Hela's

Hela turned over to find a warm body, lying next to her.

"Mayday?"

"Not expecting anyone else are you?"

His hand reached for hers, he couldn't turn over, it would disturb the bone knitter. So he was lying flat on his back, getting here quietly in the night had been problematical.

She ignored his question, hoping it was meant in jest.

"I left you alone because I didn't want to disturb your bone knitter. Plug said…."

"Plug said, Plug said. Is that all I'm going to hear while I'm here?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, medics! He has a lot to answer for."

Despite what he said Mayday liked and respected the tenacious medic, he knew they had to be that way to deal with the likes of him and he thought he was one of the reasonable brothers.

"Why did you come to sleep with me?" Asked Hela, pulling the sheet over him through habit.

"I'm used to it." He shuffled a bit, "I can take this off now can't I?"

She checked the time, "Yes. You have been listening to Plug."

The clips clicked off almost immediately and he grunted, as he slid it slowly to the floor.

"Did you really miss me in bed?" She continued, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Yes." He replied, turning back to her.

She leaned back and smiled.

"It's not very often that I sleep alone." He added.

"Pardon?" She asked, a pang of jealousy prodding at her.

"I've always slept with my brothers. When I was a cadet, we all slept together in our training squads. When we're deployed we sleep in the barracks. There's always a brother around. I have my own room now but on missions we're together, which is most of the time. Here…."

He heard the intake of breath that Hela took and subsequent sigh.

"I know the feeling. It took me a while to get used to sleeping alone when I first moved into my own place. Not this one."

He leaned closer to her, interested in her background.

"Tell me about it?"

She hesitated, looking at him.

"When was young and my family were alive, I always knew they were there. When I was in bed, my parents and sister were always in their own rooms but just across the landing. I felt safe." She paused for a few seconds, "then one day they weren't."

She stopped, he waited for her to continue thinking there was more that she needed to say. He was right.

"Then in the camp and the school. We were in dormitories but there were still people around. When I moved to my own place, there weren't. I was so lonely. Zur wasn't with me then, he came along a little later."

She let out a shuddering breath; Mayday felt her shiver, "I would lie awake at night listening to all the noises, wondering what they were. Until I become used to it, of course."

"Of course." Mayday confirmed, he knew she wasn't being entirely truthful about that time but he wasn't going to press her. She'd tell him when she was ready.

"It was a little better when Zur came to me, sometimes he would stay when we were working late and now I'm used to having him around all the time now, although it isn't permanent."

She stopped talking, feeling his arms wrap around her, pulling her closer to him and then his stomach rumbled.

"Breakfast?" She asked.

"You read my mind."

"No. Heard your stomach. I'll get your cane."

She slipped out of the bed, as he sat on it. He stood, wincing, it wasn't as bad as yesterday. He tried a few steps, and it was getting better.

"Here you are!" She held out the cane.

He looked at it in her hand, resenting the fact he still had to use it.

"Plug said you have to finish rehab, then no cane."

He took it and leant on it; the pain wasn't unbearable but it was there all the time. This alleviated it a little and he made his way to the kitchen. He couldn't go back until he was fully fit. He was a liability to his brothers until then.

"Kriffing Beast!" He muttered to himself, "they should have taken it to some unpopulated planet if they wanted to study it."

Standing at the door, he'd been immobile for a while and felt the need to be upright and move around, he stood watching, as she pulled things out of cupboards and the Conservator.

"You cooking it yourself?"

"Yes. Surprised?"

"A little." he watched, as she quickly and efficiently prepared the slices of meat.

"I can cook. I'm just normally too busy."

There was now a pile of food prepared on the counter.

"Eggs, Roba sausage and bacon. That okay?"

"Yeah. Have you got some of that brown sauce?"

"Of course. Make yourself useful and make the Caf."

"Where's Zur?"

"Not sure, he went out last night."

"So he's AWOL."

"I suppose so."

The smell of grilling meat filled the kitchen.

"There's fruit and blue milk in the conservator."

"Yes ma'am." He saluted but didn't miss the smile as she turned away from him to break the eggs into a bowl.

It didn't take long to cook everything and finally it was on the table.

"I've used this table more since you started coming over, than I ever did before." Hela said, as she put the plate of eggs down.

He sat and shuffled forward in his seat.

"So you really didn't eat properly before then."

"Didn't eat much home cooked food."

Mayday took a bite of the Roba sausage, "Hmm! This tastes good, just like Dex's."

"Who do you think taught me to cook?"

"He didn't?"

"He did. Except his special recipe sauce for his Ronto ribs. That's a highly guarded secret. Says it goes back to his great great great grandpappy. I'm not sure I believe him. I think he paid someone for it in the Outer Rim."

