In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 28

"Can you feel when I press there?" Tech was poking at the metal plating on the palm of the prosthetic's hand. Rex watched intently as she nodded. "Excellent," he said. It had taken several weeks for the wound on Senna's arm to heal enough for a prosthetic, but the minute she'd been cleared by the medical staff, she and Tech had set to work designing a new cybernetic arm for her. While she hadn't been able to get the scomplink she'd wanted, Tech had worked diligently to build a small computer into her arm similar to his own vambrace that he wore. Her arm now contained its own computer, communication link, and when she pressed the right place on her forearm, she could bring up a small display. Overall, she'd somewhat returned to normal, and it warmed Rex's heart to see her recovering from her injuries both mentally and physically.

"That should do it," Tech said, removing the soldering tool from the open panel in her forearm and gently closing it. Senna lifted her arm, twisting her wrist and flexing her fingers. She had opted for a sleek metal plating on the appendage rather than a flesh covering. "As a reminder."

She stood, walking over to Rex. "Good as new. Maybe even better."

He smiled, pulling the metal hand to his face and brushing his lips across the cold knuckles. "I think it suits you."

She grinned, pulling it back and examining it carefully. "If I'd known I could carry my own personal computer with me wherever I went, I might have opted to cut my hand off sooner," she joked. "Now I might even be able to beat Wrecker at arm wrestling."

Tech was still packing his tools back up at the table they'd been sitting at. "I wouldn't recommend that. The structural integrity of the electronics within would likely not be able to withstand-"

"I'm joking, Tech."

"Ah."

Turning her face back to his, Rex could see the exhaustion in Senna's eyes. While she'd improved during the time she was awake, her nightmares had become more frequent in the weeks since her capture. He often woke her when she started crying out his name or screaming in terror. She'd talked with him a little about it, but they were all mostly the same: the Inquisitor finding them again, the red lightsaber against Rex's throat, the torture she'd endured. He felt helpless and frustrated that there was little he could do other than hold her until she drifted back off again, but there were nights when she'd laid in his arms wide awake until the sun had risen.

"Why don't you and I go lay down for a bit. You could use a nap."

She smiled slightly, the dark circles under her eyes crinkling. "Sure. That sounds nice."

Once they were back in his quarters, Rex gently started to help her remove her boots. "Wait, let me try," she said, waving him away with her hand. He'd had to help her dress herself for the prior few weeks, but now that Tech and she had gotten the new cybernetic hand calibrated and functioning properly, he could tell she was eager to see if she could start doing things on her own again. He removed his hands and watched as she flexed the fingers on the prosthetic before pulling on the bootstraps and buckles and slowly sliding her foot out of it. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she took off the other boot as well. "Finally," she sighed, laying back on the bed and wiggling her fingers in the sunlight. The metal plating cast reflections that danced across the walls in the room and Rex felt relief washing over him as he observed some of the first real joy she'd experienced in weeks.

Hopping up, she pulled him to his feet. "Now let's see what else I can take off," she teased, reaching for his belt. He tipped his head back and laughed.

"Practice makes perfect, or so I hear."

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The sun had been down for several hours, but Rex hadn't dared wake Senna for dinner. It was the longest uninterrupted sleep she'd had in weeks, and while he'd drifted in and out, she'd snored consistently for the last six hours. Now, he was laying on his side, watching the moonlight catch her hair as her chest rose and fell evenly. She had fallen asleep with the fingers of her right hand interlaced with his, and he hadn't tried to move once for fear of waking her. As he watched her, he thought of how he would never take another moment with her for granted. He'd come so close to losing her and the fact that he was able to lay with her like this right now felt like all of the luck in the galaxy had come his way.