A/N: Heads up for some canon-typical violence in this chapter. Nothing too graphic, but did want to give a warning.
"Have you ever been back to Coruscant?"
The question snapped Senna out of the trance she'd been in, blinking rapidly as she turned towards Echo. "Hm?"
"I asked if you've been back to Coruscant since the fall of the Republic," he repeated, nervously picking at his glove.
The four of them were in the hold of the freighter they'd hitched a ride on. Rex and Fives were dozing, Rex stretched out on the floor with a rolled up cloak tucked under his head and Fives leaning against a cargo crate, his head tipped back as he snored loudly. Senna finally met Echo's gaze.
"I haven't," she said quietly. "Wasn't really sure how I'd feel seeing the Coruscant skyline without the temple. I know it was destroyed when the order was carried out. I've just...I've spent probably too many nights imagining what that looked like, but the separation has always helped."
Echo nodded wordlessly, reaching over and giving her shoulder a squeeze. She reached up, covering his hand and squeezing back slightly. The ship shuddered, rousing Rex and Fives, who wiped drool from the corner of his mouth as he grumbled.
"Just came out of hyperspace around Coruscant," the pilot's voice buzzed over the ship's comm. "We'll be on the ground in about ten minutes."
Senna stood, stretching her spine and working some of the stiffness from her joints. The cargo hold hadn't exactly been the most comfortable ride, but it had been the quickest ship to Coruscant they could find. All in all, it was incredibly fortunate that they'd been able to pull things together so quickly. Tech had gotten them chain codes in record time, and the freighter's flight plan from the base had been a most fortuitous coincidence, giving them the ride they needed to Coruscant.
After this, we're on our own though.
Senna couldn't deny that her stomach was twisted with nerves. We're so close. He has to be there. She knew her anxiety wasn't entirely focused on Wolffe though. She'd spent the night before laying awake and thinking about the Sith lord. As much as she had told herself Anakin was dead, that her dream was an impossibility, something about it nagged at the back of her mind. She was relieved they'd left Omega behind. At least that much of the dream can't come true. No...none of it can. He's dead. Anakin is gone. The thoughts persisted. The Sith may not even be there. She knew the chance of that was slim.
Perhaps fortunately, Senna had been so distracted by the impending mission that she hadn't had time to worry about Tech and the age deceleration treatment. His conversation with her and the knowledge that they wouldn't know anything until the two week period was fully up somehow had put her mind at ease. There's no way to make it go faster, so just put it out of your mind. You'll know when you know.
Rex's hand resting against the small of her back snapped her out of her thoughts, and she whipped her head around to meet his eyes. He was watching her carefully, as he had been for the last few rotations, and she struggled to not be unnerved by it. It's like he can see everything in my mind.
"You alright?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," she lied. "Just ready to get this going."
His eyes searched hers for another half a second before he seemed to come to the conclusion that was as much as she was going to reveal. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips, and she sighed into it, feeling some of her nerves melt away. He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers.
"Just in case."
She giggled. That phrase had become sort of an inside joke between the two of them, or at least an excuse to kiss one another before plunging into danger. It had started when she'd frantically kissed him on Lothal as they were preparing to drive a speeder bike through an Imperial squad that had surrounded the dwelling they'd been hiding in. The night I first admitted I loved him. How far we've come.
Rex returned her smile, stroking her cheek and tossing her one final wink before pulling the hood of his cloak up and slipping a brown helmet on. He, Echo, and Fives had all come up with various items to cover their faces. If there was a planet a group of clones was most at risk of being recognized on, it was Coruscant.
"Ready?" he asked Fives and Echo.
"Lead the way," Echo's voice buzzed from underneath the respirator mask he wore. Senna slipped her hood over her head, pulling her cloak a little tighter around her shoulders. Despite the fact that it was a warm afternoon on Coruscant, she shivered as she stepped out of the hold and into the sunlight.
