Being sent back to the front lines was no easy thing. Especially when (Y/N) had come to care for her small squad. With every suicide mission they were sent on, the more she found herself becoming angered and frustrated by the Jedi. Especially when she was convinced they were doing it on purpose most of the time. There was a few missions easier than other, where they found there was less pressure on them or helping other Jedi General's and their legions, when they were in need of it most.
With each stop to refuel or resupply, the group of five found themselves thinking over what would happen when the war was over. It was no secret the Jedi were losing the trust of the people, they fought to protect. Just as it was no secret those same people believed they had lost their way. (Y/N) could sense the growing uncertainty and distrust people had in the Jedi Order, even fear of what would eventually happen with the end of the continuing war. Every war, every new battle was the same. The senate would argue over the little things and never seemed to solve anything, always involved in their own war, while the Jedi and clones fought and died on the front lines to protect the people the Senate had long since abandoned and forgotten about.
"For you, Mesh'la" whispered Crosshair. He'd looked to see what his brothers were doing before holding out a simple styled bracelet. Something that would easily blend in and could be concealed if needed. (Y/N) smiled at the gesture, yet knew it had a far greater meaning than others would likely realize. The silver haired sharp shooter, soon took hold of her right wrist with gentleness, placing her hand on his shoulder as he carefully placed the bracelet around her wrist. Ensuring she could see the black band clearly and the small inscription carved into the silver links. "So you'll have something to remember me by" calmly added the sniper, a small smirk appearing on his lips.
(Y/N) had trusted Crosshair with her spare lightsaber upon returning to the battlefield. Wherever he went he carried it, in case anything happened to her usual one. Crosshair had taken the gesture to heart, feeling prideful. Even more so when he knew it was a sign of trust. Tech, Wrecker and Hunter fought at her side, she trust them to have your back. She showed her trust in them on every mission. Yet Crosshair, also seen the lightsaber as something to remember her by. He was well aware a Jedi's lightsaber was their life, so knew (Y/N) trusted him with her life as much as each member of his squad trusted her with theirs.
The forbidden love between (Y/N) and Crosshair was something known by few. Crosshair had told Hunter, Tech and Wrecker of it, where as (Y/N) had informed her closest friend in Anakin of it, trusting him as he had trusted her. Yet she was also certain Yoda and Obi-wan were also aware of it. Much like they had both had knowledge of Anakin's secret yet forbidden marriage. Although like with Anakin, neither Jedi Master had spoken a word of it to anyone else.
"We're being hailed by Cody" spoke Tech from the cockpit. His voice serious as he found relief about being back on the Marauder. Especially after their latest mission to Yvain Prime. Each of them had been caught off guard, although Wrecker had enjoyed the chaos to have broken out, with the arachnids, even more so when he had been the cause of it. The spiders only adding another obstacle to the battle at hand, although they did also attack the battle droids they'd been sent to eliminate.
"Commander" respectfully spoke (Y/N), nodding in respect. Almost instantly she sensed the transmission was an urgent one, after all it wasn't very often Cody reached out, especially when she was well aware the 212th had been deployed to Anaxes, along side the 187th and 501st. Yet it did bring up the question of which suicide mission they'd be sent on this time. Especially when all knew it was Admiral Trench overseeing the Anaxes battles for the Separatists.
"General (Y/L/N). Your assistant is required here on Anaxes. I believe the tactics you and Clone Force 99 use, will help us gain the upper hand" politely responded Cody, as always skipping to the point, although it was clear to (Y/N) there was something else he wasn't saying. "We'll be there as soon as we're done here" responded (Y/N), seeing the relief wash over Cody's features, he offered a small nod before ending the transmission. (Y/N), soon turned her attention to the four men around her, seeing they seemed relieved to know where they'd be going next. Although they seemed just as tired. (Y/N) could tell Hunter was getting overwhelmed, the way he pinched the bridge of his nose. Just as she could tell the war was taking its toll of Wrecker, Tech and Crosshair too. Tech rubbed his head, where as Wrecker had gone quiet, almost as if the war reminded him of the harsh bordering on torturous training they'd gone through as a cadets. Crosshair on the other hand stayed close to her, as if she offered an unspoken comfort. (Y/N) new she settled his anxious feelings when this got too much for each to handle.
