Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Twenty One: Old Wounds

Sparkler didn't know what he'd expected when Krayt called the general to come and check out the Phase II armor.

Whatever he expected, it wasn't this.

General Sunna stood completely still, pupils slits. He stared blankly at the squad in their pristine new armor. His chest didn't even move. Sparkler glanced down at his hands, and realized that his hands were shaking.

"Sir?" Dogma said slowly, "Is everything alright?"

General Sunna inhaled sharply. His voice cracked a little as he breathed out, "I'm fine." He turned tail and walked out of the barracks, digging his claws into his arms with waves of fear rolling off of him.

Droidbait took his helmet off and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'll go after him."

—
-
—

Kaar sucked in a terrified breath, curled up as much as he could. He almost felt sick, tears streaming freely down his face. He covered his mouth as another sob escaped him.

"General?"

He jolted unable to get a read on who it was. "...C— Come in......."

He looked up as Droidbait walked in and sat down next to him. The lieutenant had taken off his shiny new Phase IIs and threw on his sweater. He reached out a hand, slowly, and placed it on Kaar's shoulder. He furrowed his eyebrows in concern at the state his general was in.

"Sir? Are you alright?" He asked cautiously. Kaar—

—tried to rip off the collar, only to be met with a painful shock for his attempt. He backed up, but not quick enough as his hair was chopped off. He pulled at the cuffs on his wrists, leaving deep, bloody gouges along his arms. He looked up fearfully at the stormtroopers and their pristine white armor.

He grasped for—

—Droidbait, seeking comfort. He broke down in tears, whispering apologies in Kaleeshi, apologizing almost incoherently for not being strong enough and claiming he didn't deserve the title of Sunna.

Droidbait, though he had no idea what his general was so distraught about, hugged his general's head to his chest, running his fingers through soft blond hair. "Hey... Hey it's alright sir. Deep breaths."

Once again, Kaar didn't feel like the great General Sunna, or the mighty Jedi Paladin Kaar Sal. He felt like that little slave boy that his master had rescued from certain death. Who clawed at his shackles, who couldn't save his family, who watched idly as his sister sacrificed her life for him.

He heard a sharp gasp from Droidbait. Kaar glanced at his claws, then looked at his arms. He had drawn his own blood with his claws being so long. He stared blankly, blinking as he realized he'd left deep gouges on his arms. "I— I'm sorry......."

Droidbait shook his head, "You have nothing to be sorry about sir. Do you want me to call Bones?"

Kaar shook his head, shakily drawing his attention to medical supplies on the dresser. Droidbait nodded, getting up and grabbing the treated gauze and bacta. He settled onto the bed next to Kaar and started to rub bacta into the deep cuts. He glanced up to look at his general's eyes. Kaar's cheeks were stained with tear tracks, his eyes were unfocused. His tail was completely still, unlike it's usual sway.

As Droidbait finished wrapping Kaar's arms, he reached out and ran his thumb over his general's knuckles. He'd comforted quite a few shinies since he'd finally gained his paint. Almost on instinct, he pressed their foreheads together, grounding Kaar in the here and now with a tight grip on his shoulders.

"Hey, sir, focus on me okay? Everything is alright. Whatever's got you so shaken up, it isn't here. It's just me here right now." He kept his voice low, smiling a little as Kaar nodded. "Alright, I need you to take deep breaths sir. You can sense my brothers and I right?"

"Y— Yes." Kaar choked out.
"Good, take deep breaths and tell me who's nearby."

Kaar inhaled deeply, furrowing his eyebrows as he reached out with the Force. "Satahl...she's meditating in her quarters. Tup and Dogma are...heading that way. Sparkler is across the hall in the meeting room." His voice slowly steadied as he spoke. "The rest of Krayt are in the barracks still... Admiral Tedam is in the gym."

They separated, Droidbait still absently running his thumb across Kaar's knuckles. "There we go... Are you alright now sir?"
"Kaar." He corrected softly.
"Pardon?"

Kaar sighed, "Kaar. You can call me Kaar, Droidbait. At least, if you want to."

Droidbait looked slightly taken aback. "Isn't that a special thing?" Kaar nodded, "It is. You're only supposed to let friends, family, and those you trust use your birth name. I trust you with my life, Droidbait."

Both men fell silent. Kaar's eyes caught on the pink scar just behind Droidbait's temple. He reached out and ghosted his fingers along the scar, tears welling in his eyes again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Droidbait. I'm so sorry."

"Sir, you couldn't have known about the chips." He mumbled.

Kaar fell silent, then slowly nodded, "Yeah you're—.... you're right." He sat still for a moment.

"I couldn't have known."

•—END OF CHAPTER—•