Wars Amongst the Stars: Rebellion: Vol. 2

Chapter Forty-One

Ari'abel, once having searched a few more of the planets of uncharted space, with the help of the Clones, decided that she had a few good options. Heading back into space, she plots in a course for the outer rim, and leans back, kicking her feet up on the dash.

Glancing back at the others, she sees Ember and Hotrod leaning on each other, asleep. Oati is in the corner, reading something on his data pad. Jeff is next to him, seemingly reorganizing his med-pack. Eh is in the chair by the gun controls, nodding off himself, and Cody is in the co-pilot's chair, his eyes watching Keen's movements.

She rolls her head to look into the Marshal Commander's eyes, "Can I help you?"

"I still don't understand why you trusted me, us, so easily. I know you had to be betrayed by your Troops, I know because I received the report from Fingers myself. So, all I'm asking is, why?"

Master Quinara sits up, spinning her chair to face Cody's. "I was there, you know. On Kamino, the day the Order was implemented, and the chips activated. I saw how the names reverted back to numbers, faces became stark white helmets. Any trace of uniqueness, or individuality wiped away. So, when you invited me into that ship, and I saw that individuality, that humanness, I knew. You told me the crash affected your chips, and in that moment, I knew you weren't lying."

"I guess that makes sense. It's the strangest thing though. The only reason we were in uncharted space was locating you. It seems we completed that mission, even though it wasn't how we were supposed to."

She smirks at him, before once again leaning back in her seat. She shuts her eyes, crossing her arms. Peaking one eye open, she tells Cody, "You and your men are probably going to wanna get some sleep. It's a long trip, and when we get there, you're most likely going to have a bunch of questions and the like to do. Catch some shut-eye while you've got the chance."

"Understood, sir. It almost feels just like old times."

"Well, maybe for you. You don't have to look at that monstrosity you call a beard. Seriously, you were on that planet for years, and you didn't think to shave? What the shab is that about?"

Cody just rolls his eyes, turning away from the Jedi. In reply, she sticks her tongue at him, and shuts her eyes once again.

***

She wakes up in the early morning of the next rotation, to hear quiet snoring filling the cockpit. She shoots forward in her seat, checking the controls to locate where they are. Her movement causes the Marshal Commander to wake up as well. He reaches up, rubbing his eyes, "So, where are we?"

"Just over Lothal. Our destination isn't far from here. Be a sweetheart, and hand me that comm, would you?"

Cody looks around the ship, spotting a small communicator wedged in the corner of the console. He grunts, as he raises from his seat, feeling his enhanced age in his bones as he makes his way to the device. Grabbing it, he tosses it to the Jedi Master, who catches it without looking up from where she's pouring over the controls.

The communicator's activation beep causes Eh to jolt awake with a grunt. His foot involuntarily kicks out, directly into Ember's side, who falls over, causing Hotrod to fall back onto the metal flooring, snapping him awake. His hand shoots out, smacking the side of Jeff's head. The medic jolts to consciousness, unthinkingly flinging his arm out, where he thinks Hotrod sits, but he overshoots, his arm wrapping all the way around to hit Oati, finally waking the final Clone, who snaps his eyes open, and grumbles out a threat to his brother. Cody, who had been watching the domino effect that was his vode waking up can't help but chuckle.

Keen, finally glancing away from the controls, sees all the bleary eyed Clones sitting on the floor of her ship, and remarks, "Good, you're all awake. We'll be there in a few kliks. I was just about to contact my crew." She tells them, as she presses the button to her comm, "Phoenix Squadron, do you copy?"