Senna sat on the stool near the cot they'd placed Fives on, picking at her fingernails nervously. They had made it back to Yavin 4 unscathed and immediately moved Fives to a small observation room that had been hastily equipped for medical care. Fives lay in the bed next to her, still unconscious. They had found a light blue shirt and tan pants to dress him in which had hung off his body loosely as they'd eased him into the bed. His pallor had continued to improve with every minute that separated him from the time he'd spent in the stasis chamber, but the dark circles around his eyes and bruises where the medical sensors had been placed on his skin were still apparent to Senna.
Tech had suggested Senna be the one to first interact with Fives since they weren't sure where his loyalties lied, and after some consideration, Echo and Rex had agreed. The records Echo had accessed had detailed hundreds of horrible tests and experiments. The Empire had tried to determine how he became aware of Order 66, how he'd managed to overcome the chip's programming and remove it of his own free will, how the Kaminoans had failed. He'd been studied as part of the experimental initiative to enhance the chip's programming, likely the same programming that had been used on Crosshair. Tech had scanned his brain and was sure his chip hadn't been replaced, but they couldn't be certain what state he would wake up in due to what he'd endured. After some discussion, they'd all agreed it would be best to have an unfamiliar face be the one to greet him, not one of a soldier. He's been through so much, and now we get to find out what that's done to him mentally, Senna thought. She shuddered despite the warm air circulating in the room.
Senna wasn't wearing her lightsaber at her belt, having given it to Rex before she entered to ensure Fives wouldn't immediately be able to identify her as a Jedi. They'd decided that she would use the same technique that she'd used on Rex before to bring him out of it gently. Senna glanced over her shoulder one more time at the observation window behind her. Even though it only showed her own image reflected back at her, she could feel Echo, Tech, and Rex's eyes watching her. Hunter and Wrecker were down the hall if they were needed, but the expression on Hunter's face when they'd told him who the clone was had been one of understanding and recognition. "We never met Fives before he died, but Echo talked about him enough we might as well have. We'll steer clear unless things get out of hand," he'd said softly. Senna had squeezed his arm gently.
"Thanks. We'll keep you posted."
Tech's voice buzzed over the intercom, echoing loudly in the small room and interrupting Senna's thoughts. "Whenever you're ready. Don't forget about the sedative."
How could I forget? Senna had protested, but Tech had insisted, pressing the syringe into her hand before she entered. "In case he becomes violent."
She sighed deeply, flexing her fingers one more time before gently placing them at Fives's temples. Here goes nothing. She reached out through the Force, searching to find Fives in it. His signature was there, but faint from the sedation.
"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."
She felt her connection to him grow, his signature reaching back towards her as she beckoned him forward out of the darkness. Be gentle. Be welcoming. Be safety.
"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."
She felt his pulse strengthen, his fingers twitching against her side as she leaned over him.
"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."
She heard his raspy baritone join hers, and she sat back heavily, trying to calm her stuttering breath as her heart slammed against her ribcage. Fives had gone silent again, but his fingers continued to flex at his sides. Gently, Senna reached out to lay a hand on his chest.
"Fives? Fives, can you hear me?" she asked with more calm than she felt.
He groaned softly, and she watched as his eyes moved behind his eyelids. His fingers flexed at his sides once more. Suddenly, his eyes flew open, his hand grabbing her wrist and trapping her in a vice grip. He gasped, confusion clouding his features as he tried to get his bearings, his eyes darting around the room wildly.
"Where...what..." She felt his pulse quicken underneath her hand as his fingers dug into her wrist with a strength she hadn't anticipated from the frail appearance of his body. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Reaching up with her gloved hand, she rested it against his cheek. His amber irises snapped to meet hers, searching for some sort of recognition. "Who are you?" he rasped.
"Fives, it's alright. You're safe. Just breathe with me. Can you do that?"
