A Hero Lost: A Star Wars AU

Chapter 10: Mournful Camaraderie

Lux Bonteri, Along with whatever was left of the squad of Rebels, returned to the meetup point after their failure of an attack.

The point wasn't exactly a base, but more of a place to meet up to discuss plans and that kind of thing.

It was built into the ruins of some ancient temple-like place, that had long-since been deprived of it's valuables, or any purpose it may have served.

Meeting up here was practically all they could do right now, given how disasterously their operation had gone.

And it was all because of...

Her.

Who was she? No, it's... it's not her, it can't be. She would never.

"You okay, Lux?"

Lux looked up to his friend Deni.

"I'm... I'm fine, thank y-"

"Lux, I don't have to be a genius to know there was something going on between you and Ahsoka. And I also don't have to be a genius to know that-"

"Shut up," Lux said. "Don't say it."

"Lux I-"

"Did you see what she did!? Look at what her and her crooks did! They... They killed so many... she... she would never. By gosh, this is worse than the seppies. The Imps really don't give a kriff about how many kriffing people they have to kill, do they?"

"Whoa, Lux, watch your mouth!" Deni said.

"Listen here," Lux said, somewhat aggressively. "I'm... I've... look, after seeing that many of my friends die, do you really think that watching my mouth should be a kriffing priority?"

"Lux, you are not acting like yourself right now."

"Take a kriffing guess as to why."

"Because the crazy sith lady that just chopped up half our squad is probably your crush?"

Lux snapped, and punched Deni in the ribs.

"Whoa!" A rebel soldier said.

Lux found himself being grabbed from behind and held in place by is rebel comrades as he flailed about a little, but managed to calm down a little.

"Chill," one of the soldiers said. "You signed up for this. You knew the risks."

"Sorry," Lux said, as his friends let him go. "I... good gosh, I'm sorry. I guess I... I need some time to myself."

"Well, this is not the time for that."

Lux looked up to see General Tandin and a small escort approaching.

"General Tandin," Lux said.

"You punched my son," Tandin said. "I believe that deserves an explanation, does it not?"

Lux fell silent.

"I understand that war isn't exactly the easiest on one's mental state, but this... Lux, is something wrong?"

Lux still could not muster a reply.

"I think it's about this," Deni said, handing his father a holoprojector.

He turned it on.

It was footage of the Sith girl they had encountered at the attack. Lux averted his eyes, and he started to cry.

Tandin was at a loss for words.

He watched the recording as the girl effortlessly cut through everyone she faced like butter.

"This... complicates things," Tandin then managed to say.

"No Kriff," Deni said.

The recording finished, and Tandin put it in his pocket.

"Lux," Tandin said, "I know what you're thinking."

"You're wrong," Lux said, "It's not her. It's not her. It can't be, she would never."

"He's been saying over and over again that since that attack," Deni said to his father.

"Lux," Tandin said, "You have to accept that."

"No." Lux said.

"Lux I'm not saying it's definately her. I'm saying that you need to accept that it's a possibility."

"It's not," Lux said. "She would never."

And Lux, with his hand against his face to wipe off the tears, ran off into the forest.