In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 3

"Are you almost ready up there? People are already walking up to the city center!" How long could it take to put on one garment? Maybe she was detangling her hair nest. Either way, people were already filing by in the street and Rex's hopes of not being immersed in a crowd were dwindling.

"VALLA!"

"JUST A SECOND!"

He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. At least she's making an effort, I suppose. The thought wasn't as comforting as he'd wanted. He'd woken up with a shadow hanging over him, clinging to his every thought. Fives. Jesse. Kix. Dogma. Their names hadn't stopped running through his mind all day as he'd attempted to go through the motions to prepare for the outing.

The Empire Day event was looming in his mind as well. He could feel his nerves fraying with every ticking second. It was one thing to go into battle with soldiers bred for war. There, he at least felt like knew what he was getting himself into. Covert operations with a near stranger were a different story. He tried the Jedi breathing techniques again to quell some of the tingling in his fingers, rolling his head and neck and shaking out his hands. It will be alright. They wouldn't have assigned someone that can't handle this. Again, little comfort was had, and his dress jacket felt like it was strangling him slowly.

The sound of a shoed foot hitting the tile floor at the base of the stairs disrupted his worrying. She was almost unrecognizable in a floor length dark blue gown. It was a somewhat simple garment with subtle beading on the bodice and sleeves that billowed out slightly closing back around her wrists. She had some simple beaded necklaces draped across her collarbone that she had picked up on one her few ventures out to the market that he'd allowed, with a matching ring on one hand. What Rex noticed most was her hair. She had obviously washed it and brushed it, and it now hung in dark loose waves around her shoulders. She'd woven a beaded headband into it, and the dark brown color shimmered in the dwindling light seeping in through the windows.

"Wow," he breathed.

"Yeah?" she asked. "Amazing what a shower can do, huh?"

He felt heat rising in his cheeks and tried to return the volley. "You actually own a hairbrush?"

"Ok, don't push it or get used to it."

She stepped to the door next to him.

"You ready?" he asked.

She breathed deeply. "Yes."

"You're certain."

She turned to look at him and the twilight caught the color in her eyes, making them appear to have gold flecks dancing in the blue.

"Absolutely, Lon."

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They stepped out into the cooling night air. A light breeze tugged at the hem of his jacket and swirled her gown around her ankles. The streets had been decorated with strings of lights and people were already filing towards the city center building. It would have almost felt joyful if not for the weight sitting in both of their chests.

Rex inhaled deeply and felt her hand slip under his arm, giving it a light squeeze. He looked down at her, and she smiled back up at him. "Let's go," she said quietly. He placed a hand over hers, and they took their first steps out of the compound together.

Immediately, Rex's senses were overwhelmed with the celebration. There were children with sparklers and the smell of all sorts of street vendor foods invaded his nostrils. There were hundreds in the street laughing and dancing. He felt his body tense in revulsion at the atmosphere, and the grip on his arm tightened, grounding him. "What a lovely celebration," she said aloud. He could barely perceive the resentment in her voice, but it was there.