His eyes darted to the room around her, and she suddenly realized how cold and sterile it must look. She took a chance, hoping it would help diffuse the situation. "You're not at the Imperial base anymore. You're among friends. It's alright. I need you to breathe though, ok?" She gently tapped his cheek to get his attention, and his eyes finally focused back on hers. "Breathe with me. Got it?"
He nodded, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. "Alright, good," she said, giving him a small smile. She inhaled deeply, watching him as he imitated her. The strained grip on her wrist relaxed as they exhaled together, her thumb rubbing soft circles on his cheek that she hoped were comforting. On the second breath, he released her arm, resting his hand on top of hers. She felt his heart rate begin to slow, and once she was satisfied, she gave his chest a gentle pat.
"There you go, trooper. Well done."
Reaching over, she grabbed the water pack she'd brought in with her. "Here, drink." He eyed it suspiciously, and sensing his apprehension, she placed the straw between her lips and took a long sip, swallowing and opening her mouth to show him there was nothing left inside. That seemed to satisfy him, and he snatched the packet and drained the water in seconds, gasping a bit once he was done, but letting his head fall back on the pillow in satisfaction. He reached up, brushing the long hair from his eyes. He was so different from the young, confident ARC trooper Senna had seen on Rex's holopad before. His neatly trimmed goatee had grown long and unkempt, and his regulation haircut had been replaced by unruly dark curls that he had to keep pushing out of his face. His eyes, however, were the same, burning with a clear intensity unlike any she'd seen before, taking in his surroundings and calculating his chances of escape.
"Where am I?" His voice was a little smoother now that he'd had a drink, some of the rasp washed away by the water.
"You're with friends. Before I tell you exactly where you are though, I need you to answer some questions if you feel up to it."
His eyes pierced her, the golden brown irises that she was so familiar with studying her, assessing his risk level and if she was friend or foe. Ever the ARC trooper. "Alright," he said quietly, but she could tell he was still suspicious, tense like a cornered animal still deciding whether or not to pounce or run. Even as they sat, she could see him subtly flexing his muscles and joints, taking stock of his body in case he'd need to use it.
"What is the last thing you remember?" she asked quietly.
"The karking last time they yanked me out of that tank. Don't know when that was," he spat.
Her brow furrowed. "They let you out?"
He laughed hollowly. "I'd hardly say let me out. They'd take me down the hall so they could drill into my head a bit or take tissue samples. You know, for kicks. In fact, there wasn't even a stasis chamber when I first got there. That bitch Nala Se just kept me sedated enough to where I wasn't a problem, where they could study me." He pushed some more stray hair out of his face. "Obviously, they weren't too concerned with my personal hygiene," he muttered.
"And before they brought you to the mountain? Do you know how you got there?" Senna pressed.
Fives's gaze grew distant as his mind reached out for the memories. "I...I was shot. It's fuzzy because I was drugged, but I remember trying so hard to tell General Skywalker and Rex about the chips. I could barely string a sentence together. I must have sounded like a paranoid spice addict, but they had to know. And then...I was shot. I remember Rex. His was the last face I saw before everything went dark." Fives's brow furrowed as he picked at the memory like a scab. "The next thing I knew, I came to on a transport. Nala Se was there. I heard her speaking to someone, saying that the drug she'd given me had slowed down my metabolic processes so that I appeared dead. It just took longer to kick in because of the clone engineering." He shuddered. "I pretended to be asleep, hoping I could escape, but I never had a chance. They hid me on Kamino, and I was kept under for most of that, waking only long enough to see that long-neck leaning over me leering, poking and prodding at my brain before she'd stick me back under. Then, one day, I heard the news while they had me conscious. That the order had been carried out." His voice cracked. "And that the Jedi had been defeated. That now, the Republic was gone. There was only the Empire and that sleamo, Palpatine." He ground his teeth, his rage overtaking his grief. "The next thing I knew, they were moving me out of the base. They brought me to that mountain. I thought Kamino was hell, but that was a whole different ordeal." He shivered again, and she reached over to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. His eyes met hers once more.