She immediately recognized what port they'd landed at, having spent much of the war supervising her equipment loading and unloading here. Her gaze immediately drifted to the familiar dome that housed the Senate, and before she could stop herself, she instinctively looked to the east.
It's gone.
Bile rose in her throat and her eyes stung as she found the place that the pillars of the Jedi temple had previously reached towards the sky. It's just gone.
A warm hand enveloped hers, squeezing tightly.
"You never came back, did you?" Rex asked, his voice buzzing and unfamiliar.
"No," she said softly.
"I didn't either," he replied. "Wasn't sure what it would feel like."
She glanced at him, wishing desperately that she could see his eyes. "There's a finality to it," she whispered. "Seeing it gone. I knew it was, but something about seeing it is just..." her voice trailed off as a tear escaped down her cheek. She wiped at it hurriedly, but Rex saw. Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her into the shadow of the freighter and pushed his helmet up.
"Rex! If someone sees-"
"Are you alright to do this?" he asked, cutting her off. Concern was etched across his features, his eyes searching hers again. "Don't lie to me, Senna. Are you up for this? I need you to be sure."
Senna met his gaze for a few heartbeats before taking a deep, steadying breath. Reaching up, she pulled his forehead to hers for a moment before yanking his helmet back down. "I can do this. I promise."
The helmet's visor observed her for another moment, and she met its unblinking stare as evenly as she could.
"Alright. If you're certain. Let's move."
The four of them made their way out of the dock, allowing their chain codes to be scanned at the exit before they made their way onto the busy streets of Coruscant. Senna gripped Rex's hand tightly as they wove through the throngs of people coming and going, mumbling apologies as her shoulders bumped against those in the crowd. She could feel Fives and Echo behind her, their apprehension radiating off them as well. I wonder what's running through their minds. This was the last place Fives saw a friendly face before we rescued him. I don't know if Echo has been back since the end of the war. She glanced up at Rex. The visor of his helmet was focused on what lay ahead, and she wondered what he was remembering, if his memories were haunting him as well.
Rex had studied the schematics of this part of the city, and it didn't take them long to find their way to the Imperial shipyard they'd planned to target. Senna paused, scanning the area.
"You see the guard shack?" she asked under her breath.
"Just to my right," Rex replied. Senna allowed her gaze to drift where he'd indicated, and she immediately picked out the small building that served as the access point to the yards. "I only see one inside."
"Might be another one or two patrolling," Echo said quietly from behind her.
Senna searched the area, but couldn't pick out more than the single guard. It seemed that most civilians steered clear of this place, which made their job more difficult with nowhere to blend in.
"Ideas?" Rex asked.
"It's just one guy," Fives muttered. "We take him out and we're in."
"And when they find a body in the guard shack? You don't think that'll raise any suspicions?" Echo grumbled, shoving Fives in the shoulder. "I know your brain's been on ice the last few years, but try a little harder, Fives."
Fives responded by pinching Echo in his arm hard enough to draw a curse from him.
Before their bickering could escalate, Rex turned to look at the two of them, and while they couldn't see his face, it was clear that they both knew the expression he wore under the helmet, and they stilled. Senna huffed a laugh.
"I've got an idea. Wait here," she whispered.
"Senna, no wait-"
But she was already walking, slipping free of Rex's grip before he could grab her arm. The three clones had no choice but to watch as she walked out towards the guard shack. She didn't make a direct line towards it, somewhat wandering back and forth as if she were looking for something. Senna's heart pounded in her chest as she walked forward. Act like you're not sure where you're going. Act lost. Let a little of the nerves bleed through.
"You there! STOP!" The guard was waving at her from his post, and she waved back.
"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but I'm afraid I'm a bit lost," she called back, continuing her approach. "You see, I'm supposed to meet some friends for drinks, but I think I made a wrong turn near the docks and-"
"I said STOP." His blaster was raised at her now, but Senna continued striding towards him.
