When the Cavalry Comes.

XXV

"The Captain and Commander are underway to Coruscant now." Kix grumbled from his desk. Cav huffed but didn't say anything, letting her brother rant. "Wonder what those blood tests were for. Wish I had the tech to check for midichlorians. Whatever those are." He sighed and slammed his head on the table.

"Sounds awful." Cav commented dryly, enjoying her newfound freedom to speak.

"Yeah. At least they aren't my problem for a few weeks. We get a while off too, that'll be nice. Three weeks of cruiser to cruiser combat, which we have to stay alert for, then a while on Coruscant for a reprieve." He sighed. "Maybe we can get actual supplies this time."

"Or food. Food is good too." Fives walked in and presented Kix with a packet of papers. Kix sighed.

"I don't agree with this." He sighed.

"We know." Cav and Fives chorused.

"I'll make sure she takes it easy."

"I won't press too hard." They both promised as Kix signed Cav's release forms.

"I'm going to hold you both to that." Kix growled. "And if anything-"

"Happens I'll be back in the medbay-"

"Within seconds." Kix and Cav stared at each other.

"Not again."

"Can I be mute still?"

Fives looked between them. "Freaky. You've only ever done that with Neon before." He pointed out.

"Guess that means I'm her Ori'vod too." Kix said tiredly.

"Now hold on a second-"

"Ok cool it!" Cavalry broke in, cutting Fives off. "You can both be my Ori'vode. Kix can be the overbearing and annoying one, Fives can be the one to teach me swear words for fun." She suggested.

"Like I'd do that." Fives chuckled as the tension dissipated.

"Eh. Worth a shot." Cav turned her head to cough softly into her sleeve.

"Cav-"

"M'fine." She said harshly as the fit passed. "And I'm getting out of here."

"Actually, you aren't getting back to active duty." Kix said. Cav turned.

"What?"

"Your lungs are in bad condition." He supplied. Cav frowned, not liking where this was going.

"I'm fine, Kix." She insisted.

"We don't have the stuff to completely treat the carbon poisoning here." He continued. Cav glanced between her brothers. Fives was silent and glaring at the ground.

"What did you do, Fives?" Cav growled.

"I'm sorry, Cav. You need help better than Kix." Fives sighed. "I've been called back to Coruscant to file various reports on Krell's betrayal. The medical center there will fix your lungs and you'd be back on the frontlines before you know it."

Cav crossed her arms, swallowing thickly against her achy throat. "What's the downside?" She asked.

"Planetside boredom, as well as the process being not fun for..." he trailed off.

"One of you, let alone me." She finished for him bitterly. "I'm used to hearing it, Ori'vod." Fives nodded.

"Do you have anything you want to bring?" He asked. Cav shook her head.

"My armor and clothes. Not much that will fit me." She pursed her lips. "And I'm we're going to talk about communication, me and you." She coughed again. "Alright?"

Fives smiled a little. "Yes sir. Do you want me to help you pack?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No. I'm mad at you." She huffed. "I'll meet you in the hanger bay in twenty minutes."

"Understood."

Cav made her way back to the barracks where Fives had put her things in her locker for her. Whiteout was sitting on his bunk tinkering a bit with his arm when she walked in.

"Hey."

She grunted in response, coughing wetly.

"Can we talk? Before you go?"

"About what?" She snapped with a glare. Whiteout raised his hand in defense.

"I wanted to apologize. For pushing you like that back on the Resolute. I don't know why I was so mad at you." He rubbed at the back of his neck, laying his metal arm across his lap.

"We were all a little sick." She said quietly, folding up some blacks and grabbing her sewing kit.

"Yeah, well, other weren't putting each other into comas with concussions." He said guiltily. "Look. I know you're going away for a while. I just wanted to apologize and... ask for a truce?" He said the last part as a question.

"I owe you my life already then I almost kill you and... I'm sorry. Ok? I was a jerk and I know it. As soon as we were rescued I tried to see you but you were in critical care. I tried to help, brought Kix and Fives food and stuff, but..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I could have killed you. I practically did kill Ne-"

"Don't say his name." She growled, her voice tight with emotion.

"I practically killed your brother." He said quietly. "He died to keep you alive after I hurt you so badly." Cav turned her head to cough, then grabbed White by the collar and stood on tip toe so they were face to face.

"Listen." Her voice was rougher than it was before, and that was saying something. "I don't trust you, not by a long shot. But I'm not wasting my second chance hating my brother."

She gave him a flinty stare before slinging her kit over her slim shoulders, grunting involuntarily at the weight before leaving for the hangers. Five's chosen transport shuttle was primed and ready to go.

"Hawk?" He called as she approached.

"Ready, sir." The pilot, Hawk, called back from the cockpit. "Everything is green and ready to go."

Cav put her pack by her feet as the shuttle rumbled and the doors slid shut. She wasn't quite used to the feeling of taking off yet, but she was getting there. Fives gave her a small smile as she clutched the armrests until they made the jump to hyperspace. He noticed her abnormally stoic attitude.

"Cav?" He asked, concerned. "Something wrong."

Cav pressed her lips together because yes, everything was wrong. Neon was dead and she was rendered all but useless. He died and it nearly came to nothing. White was right, he was the fault that Neon was dead.

As much as she wanted to hate him, she found she couldn't. "No. Not anymore."