In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 11

"How can this be so kriffing boring?" Senna said, rubbing her face. "I really thought this talk would have at least some worthwhile details in it, but the guy giving it has to have been around when they invented the hyperdrive."

Rex chuckled. "I don't think it's so bad."

"Of course you wouldn't. You two geezers are kindred spirits."

"I'm technically younger than you, you know. Accelerated aging and all that."

She rolled her eyes again, standing and grabbing her cloak and face cover. "I'm going out."

"Where?"

"To grab some real food. All we've had for the last three days is room service."

He turned to look at her as she tucked her hair under her hood and pulled the face covering up. "Alright, be careful. Make sure you take a comm with you."

"Yeah, sure," she said absently, feeling in her pocket for her commlink and credits.

"And bring me something back."

He couldn't see her mouth, but her eyes were crinkled by a smile. "Sure thing." With that, she walked out the front door and into the hallway.

Slipping out into the cool evening air, Senna inhaled deeply. A warm breeze blew some loose tendrils of hair against her cheeks, and she could smell food vendors nearby frying food. Smiling to herself under her face covering, she wandered down the street, listening to the tinkle of laughter from patrons in a local cantina and the sound of music playing from somewhere up ahead. Children raced by, brushing her cloak as they sprinted carelessly by, laughing and screaming as dust swirled in their wake. Senna disappeared into the crowd, enjoying the feeling of being around people, yet alone. It was a refreshing change of pace after being cooped up in the room with Rex for a few days. She made her way through the throng of people, the music growing louder as she wove by group after group of people laughing and giggling. Suddenly, everything opened up around her in a square that was filled with lanterns and streamers.

She'd walked right into some sort of festival with people twirling and dancing while a live band serenaded them in the twilight. Trees reached out over the dancers, illuminating them softly with small lights that twinkled as the leaves moved in the breeze. The onlookers clapped as the dancers whirled, colorful fabrics waving in wide arcs as the dancers spun, hair and tendrils whipping around like grass in the wind. Senna let her shoulder lean against a pillar as she took the scene in. She'd never had the opportunity to see festivals like this while she was a Jedi, and moments of joy like this one warmed her heart after so much time spent in a war.

"Beautiful isn't it?" a familiar voice said softly next to her, and she jumped. Amber eyes twinkled beneath the brim of his hat that was covering his blonde hair as he leaned closer to her.

"Did you follow me?" she whispered with an edge of annoyance.

"Yeah, but mainly because I wanted to get out of that room too. Just took me about thirty seconds after you left to realize how much cabin fever I had," he chuckled.

She smirked under her mask, nudging him with her shoulder. "You ever see anything like this?"

"We weren't exactly around a lot of festivals on our campaigns."

"Yeah, that tracks." They stood in silence for a few more minutes as the song came to a close and the dancers all applauded along with the crowd. The band struck up a new song, and many of the onlookers took the dance floor, swaying in time with the music. Senna leaned over and said quietly, "You uh...ever learn how to dance, Captain?"