"I'm just asking for directions, friend. No reason to get all bent out of shape." She was near enough now to where she could leap over the fence surrounding the shipyard if she wanted to. Her eyes scanned the area once more, and she still didn't see any additional troopers nearby that might come to aid their comrade.
"Final warning. I will shoot you if you take another step." The guard's voice was shaky. Senna guessed he was probably a young man under the helmet, a new recruit that had never fired upon another living thing. She could feel his fear and nervousness radiating off of him, nearly mirroring her own. She finally stopped, raising her hands slightly. Reaching out through the Force, she spoke to him once more, her voice calmer, more authoritative.
"You don't want to shoot me."
Time seemed to drag on for forever as she watched the trooper's helmet tilt, praying it had worked.
"I...I don't want to shoot you."
She waved her hand at him again. "You want to allow my friends and I through without raising alarms."
"Your friends and you should come through. I won't raise an alarm."
"Excellent." She turned over her shoulder, jerking her head at the others. "We're in. Let's go."
She could see some of the tension release from Rex's shoulders as he and the twins jogged up to her.
"You will tell me where I can find the shuttles and their pilots," she said to the guard, waving her hand once more.
"The shuttles can be found in the third row on the right, back by the maintenance garage. All pilots are required to remain with their ship while planetside."
Good. "And where can we find some armor for my friends and I?"
"Locker room and laundry are next to the garage. Should be mostly empty at this hour." The guard's voice was airy, almost as if he was in a trance. Senna was used to it, but she could see the others shudder slightly as she stepped by the guard.
"You never saw us," she stated.
"I never saw you," the guard repeated.
Senna glanced at the others. "Time to go." They jogged to the row that the guard had indicated, hiding in the lengthening shadows as evening approached. Finally, a few Imperial shuttles came into view. Senna halted them, and they all crouched under the wing of a freighter just next to the closest shuttle.
"How do you want to do this?" Rex asked.
Senna chewed her lip as she thought for a moment. "Let me sneak onto the shuttle and get us set up with a pilot. After that, I'll head to the locker room with one of you to grab a few sets of stormtrooper armor while the others stay hidden on the shuttle. Should be simple enough."
Rex nodded. "Fives, you'll go with Senna to grab the armor. Follow her lead."
"Understood." Fives's teasing tone was gone, the former ARC trooper returning and ready for battle.
"Alright. Give me a minute then," she said. "I'll signal you when we've got the ship."
Quietly, she crept forward, staying low as she snuck towards the ramp for the nearest shuttle. She could see the silhouette of the pilot in the cockpit. Calm your nerves. Reach out. You can do this. Tiptoeing into the hold, she silently made her way towards the front end of the ship, stepping into the cockpit behind the pilot. Taking a deep breath, she reached out once more.
"You will take us to the Perilous," she said quietly.
The pilot went rigid in her seat, turning to look at Senna with wide purple eyes. "I will take you to the Perilous."
Cool metal pressed to the nape of Senna's neck. "She'll do no such thing, Jedi scum."
Kriff.
Senna's mind raced and she tried to calm her thoughts, to re-establish a connection. The pilot was still looking at her blankly, her eyes slightly glazed over as her brain worked to interpret what was happening.
"We can take her, Kai. I don't understand."
"Karking mind tricks," the Imperial known as Kai muttered as he pressed his blaster harder against the base of Senna's skull. "I'd kill you here, but I assume someone would love to know how and where you've been hiding the last few years. Who knows, maybe I'll even get a promotion out of it."
"Doubtful," Rex growled from behind him as he pulled the trigger of his blaster, leaving a smoking hole in the back of the man's skull. Kai slumped to the ground, and Senna gasped, her hands shaking as stepped away from the corpse. The pilot stared at the body before turning her blank gaze back to Senna.
"When do you want to leave?"
Senna just stared at her for a moment, trying to steady her breathing as Rex crouched down, ensuring Kai had no pulse.