Even now she could still recall the time Crosshair had opened his mind to her. Showing her just how thankful he was to be under her command and how much her kind and gentleness had effected not only him, but his brothers also. If (Y/N) was truthful, she was scared when he first allowed her to see his memories, when he showed her a far more vulnerable side of himself, a side only his brothers had seen. She could remember feeling the pain and fear of his cadet training before she'd come on the scene, just as she could remember the state Crosshair had seen his brothers in from their own rigorous tests and training. Tech slurring his words from the constant brain scans, Hunter complaining the light in the room was too bright even when it was on its lowest setting and how the scent of the room burnt his air ways. Even how the Sargent had cried himself to sleep. Wrecker was no better, often complaining of being in pain normal strain, until one day his pain showed physically with the injury to scar him. The Kaminoans had reported it as a plasma burn from a blaster exploding, but anyone who knew the system knew it wasn't the case. The injury had instead been inflicted by an instructor, after Wrecker had refused to do as demanded.
(Y/N) had returned the favor, showing Crosshair her life before the Jedi, at least answering why so many distrusted her, despite her status as a peacekeeper and Jedi. Yet she had also allowed him to find the answer on why she feared med-bay and hospital, having been tortured in a similar setting for almost three weeks. Both she and her master in Quinlan Vos had been attacked on an otherwise normal assignment, both captured and tortured, constantly moved from place to place. The kicker being she was only a child at the time, her first assignment after joining the Jedi. (Y/N) could recall so clearly how she had called for her father in Maul on several occasions, even wishing for it to end one way or another on several occasions, despite her young age. Although the Jedi had eventually launched a rescue mission, they did little in the way of comfort, only Anakin, Obi-Wan and her master had really done anything.
Crosshair had a greater understanding of (Y/N) after that, even making the silent vow of never allowing her to need a trip to the med bays. Even when he was no expert, he could say for sure she suffered from PTSD, something he doubted the war was doing much to help. Yet he gained a better understanding of her as a person. Why she bounded so quickly with the clones rather than the Jedi, why she'd preferred to be alone rather than around others, even when she was how she was. She had long since accepted her role as an outsider to the Jedi even when she had been trained as one, she had accepted her role as the daughter of a Sith Lord and what her eventual fate would be.
Yet even he could see her concerns. (Y/N) had been on Dathomir before the wars started, the Chancellor insisting she go there for some reason. Yet in secret he knew (Y/N) was Maul's daughter, he wanted her to reconnect with the dark side and attune her senses again, to remember the power she had been forced to abandon. Almost as if he wanted her to know he was the Sith Lord the Jedi were looking for. Knowing if she raised her concerns it would be ignored. In a similar way to how it was when she correctly predicted Maul would return.
(Y/N) had said her father would come back, the moment she recognized the unknown Zabrax warrior as Savage Opress, Maul's brother. Sure enough mere weeks later, Maul had returned with a vengeance. Only then did the Jedi apologize for ignoring her. Yet it was clear (Y/N) had lost further trust in them, and she had began to lose her faith in their will to listen.
"What's bothering you?" voiced Hunter, his attention solely on his commanding General. Tech and Crosshair also the same, where as Wrecker had wondered off from the cockpit, in search of something to keep him busy, the quietness often doing more damage than the war. (Y/N) soon shook her head, clearly the cobwebs of her thoughts away, she trusted her small team, they never questioned her orders or told her she was anything less than she was. They treated her as family, something she was almost a stranger to before.
"I sense the war coming to an end" responded (Y/N), unsure of her own words. She knew her abilities in the force were powerful, hence she always listened when the force was telling her something. "The Chancellor hides something, just as I sense Fives accusations were true" added the woman known as the Night Princess, at least showing Fives attempts to get people to listen hadn't been in vain, she had listened, as she had done with Rex when he voiced his concerns. Yet she was also well aware the Chancellor was the Sith Lord the Jedi looked for, yet knew her words would fall on deaf ears, she knew she would be called out for treason if she voiced it.
"Whatever happens Cyar'ika. You'll always have us" commented Crosshair, as Tech picked up his data-pad, as if intrigued by what it was Fives had been saying before his death at the hands of the Shock Troopers. He at least knew it was something that concerned the Kaminoans, their last trip back their proved that, the way they acted about the question of the Inhibitor chips, the secrecy becoming more obvious as security on the labs was upped drastically. (Y/N) could only nod, to show she heard his words, finding comfort in them and their loyalty to her.