In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 6

She was racing through the forest, blaster bolts whizzing by her head. The vines and brambles tore at her clothes and her long hair stuck to her neck and face. They were coming.

A branch near her head exploded with blaster fire and the splintering wood sliced her cheek and cut open her shoulder to her collarbone. She tasted blood and sweat in her mouth, but still she ran. As she reached an especially thick group of vines, she ignited her lightsaber, frantically cutting at them, ripping her way forward. After what felt like an eternity, she sliced through the final knot of shrubbery and raced into the open, tripping over a root sticking out of the ground. She scrambled, pushing her body up. Her calves were burning, and she realized she was in sand, struggling to stand. She pushed herself up and raced forward, stopping as she realized she was no longer on Kashyyyk, or at least no part she recognized.

A beach stretched out before her, white sands being lapped at by gentle blue waves. The blaster fire behind her had faded, and she felt an eerie calm come over her. It was silent as she walked towards the water. Too silent. She stood at the edge of the waves, the water lapping at her boots. Suddenly, she felt a presence at her side. Turning, she saw the clone trooper with the Jaig eyes on his helmet, his blue and white armor glinting in the sun. Wordlessly, he pointed, and she followed his finger to see a moon hovering in the twilight sky. No, not a moon...

The sky erupted with green light, and an explosion blossomed in front of them, engulfing the entire sky with fire as the planet disintegrated beneath their feet. The shockwave and explosion raced towards them. Senna felt herself reach out her hand to the trooper, and he took it as the destruction approached. She looked into his helmet, and he raised a hand to remove it, his thumb slipping under the lip just as the searing heat and light reached them-

"Senna, wake up. You're dreaming."

She awoke, gasping, sweat trickling down her face and her eyes wild. Rex was sitting on the edge of her bed, his hands gently gripping her arms. He pulled her into him as she shook and silently whispered her mantra.

"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."

He gently stroked her hair and rocked her as she worked to calm herself. She realized she was gripping the blankets, her knuckles white, and she slowly relaxed her hold. She could hear his heartbeat with her face pressed against his chest as he held her, and it helped her slow her own pulse, setting a calming rhythm that seemed to reverberate between the two of them.

"Order 66 again?" he murmured into her hair.

She nodded, her throat sore. She must have been screaming.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"No," she rasped. "I'm sorry. Not yet."

"Don't be sorry," he whispered, giving her a light squeeze. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he gently eased her back onto her pillows, scooting forward so that he was sitting closer to the head of the bed, his hip brushing her shoulder. She reached over and squeezed his arm.

"Will you be able to go back to sleep?" he asked.

"I think so," she whispered.

"Good. Don't forget you've got a hot date with Fisk tomorrow."

"How could I forget?"

He stood, but she tightened her grip on his arm. He looked back at her, expecting her to be glaring at him for his joke. Instead, she was chewing her lip, struggling internally with something. Finally, she met his eyes. "Would you stay?" she asked, almost too quietly for him to hear.