"How...how did you-"
"Saw him come back after you snuck on board. Figured you needed back-up."
She swallowed hard, nodding. "Good call. Thanks."
Rex leaned back out of the hatch, waving at Fives and Echo, who quickly made their way onboard.
"Karking hells," Fives muttered as he stepped over Kai's body. "Seems like things didn't go quite as planned."
"We'll just keep his body with us. He was supposed to be on this shuttle anyway. We'll find someplace to stash him on the way up to the Perilous. Now you and Senna need to get moving," Rex grunted. Reaching out, he clasped Senna's shoulders. "Are you alright?"
She nodded quickly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just...adrenaline. I'll be alright." She knew Rex wasn't sold on her response, but they were too short on time for an argument.
"Get going then."
Senna led Fives down the ramp and through the parked ships, keeping out of sight of any droids or personnel until they reached the outer wall of the building that housed the lockers. They made their way along the wall until they reached the door that Senna hoped would put them near the locker room. Yanking her loaner datapad from her hip, she plugged it into the access panel and began working to get the door open as Fives kept watch, blasters at the ready.
"You sure you're alright?" he asked after a few seconds. "You seem pretty shook up."
"It was just unexpected. That's all," Senna mumbled, keeping her eyes glued to the datapad's display.
"Yeah, well I have a feeling we'll see a lot more of the unexpected before this is all over," Fives grunted. "You have to be sure you're up for this."
"Fives, I'm fine," Senna snapped. Dammit. She chewed her lip, finally allowing her eyes to drift up to his helmet. "Sorry. This just has to work. We've been chasing Wolffe for so long. I know what this means to Rex. I can't fail him."
"You think any of this is you failing?" he asked incredulously.
"If I hadn't let my datapad get blown to hell, maybe we would have found him sooner. If I had gone straight to Pantora, then-"
"Then you and Rex never cross paths," Fives cut her off. "Look, I know that taking on too much responsibility for everything is kind of the Jedi way and all, but from everything I've seen, the only person, well, people to blame for Wolffe being where he's at are those that work for the Empire. You didn't lock him up." He sighed. "If he's anything like me, you know aside from being a clone, he'll be grateful that anyone came looking for him at all. I mean, you weren't even looking for me, but I'll be thanking my lucky stars for the rest of my days that things went down the way they did. I'm sure Wolffe will feel the same way. He won't give a damn how long it took us to get there, as long as we get there. So, you need to make sure you're in the right frame of mind so that we can make this happen."
Senna mulled over his words. Not exactly poetry, but he's right. Before she could respond, her datapad beeped and the door in front of them hissed open. Ripping the cables loose, she stuffed them in her hip pouch along with her datapad before leading Fives inside the darkened corridor.
The two of them crept along the wall towards an illuminated open door at the end of the hall. Senna reached back to stop Fives just before they got to the door, reaching out through the Force. No one. Perfect.
"We're alone. Let's get this done."
The two of them hustled into the locker room. "You find the undersuits. I'll get these lockers open and find the armor," Senna said, and Fives moved to comply. It took her opening a dozen lockers before she found kits that would fit the four of them. Fives returned, carrying four of the black body suits and two rucksacks.
"Here, this one seems a little smaller. Should fit you," he said, tossing the suit at her. Senna began to strip down without hesitation, pausing only when she noted Fives watching her. He'd removed his helmet, and his mouth was hanging open slightly.
"You got a problem, trooper?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"No, ma'am." She wanted to slap the grin right off of his face, but she settled for an eyeroll instead.
"Good. Now get suited up."
He saluted, turning his back to her and quickly stripping out of his clothes. Senna wound her braid into a tight bun that could be tucked into her helmet as she slipped on the armor Fives had found. A few minutes later, she was fully suited up and was tossing the other two sets of armor into the rucksacks with their clothes. Fives swore loudly and she looked up, trying not to laugh at the horrified look on his face.
