Reunion (#3 Post-Order 66 Series)

Reunion - Part 10

RUN.

She leapt into the forest, rolling down a steep embankment before pushing herself to her feet and taking off sprinting, the trees tearing at her clothes and skin.

"Senna." She felt Rex's warm breath against her ear as he whispered to her, and she blinked rapidly, clearing the fog of the memories. Turning, she looked into his amber irises. He searched her eyes, clearly concerned, and she smiled tightly at him.

"I'm alright."

"You're certain?"

"I am."

He watched her for a few more seconds before placing a kiss to her forehead and slipping his hand into hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "If it gets to be too much, you can come back. Echo, Tech, and I can scout this."

"Rex, I can do this."

"I know you can. But you don't have to, alright?"

She chewed her lip and nodded as he slid his helmet down over his face. The sight of the blue and white plastoid was very different from the green armor of the clones that had chased her, but something about it still sent a shiver down her spine. Senna shook her head, trying to shake loose the memories that continued to haunt her. If Rex noticed, he didn't comment on it.

The four of them carefully began picking their way through the thick jungle, Tech leading the way and making minor adjustments as they walked. It was slow going as they were forced to occasionally re-route around some hazards such as quicksand or large crevices. Senna did her best to stay on her feet, but found herself getting lost in her own thoughts quickly, tripping over vines and roots as her mind wandered. The fourth time Rex caught her arm, he pushed his helmet up, searching her eyes.

"Senna-"

"I'm fine," she lied. "I've always been clumsy. You know that." He clearly wasn't convinced, but she shrugged, plastering a tight smile across her features. "I'll try to be more careful." With that, she gave his arm a reassuring squeeze before gently tugging loose from his grasp. She heard the hiss of his helmet clicking back down and felt his eyes on her back as she tried to catch up with Tech.

After a few hours, they finally reached the smaller clearing Senna had vetoed as a landing spot. "It should be right around this area," Tech said, punching away on his datapad. "The EMI and heat signatures were coming from near this set of trees."

Senna turned, scanning the treeline of the clearing. Echo stood next to her, his voice low.

"I feel like we're being watched."

She closed her eyes, reaching out with the Force. They were there, on the edge of the clearing hiding in the thick underbrush, about a dozen or so. They're fearful. Not Imperials.

"That's because we are," she replied quietly. Rex's head snapped around, and both he and Echo reached for their blasters, but Senna put her hands on their wrists, halting them. She raised her hands, stepping towards a particularly thick set of bushes.

"We're not here to harm you," she called out, slowly making her way forward. "We're just looking for something. It's alright, I promise we're friends."

Suddenly, the bushes rustled and three massive, furry forms strode forward, roaring as they took aim with bow casters the size of Senna's arm.

"Wookiees," she gasped.

Echo, Rex, and Tech were reaching for their weapons again, but Senna whirled back to face them. "DON'T!"

One of the Wookiees was staring hard at her companions, and Senna noticed a shift in his face when Rex removed his helmet. The Wookiee roared angrily, charging at Rex. The captain had no time to react before he was dangling in the air by his throat as the Wookiee roared in his face. Senna gripped the Wookiee's arm as she felt anger roll off him like waves off heat off a flame. It's because he's a clone, she realized. He thinks Rex is one of the ones that betrayed and enslaved them.