learning a new song."

"New?"

"Yes. A whole different type of musical for me."

He smiled, she sounded excited and it was infectious.

Mayday spotted the service droid, unfolding itself; he watched it carefully as it headed towards them to clear the mess.

Hela looked over his shoulder, spotting the flowers. "Are they for me?"

"No, they're for the droid."

"I don't think it would appreciate them." Then she grinned as she picked them up and smelled them with closed eyes, "Beautiful! My favourite! How did you know?"

"I guessed." He had no idea where Hexx had even got them and didn't ask. He didn't want to know because it would probably entail a lot of flimziwork completion. He was surprised when she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'm glad you finally came."

His arms automatically reached around her, holding her to him.

"So am I." He looked down at her; her hair was longer on top than he remembered and she had blue tips in it.

"I need to get these in water." She stared up at him.

"You do." He still held onto her.

"So I need to move."

"Pity. I like you here."

"I like me here but I don't want the flowers to die. They're from you."

He reluctantly let her move and followed her to what was the kitchen. It was big, bigger than he ever thought a kitchen that wasn't part of a ship's mess could be.

He watched her as she prepared the flowers, cutting the stems shorter, then she opened a cupboard. It was full of vases. His heart sank; she obviously received a lot of flowers.

"You get a lot of flowers?" He asked.

"Yes. But never blue ploms." She arranged the flowers in the vase, so they made a perfect dome shape, then turned around. "And never from you before. So they're perfect."

She placed them on a small table then sat down and patted the space next to her, "Now we wait five minutes while they settle."

"Settle?" He asked as he sat as close to her as he possibly could. She didn't move but leaned into him.

"Just wait."

She slipped her hand in his and squeezed; he waited. He was not going to argue with this.

Five minutes were soon up.

"You said five…." Then he saw, the blooms slowly opened fully and the perfume hit him, it was intense.

"That's why they're amazing and made more so as you brought them to me."

She leaned up and kissed his cheek again; he pulled her onto his knee, holding her there.

"This is nice." She smiled, there was a mischievous look in her eyes, "But not what you expected.

"I'm not complaining." he wasn't entirely sure what he expected. Any plans he had, had gone sideways.

"Yet!"

He didn't answer but cupped the back of her head and gently put his mouth against hers, testing. She responded, opening her mouth to him and he accepted the invitation, his tongue slipped in and he heard a soft moan as the kiss became more heated, until they pulled apart to catch their breath.

"Better?"

"Much." He stood up lifting her with him.

"Where are we going?" She asked breathlessly, holding on tight.

"Bed."

"Third on the left."

"Yes ma'am." He kissed her again.

Shouldering the door open, he moved towards the bed, their mouths never breaking contact as he lowered her, until he pulled from her and dragged her top over her head. He leaned over looking at her lying there, waiting, and pulled at his uniform undressing as fast as he could armour up.

He knelt over her and dragged her leggings down, aware she was looking at all of him, how aroused he was. He lowered himself onto her slowly, his mouth finding hers again, feeling her nails drag down his back. He rolled to his right bringing her with him. She was on top, for a few seconds, and braces herself on his shoulders, before they rolled again and she felt his full weight back on top of her.

He dragged his mouth slowly to her ear and nibbled, blowing air on the wet area, sending every hair on the back of her neck on edge.

A low involuntary moan left her throat.

Hela held the back of his head, as he worked his way down to her chest, where he began to kiss around her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth and toying with it, with his tongue. She writhed under him, as the sensations built up, moving her hips against him. He moved from one side to the other. She let him go and grabbed the silky material beside her. She had never felt such abandon, so quickly before.

He slowly moved to her stomach, kissing and pulling at every piece of her with his mouth and then continued lower until she gasped and grabbed his head.

Looking down at the man situated between her legs; he had stopped for a second, looking back at her then changed position, holding her thighs open.

Leaning up, "Are you sure?" she whispered.

"I'm sure." she leaned back, as his hands reached back up her torso, kneading each breast hard. He could hear the soft moans and noises she made in response to him. It was gratifying that he could do something more than simply kill Clankers. She allowed him to continue to arouse her further and further until her back arched and her head pushed its way into the mattress beneath.

He made his way back to her mouth, kissing her lips gently and waiting for her breath to return before he manoeuvred himself over her, bracing himself on his elbows either side of her head. She reached for him, her hand slowly stroking him then wrapping around his erection. It was his turn to gasp now.

She opened herself up to him, guided him and gasped as he steadily pushed in; then he stopped to control himself for a moment, leant over to kiss her again, all open mouthes and tongues, then he began a regular rhythm, as her legs wrapped around his thighs. He reminded himself, that he knew exactly what to do, he had done this before but he was still nervous; this was different for him not the snatched relief after a battle from of a grateful victim of the war, or a citizen looking for something different, something to brag about.

He compartmentalised, allowing his body to take control, to satisfy his need and the woman beneath him, as they both headed to their own climax.

.

Hela stretched out, she had slept well; she reached out to the side of her but the bed was empty. She sat bolt upright. His uniform was still folded on the chair. MA1d, was under strict instructions not to touch it. Hela had programmed the droid early on before he even came, after there had been a problem with one of Orson's jackets.

She stretched again before getting out of the bed and pulling on a wrap.

"It's either the fresher or the kitchen. Men are predictable."

The fresher was empty but she needed it then headed for the kitchen.

She stood in the doorway watching him; he was clad in only black shorts. But even then his back was impressive. She took a few seconds to appreciate him. She had never even imagined Cody could look like that. "Hi there!"

"Oh, hi. I was making caf."

"Is that all I get?"

He put the mug down and pulled her to him, kissing her hard. He felt her arms slide around him holding him until he pulled away, resting his chin on her head.

"Any more like that and I'm never going to let you go back." she murmured.

"Good Morning, love birds. Any caf going?"