"This armor...it's terrible."
"So I've heard."
"I thought the Empire had a better budget than this. It's disgraceful."
"Good thing you're not actually a stormtrooper," she teased, tossing him one of the E-11 blasters she'd found in the lockers. "Now let's go."
"Almost makes me sorry for them," he muttered as he pulled his helmet on, grabbing the second rucksack and following Senna back outside.
With their disguises on, they were less cautious as they made their way back to the shuttle. Senna reached out to Rex as they stepped onto the ramp.
It's us. Don't shoot.
Appreciate the warning, came his reply in her mind.
The two of them stepped inside, closing the hatch behind them. Senna and Fives both immediately pulled their helmets off, and Senna made her way towards the cockpit. "Alright, take us to the Perilous," she commanded, waving her hand in front of the pilot's face. Without a word, the pilot turned back to her controls, requesting ground clearance to take off and beginning the pre-flight sequence. Satisfied, Senna turned back to Rex.
"Well, I'd say we're getting somewhere."
He chuckled, but she could still see the vein at his temple that showed up when he was under duress.
"I'd say we are," he agreed.
---
Rex stepped into the cockpit, shifting the chestplate of his stormtrooper armor to try and get it to fit a little better. Cheap one-size fits all shit, he thought, sighing in frustration as he yanked at the clasp. Senna turned from her place in the co-pilot seat, unsuccessfully trying to suppress a smile.
"Having trouble?"
"You could say that."
She stood, reaching for the clasp he was struggling with and loosening it enough for him to make the adjustment he'd been aiming for.
"That good?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
She tightened the strap before running her hand over the chestplate, allowing her fingers to creep up and grip his chin.
"I gotta say I like you better in your clone armor."
"You and me both," he grinned.
"Shuttle E465, please provide clearance codes," a voice buzzed from the ship's comm systems. The pilot provided complied and was directed to the main hangar bay.
"Showtime," Rex said, reaching for his helmet. Senna stilled his hand, placing a quick kiss to his lips.
"Just in case," she teased, and he smiled as he slid the helmet on.
"What do we do with her?" Fives asked, gesturing at the pilot as he came to stand behind Rex.
"Stun her and stow her," Rex replied. "With any luck, we'll be gone by the time she wakes up." He turned back to Senna. "You got everything you need?"
She patted the pouch that hung from her right hip. "Lightsaber and datapad are in here. Hoping that's all I'll need."
He nodded. "Alright, so we land, stow the pilot, and find an access terminal. Echo will scomp in and find the data center and where Wolffe is being held. We'll go find Wolffe, and you'll head to the data center. You get thirty minutes at most, no more, no less, then you need to be back in the hangar bay. We'll comm you if you're late, but I want to avoid using comms as much as possible so it doesn't go off while you're around Imps. Everyone understand? This should be a very simple in and out." He turned to Echo. "Do you have the sedative?"
Tech had supplied them with a few doses of the sedative they'd planned to give Fives if he had been hostile when he woke up from being rescued. They all knew there was a chance Wolffe may still be under the chip's influence, and they had to be ready. Rex was hoping Wolffe would be compliant enough to walk out under his own power, but he was coming home with them no matter what.
The lights of the hangar bay shone in through the viewport, and Senna moved past Rex into the hold. As soon as the pilot set the ship down, Rex stunned her, and with Fives and Echo's help, they tucked her in an empty crate in the back, slipping binders over her wrists and gagging her.
"I feel bad," Senna murmured.
"Someone will find her eventually," Echo said. "Just needs to be after we're long gone."
"At least we didn't put her in the same crate as the dead guy," Fives mused, and Senna and Echo exchanged a glance before sighing in unison.
"What? It's true."
"Alright, enough. It's go time." Rex's voice had slipped into the authoritative tone that they all recognized, that of the captain of the 501st.
