A Change of Pace (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Four: Year One

"Oh c'mon Breaker, Naboo hard candies are not better than Kel Dorian caramels." Wildfire scoffed over his helmet comms.

"That's bantha shit and you know it Wildfire. General Naru, what do you think?" Breaker and Wildfire turned to their general, who was scouting ahead.

Sebra shrugged, mumbling, "You bastards have never tried my pastries. I swear, when we get back to Coruscant I'm busting my master out of the halls of healing and we're making those just so you guys can try it. My pastries beat out both."

The squad leader, Dropkick, groaned over his comms, "Boys, shut up. This is supposed to be a quiet base clearing."

"Yeah, Dropkick is right—"

"Ringer, that means you too."

Sebra poked his head around a corner, unaware that the squad had stopped in their tracks as a message came over their private comms.

DANGER! BETRAYED! ACT! ACT!

The shrill cry of the Force, and his hand already gripping his lightstaff tightly, caused Sebra to act on instinct, whirling his saber wildly. He only realized what he had done as he heard four plastoid helmets hit the floor with the weight of the heads still inside them. Their bodies still had their blasters frozen in a solid stance of aiming straight at his back.

Sebra cried out in horror, dropping to his knees as the bodies crumpled. His saberstaff clattered to the floor, violet blades deactivating. Tears started to creep down his cheeks, "Kriff— Kriff what have I done? Wildfire... Breaker... Ringer..."

With trembling hands, he picked up a helmet that had rolled up against his leg. He pressed his forehead to it, beginning to sob in earnest as he choked out.
"Dropkick..."

Kekrou shot up out of bed in a cold sweat. Moonlight filtered in through his window. Tears dripped down his face, and he sat there for a few minutes, trying to calm the shake in his hands. He tugged on his cloak, trudging out into the main space of the apartment he and his padawan shared with his past self and his former padawan.

He could still feel the weight of Dropkick's head in his hands. He gripped Kickback's inhibitor chip. The Force hung around him like a sorrowful fog. Memories of what had been echoed in his mind. It had only been a couple of months since Naboo, and everyone was still reeling from almost losing Master Jinn, who had almost flatlined from an apparent piece of something that had ended up in his wound. Shortly thereafter, the Force had jolted Kekrou out of a nap, only for him to learn that Palpatine had been elected chancellor.

Everything felt wrong when that happened. The Force cried out in anguish the moment Palpatine got a position of such great power.

Kekrou needed to clear his head.

He pulled up his hood, trudging out to the gardens. He wouldn't be able to get back to sleep again, but maybe if he was surrounded by the Living Force, then he'd feel better. He found a tree to sit against, blinking his eyes sleepily.

' 'Jaieh, where are you?' '

Kekrou was taken aback by the sudden question, but sighed, responding in kind.
' 'On a walk, padawan. I had a nightmare.' '
' 'Oh... so that's what that was.' '
' 'You felt it? I'm sorry if I disturbed you Anakin.' '
' 'It's alright Jaieh. Will you be back soon?' '
' 'I suppose I can be.' '

He sat there, for just a little longer, before letting himself return to his room. Anakin was sitting patiently. Kekrou sat down next to him, not rejecting the hug he received. His padawan meant well, he knew that.

So, he laid down, letting his worries vanish into the void that was the Force, and holding onto Anakin like his only lifeline. Holding his young padawan close.

He let himself fall back into the warm embrace of sleep.

—
-
—

"Dropkick?"

Kekrou nodded as Obi-wan asked. They were sitting away from everyone else in the refectory. Kekrou sighed. "I can't divulge everything to you. Not yet. And Sebra, if I were to tell you some things then I'm sure you'd be afraid of them."

He rubbed his horns, sighing. "But it was a memory. Dropkick he—... He was a good friend. Loyal in every way. I trusted him and his brothers with my life, still do, despite that they almost took it."

"Yes but why such an odd name?"

Kekrou didn't get a chance to answer, as a very familiar Kiffar grabbed Obi-wan in a playful chokehold. He smacked at Quinlan's arm until he let go, sighing, "Kriff Quinlan... you could've warned me."

Quinlan grinned, sitting down next to Obi-wan. "Pfft, where's the fun in that?" He suddenly noticed the nearly identical Zab'leks sitting at the table. "Uh... Did Seb duplicate while I was gone?"

Kekrou sighs, holding out a hand, "Kekrou Naru, Sebra's twin." Quinlan raised an eyebrow, "I don't think I buy that but okay. Nice to meet you Kekrou."

Sebra turned to look at Kekrou, "Where did our padawans run off to?" Kekrou chuckles, "If I know Anakin? He's probably showing Alsmist how to hotwire a speeder. Unless Shmi is watching them, in which case they're probably eating all of the pastries."
"Nah, Shmi wouldn't let them eat them all."

They heard a distant half curse, looking towards the door. Kekrou and Sebra both struggled to hold in their laughter as they realized that Qui-gon had just whacked his foot against the doorway. He straightened himself out and joined them at the table. "Don't you laugh at me. I only have one eye."

Kekrou lightly punched his arm, "For now. You're gonna have a prosthetic eye aren't you?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. Kekrou smirked, "Well I didn't get the chance to commend it before, but Obi has all the makings of a councillor." The lilt in his voice caused alarm to seep into Obi-wan's blue eyes. "You're kidding right Kekrou?" Qui-gon, Obi-wan, and Sebra had quickly figured out that the particular lilt in the Kekrou's voice gave away whether he was telling them a part of the future or not. It was a system he had devised to give them information around those who didn't know.

Kekrou shook his head, "Nah~ I think you could do it Obes." There was an unsaid "again" in that sentence. Quinlan looked between Obi-wan and Kekrou, crossing his arms, "Okay something is up."

"Nah."

Kekrou could tell Quinlan later.

•—END OF CHAPTER—•