Star Wars the Clone Wars - One shots

Left With Nothing

Fives wants some answers about his missing Commander, but Skywalker doesn't want to talk.

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It had been a while since Fives served with the 501st.

With the war progressing and less Jedi Knights available to go on solo missions, there was no shortage in demand for ARCs to be called to action. Fives liked being busy- it kept his mind off the people he'd lost- Denal, Echo, Ahsoka.

Fives looked over at Skywalker who was sat opposite him, fiddling with his mechanical hand. He knew the Jedi only fidgeted like that when he was angry. It had been over a month since his Commander had left the Jedi Order, and only two weeks since Fives found out through Cody.

He didn't blame his brothers for not telling him sooner. It was a big change, and a negative one at that. Within a number of days, they lost one of the only people who saw them as something else than just flesh-droids.

They said she walked away with nothing but the clothes on her back, but Fives knew she took some hearts with her.

He hadn't seen Rex so much as smile during the entire mission, Jesse didn't laugh when the tent canvas collapsed on Tup's head, and Skywalker... well, he was a different man.

Fives sighed, examining his Jedi- his only Jedi, now. There were lines on Skywalker's forehead that hadn't been there before, and his clothes hung off like rags. They'd been on this planet for three rotations, and he hadn't got a minute worth of sleep.

The ARC didn't blame him. The tent that Skywalker and Ahsoka used to share on missions was pitched beside the mess- the GAR hadn't thought about giving him a smaller one to make the space seem less expansive.

Fives knew how it felt. He still had to sleep in the bottom bunk in the ARC trooper barracks on Coruscant (Echo always took the top one).

"You can go to sleep, if you like, Fives," Skywalker said, making the clone startle slightly. "We aren't going to get attacked."

It was the first time he had spoken to him since the others went to sleep.

"ARCs know better than to assume, sir." Fives replied, trying to keep his tone light, "I don't mind keeping you company."

Skywalker hummed in response, not stopping his task of trying to connect two wires. Fives nearly offered some assistance before stopping himself. Ahsoka used to help him if he couldn't handle it himself.

"It's been- uh," Fives exhaled shakily, "quieter, since the Commander left, General."

Another hum. Skywalker turned his body a fraction, Fives instantly recognising the action as one of avoidance from a subject. Rex said he banned the Commander's name from being spoken on the Resolute.

Fives didn't know how desperate he was for Skywalker to just say 'she' or 'her'. Why did it ache so bad to not hear the Togruta's bright laugh or see her montrals sticking out during a briefing? It was like an itch that Fives couldn't scratch, it would only settle when Skywalker gave him some answers.

"What was she accused of?"

"Terrorism." Skywalker answered bluntly, not looking up from his work. "And killing clones."

Fives couldn't help but scoff, "The Commander wouldn't do that."

Skywalker's expression went tense for a moment, "Try telling the Council."

Fives didn't know what else to say. Cody had been vague when he told him what happened, sparing him the details due to the lack of security on the comm channel they were talking on.

He knew Ahsoka had been set up by someone close to her. Skywalker was the one to find out who the true culprit was, and that practically saved Ahsoka's skin.

The Chancellor was seconds away from giving her the death sentence...

Black straps over orange skin. Big, blue eyes pleading with someone who held a lethal injection. The General watching through a window, hand pressed against the glass. The 501st in mourning, adjourning their helmets with a black trim- adding their Commander's name to their list of the ones who didn't make it.

Fives blinked a few times. His Jedi couldn't read minds, but Skywalker was surprisingly good at peering through shields. Ahsoka was good at it too.

The ARC wondered if he would ever see the sparky Togruta again. He had a funny feeling that she would someone get herself twisted into this war once more. He hoped she didn't have too many nightmares. Would she ever think about him or the rest of the boys?

Would she ever give Rex a proper goodbye?

No goodbye, vod, Cody told him. She just left. It was like she completely gave up on us, on all of this.

I don't blame her, Fives had replied, I wouldn't want to stay after being hunted down like a rat.

Cody inhaled sharply afterwards. Orders are orders, you know how it is.

Good soldiers follow orders.

"Have you and the boys been on any exciting missions lately?" Fives asked, unable to bear the deafening sound of his own thoughts. He could just hear the men snoring inside the closest tent, and there were a few nocturnal creatures on this planet, but it was still quiet- too quiet outside his head.

"Nothing exciting." Skywalker replied, finally pulling his glove back on with a frustrated sigh.

Fives pressed his lips together when his General didn't ask what he had been up to over the past month. Skywalker used to love stories- both telling them and hearing them. Now, it seemed like he had nothing to say.

Maybe he just wasn't paying attention to anything around him anymore.

Fives didn't blame him. It was easier to block everything out.