They all calmly exited the shuttle, carrying their blasters and walking in a two-by-two formation to look less out of place. To Rex's relief, the hangar seemed fairly empty with the exception of the occasional maintenance technician or pilot. No one paid any mind to the small group of stormtroopers as they made their way towards the main hangar bay doors.
"On your left, Echo," Senna said quietly.
"I see it."
The four of them made their way over to the access console tucked against the wall. Fives, Senna, and Rex grouped around Echo, blocking him from view as he squatted down and activated the scomp tool within his cybernetic limb. Rex marked every second with the pounding of blood in his ears, and he felt his impatience grow as he heard Echo mutter under his breath. After what seemed like an eternity, Echo straightened, recessing his scomp tool back in his hand and pulling his glove back on.
"Wolffe is being held in Detention Block G. Three levels down and aft of where we are now. Cell G431. Data center is in the opposite direction, seven levels up, Deck 23. Take the lift just outside of the main hangar door up, turn right, it'll be in the fifth hall on your left. There should be some directory placards to help you find it as well. You know how to get in from there?"
Senna nodded. "Should be pretty straightforward. From everything we've seen from the Empire, they at least understand the value of a standard interface." She turned to Rex. "I'll meet you back here in thirty minutes. I'll comm if I get stuck. Deal?"
Rex considered it. "Deal. Be safe."
"You too."
She stalked out the door, stepping into the nearest lift. Leaning down, she punched the button for the level she needed and glanced at Rex one more time. He wished he could see her eyes.
I love you. Go find your brother.
And I love you. Be safe.
The lift door closed, and Rex shook his head. Time to go. Quickly, he, Echo, and Fives stepped into the other lift, punching the floor to the lower deck they needed. They were silent as the lift descended, hissing open on the detention level. The three of them stepped out, walking purposefully towards the corridor that led to Wolffe's cell. With every step that brought them closer, Rex could feel his heart rate accelerating. What if he refuses to come? What if he's still one of them? What if he tries to kill us? He glanced down nervously at the sedative he could see glinting on Echo's belt. We've got contingencies. We will bring him home.
They rounded the corner, and Rex swore quietly as he saw the stormtrooper standing at the end of the corridor. His eyes flicked to the number on the cell nearest them, and he sighed. Of course he's standing almost right in front of Wolffe's cell. Couldn't be that easy, I suppose.
"Stun him," he said quietly. "We can use the armor to get Wolffe out."
Fives and Echo gave an almost imperceptible nod as they approached. The trooper gave them a confused tilt of his head, which Fives and Echo answered with two stun bolts, and he collapsed to the durasteel grated floor with a clang. Echo stepped over him, punching the button to open the cell.
The cell door slid open and Rex moved inside quickly. His heart stuttered in his chest.
Wolffe.
He was sitting on the bunk in the small room, almost as if he'd been waiting for them, his elbows resting on his knees, glaring at the floor. His spine was still rigid, shoulders strong and unbent even in his leaned forward position. He raised his mismatched eyes to focus on the three troopers entering his cell, animosity that Rex had only ever seen on the battlefield flaring in his gaze. He looked the same aside from his uniform, right down to the regulation haircut, and it gave Rex an eerie feeling of familiarity, almost as if the years and tragedies that had separated the two of them didn't exist.
"What do you want?" Wolffe snarled, and Rex swallowed the lump in his throat, shaking his head to clear the temptation of the familiar. We don't know where he stands yet.
"Is your chip still in?" Rex asked, and a flicker of confusion blinked across Wolffe's features before the stoic glare fell back into place.
"What?"
"Your chip. Is it still in, Commander?"
"You've got my records," he snapped. "You know it is."
Rex's heart fell. He turned to look over his shoulder at Echo, who was already reaching for the sedative at his belt. Wolffe's eyes followed the movement, his lip curling into a snarl and his muscles tensing.
"What are you..."