Mayday laughed, then winced, the pain in his hip came and went at the most inappropriate moments. He looked over to see her watching him closely with a little frown on her face.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, just a twinge."

"Alright the sooner we get you doing your exercises the better." She pulled out her datapad, "Plug recommends swimming first. Low impact. Rest. Then weights and stretching. That's just for today."

"I can think of another exercise we could do together."

"I'll bet. But later. I'm not jeopardising your recovery—yet."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She leaned over to kiss him. "Now I'll get this cleaned up while you finish."

"Were you at the Opera House when it was attacked?" he had never thought to ask before but she wasn't in rehearsals and he saw on HNN it had been partially destroyed.

She stopped, mid movement for a few seconds, then continued.

"We were. We had to take refuge in the old tunnels. Commander Thorn took charge, got us out."

He couldn't quite read the expression on her face, it looked like there was more to say. He waited.

"Good! I'd miss you."

She snorted as he turned to go to the fresher, needing to shower before swimming.

.

Mayday leaned on his cane and looked at the swimming pool in amazement. Part of it was landscaped to look natural with rocks and waterfalls but then it tailed off to an endless pool, to the side was a gym that rivalled anything they had at the GAR.

"When you said we can do the rehab here, I didn't think you meant all this!" He waved his arm around.

"Not many people use it and I only tend to use the pool. I should do more."

"Why?"

"I need to be fit for the operas or musicals now."

Her com beeped she checked it and declined the call.

"Problem?"

"No!"

It beeped again. She declined it again.

"It sounds like a problem."

"My agent. She's a pain! I try not to talk to her. But you need to get in the pool. Thirty minutes."

"Yes sir!" He saluted and jumped in.

Hela tutted as she stepped back from the back splash and set the timer.

Her com rang again. She walked up and down the pool, watching him, as she answered it.

"Editta! Long time no see." Hela answered and forced a smile.

"It always is Daaarling. Now did you look at that script and the score I sent over to you?"

"I've had a quick look at it."

"And what do you think?"

"The songs and score are great but…."

"But what Daaarling? With you there is always a but. Spill!"

"It's about Tookas."

"Yes."

"In the lower levels of Coruscant."

"Yes, Daaarling, totally different to what you have been used to doing. A step further to reaching a bigger audience, especially following this one with Frey."

"Are you approaching him too?" Asked Hela cautiously, not wanting to give her ideas.

"I may do."

"I don't know about this. Will it be straight after this run?" She replied, knowing if she gave a straight 'No' Editta would never leave her alone. This would buy her some time.

"They're trying to get everything in place for that time."

"I'd rather not then. There are some concerts I'd like to do."

"Ah yes Daaarling, the GAR concerts. You should have told me."

"They were in my spare time. Funded by me."

"It's very political."

"War is political."

"It may upset some people."

"Not the people that matter to me."

There was a pause before Editta spoke again.

"Have another look Daaarling. I've sent some more details over."

Hela waved at Mayday, he was powering through the water as if it was nothing; then she looked at the new information, frowning.

"Okay! I'll look when I have a spare moment."

"Daaarling, don't forget the Holonet Tonight Show. I'm arranging the date. Be letting you know. Bye Daaarling."

Hela shook her head and glanced over at Mayday, he was still swimming against the flow and doing well. He turned on his back, still swimming and grinned at her, then back on his stomach, never losing his pace.

She flicked through the new images of the costumes, "What?" She closed it down quickly, that would take some thinking about.

"Is there a problem?" asked Mayday, dragging himself out of the water up onto the side, without using the steps. There was nothing wrong with his upper body strength. He pulled a towel around his shoulders, as Hela watched the water dripping down his chest, highlighting the muscles there. He stood up straighter, knowing she was watching and dried his back.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, as she looked at the man dripping water in front of her, smudges of bruises still showing.

"Nobody should look like that after being swatted by a monster." She muttered.

He shrugged and grinned, "You didn't answer me."

"No. Not a problem. Just something I'm being asked to do something that I don't like."

He closed the gap between them and pulled her to him.

"Ew! You're wet."

But she didn't move away.

"Yes. But this thing you're being asked to do and this agent. I thought you had a choice."

"Sometimes." She muttered, as his hands ran up and down her back, distracting her, she felt herself lean into him, then pulled back, "Come on, you need to rest, eat and then lift weights this afternoon. Plug has sent a list of exercises you need to do."

"He would have." Muttered Mayday under his breath, as he pulled a shirt on and followed Hela, wishing he could help her with whatever was troubling her. Sometimes it was easier just blasting clankers, than negotiating natborns.

.

Mayday leaned back no longer hungry; somehow Hela had produced yet another tasty meal. He was beginning to get used to this and yet he was conflicted. He shouldn't be enjoying all this while his brothers weren't. A pang of guilt hit him.

