Thirty One


"That's him, over there," Ahsoka whispered as she handed the macros over to Rex. She then rolled onto her back and stared up at him as he scanned the man they had travelled a long distance to find.

She could clearly see the small scar on his chin and wanted nothing more than to reach over and touch it.

Rex suddenly became aware of her proximity almost directly under him and smiled as he looked back down at her. It had been seven months since their arrival back on Oriis and while nothing could diminish the feelings he once shared with Gem, Ahsoka could sense the shift in his manner towards her.

It was a glimmer of hope.

She never mentioned her name, knowing full well Rex kept that part of his grief to himself. But just like the change of season, the sun was beginning to thaw his frozen heart.

"Fascinating," he said as he looked her over. Ahsoka couldn't help but reciprocate the warmth that he was finally willing to share.

"Ah cap, we have movement in the house."

The spell was broken as quickly as it was cast, leaving the Togrutan breathless on her back. Rex was acutely aware of the effect he had on her, and she had made it clear at the end of their relationship back on Coruscant that she had regretted her decision to let him go.

But like the former Jedi Master, Rex was a patient man, and secretly he enjoyed seeing her struggle emotionally.

It was something he said would always bring the Jedi undone; not being able to recognise the need for a physical partner.

Unlike the soldiers.

"Steady on," his voice still held the authority and calm it had always done when they served together and Ahsoka shook her head quickly to regain some clarity.

The screen door whizzed open and a small child bound through, heading straight into Stoyan's arms.

"Fives," Rex said low down the comm, "you're our eyes down there."

"Copy that." Fives was at the southern aspect of the property, closer to the house and held up behind a tree. "I can make out another figure inside the house. Suggest we sit tight for him to exit also."

"You say the word Fives and we'll - ," but Rex never did finish the sentence as the third person came out into full view on the verandah.

One, none of them, least of all Fives, were prepared to see.

.

If Niner thought that Rede was their biggest problem, he was sadly mistaken.

The lost commando that wanted to go home was a major headache.

They hadn't factored his ability to find them and then his brazenness of approaching their camp.

Niner needed time to think and work through the ramifications of returning back to Coruscant with this commando and minus their unit brother. A series of events had been put in place, one there was no foreseeable coming back from.

And every minute that ticked by was leaving them open to Imperial interpretation. The tracking system was now dismantled, and both Niner and Darman knew they would have to replace it if they were to take off and head home.

"I have no business with what when on back there. You have my word."

Another admission, a reminder of Niner's guilt.

The sarge was on a knife-edge, and Darman could see it by the way he was standing. Backed into a corner, he knew Niner would be thinking about fighting his way out, and right then, it looked to be their only option.

Darman was up for it. He was now fuelled by the decision to go, and nothing was going to stand in his way, especially after clipping the younger soldier on the back of the head and finishing the job with his vibroblade.

This guy was one of them, a commando who had been raised different to the regular soldiers.

It would be a tough fight, if it came to it.

Niner threw his gear down onto the ground as a display of frustration more than anything else.

He was losing it, the tether he had on everything was about to break.

"You see," he said as he sat heavily next to the equipment he and Darman had just ripped from the craft, "we have a problem of sorts now. We weren't intending to go back. Ever."

"I figured that as well."

"Things have changed back on Coruscant, we, you wouldn't know the place now the Empire has taken control."

"I'm not stupid, I see the vision, read the articles on the holonet. But I made a promise to someone that I intend to keep. I never asked to be left out here, I almost got back too. Look, we have to work out a way. I'll go off the grid once I'm there, to them I'm dead already. I just need to be dropped in."

Darman blew out a loud breath to register his disdain at this soldiers new mission, one that was fekking up his own.

But wouldn't he have done the same up until just recently?

"Come on Dar, it's not like we haven't been here before?"

Darman shot him a look, "that was different and you know it."

"No it wasn't, we were about to leave the night it went down and we would have if - ,"

"If what?" he spat back, "go on say it!"

Niner thought hard for a second, he wanted to scream, 'if Etain had of just done what she was fekking ordered,' but he knew he couldn't, wouldn't ever say what they both knew to be true.

So he told the other truth, the one he had to live with every day.

"If I hadn't fallen."

Darman stopped his rampage, his chest plate heaving as he tried to regain some control.

He knew better than that. Niner had beaten himself up daily that it was his fault Darman never left that night with Atin.

His only thoughts in the hospital were to make it his mission to get Dar back with his son.

Where he belonged.

"I need to speak to Kal," he said looking at Darman, "he'll know what to do."

"I know what he's going to say," Darman said with raised eyebrows.

Niner lent down and picked up his helmet, placing it over his head and tuning into the secure channel that had been programmed by the group on Coruscant.

Darman looked over at Gregor; he genuinely felt sorry for him. He had nothing against the guy, it's just returning this soldier so he could shack up with some woman didn't fit into any of his plans.

Darman grabbed the tracking devise and began to unscrew the housing.

Just in case.

"OK," Niner took the bucket off, "this is how it's going to go." He looked straight into Gregor's eyes and spoke clearly, so there would be no misinterpretation of anything that he was about to say.

.