Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Fifty Seven: Do you think?

Kaar scrolled on his datapad with a furrowed brow. They had gotten Hammer into bacta the moment they could, and now they were back into hyperspace. He closed the door behind him, freezing in his tracks as he heard a shaky sob.

Droidbait had his back to the door, wrapped up in a blanket and facing the window. Kaar sat down behind him, resting his head on Droidbait's shoulder and lightly nudging his jaw. The Jedi wrapped his arms around the trooper's waist, and he sighed.

"K— Kaar... do you think that... maybe... we might find Fives?" Droidbait asked, voice trembling and soft. He had been trying not to think about Fives past his morning remembrances with his remaining batchmates. Kaar kissed Droidbait's temple, running his fingers along the surgical scar on the opposite side of his head.

"Yeah. I hope so Dee." He muttered, lightly squeezing Droidbait's hip. The blue light of hyperspace reflected in his eyes, and Kaar couldn't help the flutter in his heartbeat. He rubbed Droidbait's back, moving to settle leaning against the headboard.

Kaar lightly patted his chest, and Droidbait was quick to curl up and rest his head over his General's heart. They laid there, sort of just lazily basking in the quiet. Droidbait's thoughts were loud, as he tried to quiet his mind of the What Ifs and Could've Beens.

"Droidbait, don't focus on your anxieties." Kaar hummed softly, "It'll only hurt you. There's nothing you can change now. We'll find Fives, I promise you."

Droidbait started to protest, but slowly closed his mouth. He sighed, nestling his head in the crook of Kaar's neck.

"I hope you're right."

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Walking into the shooting range, Kaar nearly sighed as he found Hevy aggressively firing off rounds. He walked over, leaning against the divider. "Talk to me, Hevy."

Hevy glanced his way, scoffing a little. "Is that an order sir?"

Kaar now actually sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Great. What is it Hevy?"

Hevy near slammed down the pistol and faced Kaar. "I'll tell you what it is sir. What if that'd been Fives in there? What if it'd been Fives instead of Disco? Y'coulda killed my brother!"

"I didn't know, Hevy."

"Yeah right," he growled, a challenging look in his eyes, "And yet you seem to know everything in every other situation!"

"I'm prone to visions, Hevy, that doesn't mean I can control what they're about. Hammer and Disco were injected with a nasty mix of drugs that made their presences so dull I nearly missed them! I don't know everything Hevy!" Kaar shot back, disliking the accusatory tone.

"Hevy, that's enough."

They both looked up as Cutup walked in, putting himself between them. Kaar walked away.

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He felt Satahl's roiling confusion and fear before she even stepped into the rec room. He didn't groan, he didn't and wouldn't, as she plopped down next to him with the saddest look on her face. Before Kaar could even open his mouth to ask what was wrong, she beat him to it and started talking.

"I'm just so scared, Master. What if that'd been Tup or Dogma? Do you think they could get 'em? I— I don't want to lose Tup or Dogma, Master."

Kaar's eyes softened as her eyebrows furrowed. She was almost sixteen now, a young woman. He pulled her in for a hug, wishing he could make her anxieties vanish. He rubbed her back as she started crying, letting out a low purr to try and comfort her. He couldn't find words to say, with such a plausible fear.

"Master Sunna?"

He cracked open an eye, making a small half chirp so she knew she had gotten his attention.

"Could... Could we spar, using the sunset eyes?"

He honestly considered it, for a moment. But Satahl hadn't had very much practice with the technique, not like he had. She had been doing her Sundown Meditations, and as far as Dogma and Tup had reported she was doing well at pulling off the rise; but Kaar was still on the fence about a practical spar. She hadn't had any practical usage, and practical application was far harder than the meditations. The set was easy, but the rise was tough to get the hang of in practical application.

"Padawan, are you sure? The rise is far harder in a Sunlow Spar than in a Sundown Meditation." He curled his fingers around her hand protectively, trying to stress how dangerous it could be.

"I'm sure. Jones needs practice with his new arm right? We could duke it out in the salles when we're on Corrie again." She said, though Kaar feared she was overestimating herself.

"Okay." He sighed, "Talk to Master Kenobi about it, and make sure you take one of the men with you to help you with the rise. Preferably a force sensitive."

"Of course master!"

•—END OF CHAPTER—•