Across the Stars

Chapter 27

Rex sighed as he watched the Zillo beast be hoisted by several ships out of the crater, being shipped to Coruscant. It had taken lives in a battle specifically designed not to lose any more brothers. Rex should have known better, every battle had a cost. It always did. A flashing on his comm indicated Kix was trying to get a hold of him, so Rex forced his tired feet to march one after the other back to the temporary barracks of Malastare.

He heard Fives before he entered the medical tent.

"I'm fine Kix just slap bacta on it and I'm good to go!"

"Fives I swear you are going to be the death of me. You have an fracture in your ankle and it will take time for medicine to actually work and if you start walking around on it you're going to just make it worse!"
"Vode just sit still for the night." That tired voice was Echo, trying to reason with his brother. "We'll be back to Coruscant in a few rotations and you should be able to have your fun there."

Rex pulled back the flap to see an exhausted Echo holding Fives down by the shoulders while Kix was wrestling with Five's arms trying to stick some sort of medicine in his neck.

"Dank Ferric Fives HOLD STILL!" Kix hollered.

"Unhand me you fools!" Fives cried out dramatically. "Who needs ankles anyway?! They're overrated!"

"You're overrated!" Kix yelled before finally getting his hand past Fives' waving arms and sticking the injector in his neck. "There." He sighed.

"I'll get you when I wake up Kix..." Fives' voice slowly faded as whatever Kix had gave him took over and he fell fast asleep.

Echo pulled a hand over his face and sat down. "That di'kut is going to be the death of me."

Kix moved down to Fives' ankle which had turned purple and swollen and started wrapping it with bandages. "Not if I kill him first." He muttered.

"Well, that would ruin the whole point of healing him." Rex said walking up to the table.

Echo snapped into a crisp salute and then sat down hard on the stool when Rex waved for him to be at ease. "He doesn't make it easy," he said.

"Echo, go and get some shut eye before I tell Kix to give you what he just gave to Fives." Echo looked up his captain and then back at Fives. For a moment he looked like he would protest, but one glance at Kix as he grabbed the injector again had him on his feet and out the door of the tent.

After Echo had left Kix turned and handed a datapad to Rex.

Rex closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he forced himself to read every name listed on the datapad.

The names of the fallen.

In a battle for a creature the Jedi argued had an innate right to live.

What about their right to live? Rex though angrily as he scrolled through name after name.

Those thoughts bordered on treason.

And yet, Rex couldn't help but wonder.

Did anyone care?

***

Rex, Fives, and Echo walked with purpose. Clones were becoming more and more of a common site on Coruscant, but there were fewer inside the senate building, and fewer still near the private quarters of the various senators.

But if they pretended like they belonged, no one paid attention. At least, no one cared enough to look past the armor.

The rest of the 501st was either getting needed rest or at 79's pushing sleep and nightmares aside as long as they could.

Rex, Fives, and Echo however, had an appointment.

As the door whooshed open to Shira's quarters, they were greeted by the wonderous smell of exotic spices and meats from Shira's cooking, and light music playing from a comm on the wall.

Fives would always call: "Vode! We're home!"

Shira would usually emerge from the kitchen or another room with her hair tied up and wrap Echo and Fives in an embrace and say: "Boys! Who's been feeding you?"

Echo would respond: "No one as good as you ori'vod."

Fives and Echo would each kiss Shira on the cheek then race for the kitchen to dish up whatever it was she had made, and Rex and Shira had a moment to themselves.

For the four of them, this small ritual they had made, was the only thing that felt safe during the war. The only thing that they always looked forward to. The sense of home that they couldn't find anywhere else.

Today was no different. As Fives pushed Echo out of the way to try and get a head start for the food, Rex pulled Shira into him and pressed his lips against hers. After the kiss she pulled him closer to him and they just stood there feeling one another's presence. Shira assuring herself that he was safe and had come back to her, and Rex assuring himself that she was there and safe in his arms.

"Welcome home Cyare." Shira whispered into his ear.

"I love you." Rex breathed.

After a minute Shira pulled away, kissed Rex on his cheek, and pulled him by the hand into the kitchen. "You boys been good?"

"Fives doesn't listen to Kix." Echo pointed at his brother with a fork full of meat and rice.

"It's just a bruise!"

Shira raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. "It's just a minor fracture!"

Shira rolled her eyes pointed directly at Fives. "Kix knows what's good for you, and if you don't listen to him, I won't make you desert next time."

"No ori'vod have mercy!" Fives threw up his hands pleading.

"Harsh sentence, but fair Cyare." Rex said planting a kiss on the top of Shira's head.

Rex's wrist comm went off.

The four went quiet, and Rex could feel Shira tense under his arm before she moved and turned off the music.

"Yes, General?"

"Rex, the zillo beast is lose. The chancellor is in danger, report to General Windu immediately."

"On my way."

He turned and found Shira next to him, his helmet in her hands. He could feel her worry, frustration, and sorrow over him leaving.

"I'm sorry."

"Just come back home safe, okay?" Shira said softly.

Rex pulled her close and kissed her, then whispered against her lips, "always."