"Your turn," he grunted, the suspicion still lurking in his gaze.
Senna eyed him carefully. They still hadn't established how he'd react, but she felt like wading into the depths, ill-advised or not.
"My name is Senna Atiniir. I'm a technical specialist that served during the war, and," her finger grazed the sedative at her belt, "I'm a Jedi Master."
She could feel Rex panicking behind the window, his annoyance at her reckless move and concern for her safety radiating through the transparisteel. She also felt his anxiousness for Fives's response.
Fives's eyes widened before they narrowed once more, flicking to where her hand rested on the syringe at her waist. "The Jedi are dead. The Empire made sure of that."
"They missed some of us," she said quietly.
"You're lying," he replied flatly.
Senna watched him carefully as she took the empty water packet from his hands. She extended her arm, using the Force to float the empty packet towards the disposal bin in the corner. Fives's eyes grew impossibly wide as he watched. Turning towards him, she felt his fear grow.
"Fives, I'm not going to hurt you. I know about the chips. I know the clones had no choice." She reached out to take his hand. "I promise you're with friends."
"You keep saying that," he whispered, his harsh facade finally beginning to crumble. "What do you mean?"
She weighed her words carefully. "Not all of your brothers turned. Some were able to fight back against the chips. Some had help and were able to remove them."
"Who?" he demanded.
There was a soft knock at the door and Fives rocketed to a sitting position, his back pressed against the wall. Senna could feel his anticipation, both good and bad. He knows he's about to find out who lived and who died. "Are you ok with this? If not, we'll stop right now," she whispered.
His eyes darted to her. "No. I want to know."
She examined him one more time before slowly standing. "Alright." Senna walked to the door and punched the panel to open it. Rex stood in the doorway by himself, the top half of his armor removed with the Republic cog emblazoned on the chest of his blacks. She gave him a questioning look, wondering where Echo was, but he shook his head. Not yet. Stepping back, Senna let Rex walk into the room. She could feel his emotions threatening to overwhelm him as he strode to the chair that she had previously occupied, sitting down slowly as Fives watched him, his mouth open slightly. Rex's spine was rigid, his hands resting on his knees. He appeared to be the epitome of calm, but Senna could feel the apprehension and fight for control within him.
"Hello Fives," Rex said soflty.
"Rex." Fives's voice was barely above a whisper.
They watched each other for a few seconds before Fives launched himself at Rex. Senna tensed, reaching for the sedative again before she realized Fives was embracing his captain, violent sobs wracking his body. Tears trickled from Rex's eyes as he cradled the back of Fives's head. The two of them sank to the floor together, Rex gently rocking Fives's thin body.
"It's alright. I've got you," he whispered.
"I...I wasn't sure...I didn't know...if I was truly safe. But it's you. It's really you." Fives was gasping in between sobs, relief flooding his voice. Senna's heart ached, realizing he had been unsure if it was all a trick until he'd seen Rex. After a few moments, the two of them knelt in front of each other, pressing their foreheads together as Fives hiccupped and Rex tried to steady him.
"You're alright, Fives. It's over."
Fives pulled back away from him. "What about the others? Jesse? Dogma? Kix?"
Rex's smile faltered, and Senna could see Fives immediately knew. He sank back on his heels as Rex rested his hands on his brother's shoulders.
"I don't know what happened to Kix and Dogma. They weren't with us when the order happened. I had taken some of the 501st with me to Mandalore to stage a siege there with Ahsoka."
Fives's brows knit in confusion. "Commander Tano? But-"
"It's a long story, we'll get there. We were on our way back when the order was given. I...I succumbed. But, you saved me."
Fives's confusion grew. Rex looked at Senna, and she nodded. He's going to tell him. Rex had told very few people the truth about how he'd escaped, how Ahsoka had helped him, but Fives needed to know. That much was clear.