"Didn't you like it?" Hela noticed his frown, "It was best nerf steak. You need protein to repair the muscles and carbohydrates for your metabolism. I don't want to have to give you those special ration cubes. Although Plug did give me some as back up."

He shook the frown off, telling himself that he deserved this, everything she was doing for him.

"I know," she continued, covering his hand with hers, "It's difficult being the one who survives. But at least your squad came through."

"Yes, they did. But if it wasn't for Tank, I may not be here."

"You can't think like that. You can't go through the 'ifs' that's not good."

She had done that enough herself.

"No, you're right. So what's this thing you don't want to do?" She was right he shouldn't dwell on what might have been.

"Are you ready for the weight exercises then?" Zur shouted from the door, interrupting them.

"Another thirty minutes. He's just finished eating." Hela retorted.

"Oh Kriff! There's two of them now." groaned Mayday.

.

ArmyMed

Cara watched the clone medic walk along the corridor, towards ArmyMed, while studying his datapad; it was not often she saw him but the last few weeks he had to visit another part of the non clone medical centre several times. Previously she had ignored him.

Not today.

She had been furious about her transfer here but it was either that or lose her job and she couldn't really afford to do that.

"You should talk to the men. The clones. You'd be surprised."

That's what the woman had said, as she was taking one home, the Commander with the Boneknitter on. Taking him into her house, from the bits of conversations she had heard. She had even held the clone's hand as they walked out. They looked close and the way he looked at the woman; she had never had a man look at her like that.

This was Cara's chance.

"Excuse me!" She shouted, "Excuse me!"

The clone stopped for a few seconds, then turned and she felt him study her.

Cara watched him, he was handsome in a rough sort of way, not at all the type she normally went for. Since she first started at the Medical Centre, she had got her eyes on a Doctor, no specific one but none of those relationships had worked out and she wasn't getting any younger. She had started this and now she had to continue.

"Would you like a Caf? I have a machine here." It sounded lame. She sounded lame.

He looked back along the corridor but still never said anything.

"We can sit for ten minutes, while you drink it. I've never seen you take a break. Do you have a break room?"

"Er no ma'am." He sounded and looked unsure but he had a good voice, a strong voice; it reminded her of her father. She recognised the accent it was the one they all had, some stronger than others.

"I have a room, as well, with comfy chairs. It's small but you're welcome to use it. Back here." She pointed behind her.

He still seemed unsure.

"I'm due a break. But it's lonely sitting on my own. It would be nice to have someone to talk to."

"Yes ma'am. I have a few minutes free."

The newborn's shout had taken him by surprise but Commander Mayday had a friend, a close natborn female friend from the looks of it. On his walks through the Medical Centre, Plug had seen how some of the natborn patients were treated with extra food and drinks and their families even brought in balloons when they recovered.

He didn't always go a direct route when he had to leave ArmyMed.

He switched off his datapad. All he and his brothers had were each other; in the beginning that was enough and for some it still was but this feeling of the unfairness of it all had started creeping up on him of late. He was sure that was also happening to Commander Mayday.

He stood in front of her desk.

"I'd really like that…Cara. Can I call you Cara?" He had read her name badge and before he realised it, he was talking to her like the Commander had spoken to his friend and he liked it.

"Only if I can call you something other than Clone."

She smiled at him.

He smiled back.

"They call me Plug—Cara."

"Welcome to my break room— Plug." She opened the door.

"You're right, it is small."

"Apparently its worked out on square feet per employee and I only qualify for this. And only because it would take me 15 minutes to walk to the Refectory, 5 minutes to buy a Caf and 15 minutes to walk back."

"I have an office but we have to rely on Supplies to bring us our food from the Mess and Caf. And it's normally cold by the time I get it."

"Oh, that's even worse. How do you take your caf?"

She had her back to him now and was setting up the machine. There was not much space in the room. Their legs were already touching; Plug moved his knees to one side.

"Strong. White with two, please." He sat and waited patiently, taking in her fragrance. He wasn't sure what it was but it was a much better smell than that of Bacta and his brothers. She turned, holding two steaming mugs of caf.

"Can I ask you why they call you Plug?"

"I was top of my class at plugging wounds to stop them bleeding."

Cara smiled, "It's as good a reason as any." She sat opposite and their knees touched, the room was that small. "How long have you been a medic?"

"Since I was decanted. I was assigned to it. Did all the training."

She blinked at him, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm prying."

"No, it's good to have people talk to us."

"Good?"

"Most people don't know what to say to us. So they ignore us."

"I'm sorry."

"Again— for what?"

"For doing that, ignoring you, before."

"You're not now."

"No. Can I ask another question?"

"Of course." Plug took another drink of the excellent caf.

"You said 'decanted' what exactly does that mean?"

Plug took a deep breath.

.