Fives shoved Rex aside. "Are you still loyal to the Empire, Wolffe? Is your mind your own, or are you still just a good soldier following orders?"
Wolffe shuddered at the phrase, and his confusion deepened as he stared at Fives's visor.
"Is this a test?"
"No, it's a rescue. It's just a matter of whether or not you're walking out of here or we're dragging you. Now, are you you, Wolffe?" Fives demanded.
Rex watched Wolffe carefully. The commander seemed relaxed, unthreatening beyond the scowl that had become his default expression over time. As if Wolffe could feel Rex evaluating him, he turned to face him.
"Who are you?"
Time to gamble. Rex reached up, pulling his helmet off, and Wolffe's eyes widened.
"Rex?"
Rex wet his lips. "I need to know if your chip is still working, Wolffe." He didn't see any of the tell-tale signs that he'd come to know, blown out pupils, tensing of the muscles as the chip took over. His mind drifted back to what Wrecker had looked like on Bracca so long ago, and he didn't see anything to signal that Wolffe was still under the chip's influence. But I have to be sure.
Wolffe blinked hard a few times, some of his features softening as he considered Rex's question. "I...I don't think it is, Rex. I think it's deteriorated. I felt my loyalty shift a while ago to the point where I could have...thoughts, if that makes sense. Thoughts of my own about the Empire and whether or not I still wanted to be a part of it." His eyes flicked to the scar on the side of Rex's head. "If yours activated, you know what I'm talking about. How everything is just unquestioned in your mind. You're a good soldier. You follow orders. That's the extent of it. But it's not like that anymore for me. Now, there's just headaches and the occasional fuzz in my brain."
Rex nodded, slowly holstering his blaster. He watched Wolffe for a few more seconds before he stepped forward and hugged the commander. Wolffe tensed in his grip before awkwardly returning the embrace.
"So how are we getting out of here then?" Wolffe asked.
Fives took his helmet off, nodding at Echo, who stepped back out of the cell to grab the guard they had stunned on the way in. "You'll have to put this guy's armor on. After that, we're just taking a stroll down the hangar bay and hopping a ride out of here."
Rex looked at the commander and had to bite back a laugh. Fives was completely casual, as if nothing had changed since the last time he'd seen the commander, but Wolffe's jaw was slack as he stared at the former ARC trooper. "You...you're supposed to be dead."
Fives shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint."
"There'll be plenty of time to explain later," Rex said quickly. "Right now we need to move."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Wolffe's mouth. "You know, maybe I had better just stay in the cell if this one is involved," he joked, jerking a thumb at Fives. "Might be better to take my chances here."
Fives rolled his eyes, muttering something as he turned to help Echo drag the stormtrooper the rest of the way into the cell. "I see you've got jokes now, Commander."
Wolffe grinned. "Had plenty of time to come up with them stuck on this ship." He reached for the piece of armor Fives was holding out to him as he and Echo stripped the stormtrooper.
"Why are you on this ship, by the way?" Rex asked. "We thought we'd find you at the facility on Wayland, so we were surprised to find you put on indefinite hold here."
Wolffe shrugged again. "I wasn't really kept in the loop on things. I did overhear one of the guards saying that Lord Vader wanted to keep me here because he thought someone was looking for me."
Rex's blood ran cold. "Someone?"
Wolffe paused, noting Rex's change in demeanor. "Yeah. Someone named Aven. Never heard the name before, but Vader seemed to think they'd show up. Guess you beat them to it."
It was a trap.
Rex was no longer listening, jamming his helmet back on his head and snatching his commlink from his belt. "Senna. Senna can you hear me?" He was met with nothing but static. Kriff. We're being jammed. They know we're here. Whirling, he turned to his former ARC troopers. "Fives, Echo-"
"We'll get him back to the hangar and find a ship with a hyperdrive," Echo said. "Go find her. We'll meet you there."
Rex was out of the cell and down the corridor before any of them could say another word.