"When I felt myself losing control, I told Ahsoka to find the report I'd submitted on you. We tried to kill her, but she escaped. She found the report and learned of the chips. She was able to subdue me and remove my chip, and together, we escaped. But," his voice cracked, "but Jesse tried to stop us. We didn't kill him, but the Venator was damaged during our escape. He and all of the men with us died when it crashed." Rex's tears were flowing again. "Ahsoka and I buried them all."
Fives's head fell to his chest. "I...I failed then."
Senna strode forward, sinking to her knees beside Rex. "No. No Fives, you didn't. You're the reason he's alive, and many others. Your efforts weren't wasted." She could see her words brought little comfort to the former ARC trooper, and her heart shattered.
Senna felt him hovering outside the door before they heard his heavy footsteps. Echo peeked into the room like a shy child, watching the scene play out before him. Senna's breath caught in her throat. Fives had never known his twin survived, that Rex and Clone Force 99 had saved him. Rex noted his presence too, his eyes meeting Echo's. Standing, he nodded, pulling Senna to her feet. Fives raised his head to look at them before noticing the figure in the door.
"Who...who is that?" he asked.
Echo stepped into the room carefully, as if he was walking on spun sugar that might shatter under his weight. Senna and Rex moved back out of his way as he came to kneel in front of his brother. He nervously wet his lips as Fives studied his face.
"I'm afraid I've changed quite a bit since the last time you saw me, but getting blown up at the Citadel will do that to you."
Understanding and then confusion and terror flickered across Fives's features. He fell back against the bed frame, scrambling away. "No. This is cruel. Why would you do this? Rex?"
Rex stepped forward. "It's true, Fives. He was captured by the Separatists. They were using him to counter our strategy. We found him on Skako Minor."
Fives's eyes flicked between the two of them frantically, his chest heaving.
Senna could feel Echo's pain as he tried again. "I used to have a handprint on my armor," he started softly, his left hand drifting to cover his right breast where the handprint had once been. "Rex gave it to me at Rishi Station when we killed that damn eel. You and I were promoted to ARC together. You tell people your favorite drink is Corellian whiskey, but it's actually a Coruscant Cruiser, mainly because of the little popping candies they line the rim of the glass with at 79s. You and Jesse once had latrine duty for a week because you had a competition to see who could stick the most ration bar wrappers to the back of Rex's armor before he noticed. Jesse won, but only because you tripped on your final attempt and laid both you and Rex out." Echo chuckled quietly at the memory.
Fives was silent as he studied Echo, reaching up to gently touch the tech wrapping around his head. "What did they do to you?" he whispered.
Echo reached up to take his brother's hand, pulling it down to clutch it in his own. "They did a number on me, but at the end of the day, I was alive, and I'm grateful for that. Especially now." He gave his twin a small lop-sided smile. "I thought you were dead, Fives. Thought I'd never get to joke with you or talk with you again. Guess we were the two lucky dominos."
Fives leaned forward, pulling Echo's forehead against his own, tears falling silently down his cheeks. Echo closed his eyes, resting his hands on Fives's shoulders as the two embraced. Quietly, Echo started laughing, and before Senna or Rex knew it, the twins were giggling uncontrollably as tears fell down their cheeks, dripping onto the floor between them. They slipped into a hug, and Senna could see Fives digging his fingers into the back of Echo's shirt, clinging to him as if he were afraid he'd disappear.
Finally sitting back on his haunches, Fives looked at his twin. "Well, there's no doubt who the better looking one is now," he teased, a glimmer of mischief creeping into his eyes.
"We'll see about that. You're awfully scrawny at the moment," Echo teased.
"Being a science experiment will do that to you."
Senna turned quietly to Rex. "I'll leave you two here with him and go see if I can have some food sent up for him. I'm sure he's hungry."
Rex gave her a grateful smile, reaching for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you. For everything." He blinked, his voice cracking with his next words. "He wouldn't have made it back here without you."
She nodded before quietly slipping out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Rex strode forward, plopping unceremoniously down on the floor next to the two brothers he thought he'd lost.