ɪᴛ's ᴏᴋᴀʏ... [ᴇɴɢʟɪsʜ ✓]

04. Second Wave

"Commander, this can't stay like this, let me examine it", Rex pleaded for the thousandth time now.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, Rex. It's alright. I'll be fine."

She pulled her arm towards her and ran after the others, her hand continuing to press on the wound, from the centre of which a small stream of red fluid still ran down the scab.

The blood had dried up and stiffened the apprentice's left side. She had not been able to wash it from her leg, with what?

Rex stopped for a moment in irritation, but then followed her without argument. Lost in thought, he stared at the ground, his legs moving automatically without him noticing.

The small, slightly higher path at the edge of the field, which was covered with pale red stone slabs, led via a swerve to the right to the edge of the ravine where they would launch their second attack.

The cave, which offered a sheltered place to camp in the rock face in front of it, was their next target.

Even though Rex was no Jedi, he could almost feel how Soka felt. What pain she must have been in. He would have to let the General know. Somehow, he had to convince Windu to send a med team.

Anakin would probably have called for the whole medical center immediately. He had to laugh a little at the thought. Yes, his General was overprotective after all. Especially when it came to his Snips.

And right now, Rex would have given anything to see the Lazarette land - however someone managed to land a Lazarette, but Anakin would have managed somehow - instead of accompanying a careless Windu who let his little one die outright.

Now his gaze snapped back to the Commander as an unnatural movement in front of him brought him out of his thoughts.

Ahsoka was staggering a little, looking wobbly on her feet and walking not straight but in a serpentine way.

Concerned, the man narrowed his eyes under his helmet. His arms shot out in her direction as she buckled at the ankle, but just managed to regain her balance.

Slowly he relaxed a little again and lowered his arms. But his gaze now rested unblinkingly on his girl.

***

A small trail of red droplets led to a cave in the rock face of a gorge.

Gleaming light filled the shelter that stretched not too far into the stone.

At the entrance, a scan of the surroundings glowed blue, depicting Jedi tactics, discussed by Windu with his commander and modified if necessary.

Deeper in the cave, behind a narrow yet shielding rock wall, Ahsoka sat with her head leaning back against the stone, her arms crossed over her stomach and her legs drawn up.

Her body shivered, though she was more than hot. Her skin had turned pale and lost the vibrant orange. Her eyes sparkled dully and tears shimmered in the corners of her eyes.

The young Togruta wasn't crying. But the sharp, stabbing pain drove the water into her eyes.

With each wave she felt several daggers stabbing into her stomach, belly and hip, slicing around in them and being pulled out again.

She didn't know how much longer she could endure the pain. But at least she wanted to see her master once more.

And at least that long she would hold out. At least that long she would stay alive.

What was she thinking? Ahsoka wasn't the type to give up so easily! Not even with a wound bleeding like a waterfall that had burst open again.

One of the clones standing close to the General had his worried gaze fixed on the Togruta.

Fives put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Rex, you all right?"

Rex looked his brother in the eye. "To be honest, no. I'm worried, I don't think she can do it," he voiced his doubts.

The second clone shook his head. "Rex, our commander is strong, you can't get her down that easily. Don't worry, soon she'll be bouncing around the temple again, letting off her snippy comments and squabbling with the general"

"I still can handle the comments now," a female voice spoke up.

Rex whirled around. Ahsoka approached the small group, her right hand still trying to stop the bleeding.

The pale skin with her bloodied leg and torso made her look creepy in the dim light. Almost like a living dead person.

But her glittering eyes revealed the fighting spirit she had within her. The boys smiled wanly.

"Hey, kid. How are you?"

They expected an Ahsoka denying her pain, as she always did when she was unwell. She hated to admit that she was hurt or physically weak.

For mentally there was no weakness to speak of. Only Windu imagined she was too sensitive and exaggerating. And indeed, Ahsoka was sensitive. But in other areas. And even there, it was hardly noticeable.

After a moment's hesitation, she finally replied, "Fine under the circumstances, Rex, fine under the circumstances."

Towards the end, her voice softened and she averted her gaze from the two clones.

Rex became uncomfortable at her words. Indirectly, she had admitted her pain. Something she had never done before, unless General Skywalker forced her to.

He didn't even want to imagine how badly she was actually feeling, standing in front of them bleeding like that, any more than Fives or any of the others who had been silently following the conversation.